Faint memories of the vibrant bougainvilleas and the deers still exist within, reminiscence of the mystic lake, birds chirping while running around the gardens of green felt. 20 years later I happen to revisit the place unaware that I would be revisiting my childhood memories. With the distant gush of water speeding my footsteps, and petrichor slowly awakening my senses, it was as if I had re-discovered the mystic place. Back then I didn’t know it had a story to tell and it was important for everyone, the way it was important to me. Today I was able to see, listen and feel the journey of various appropriations the place underwent over 800 years. While only a few happen to know this story, many are still incognizant.
Man and nature have been interdependent since time immemorial. It’s interesting how man understood the importance of natural resources and used them to his benefit in building civilizations and empires. All the civilizations strived on one primary resource, water being the most important. The story of Hauz Khas (Royal Tank) has been one of its kind with every ruler, and “time” changing its significance and imparting newer meanings to it.
Built as a reservoir for the people settled around the 4th capital city of Delhi, Siri fort, Allauddin Khalji had strategically placed it to be where it was, in the 13th Century. With 2 main Nullahs connected from the southern ridge of Delhi flowing through the present-day institutional campuses like JNU and IIT Delhi, it lies equidistant from Tughlakabad fort and Firozabad (the successive capitals of rulers of Delhi). Having a perimeter of 1 km and an average depth of 2.2 m, the lake sufficed the day-to-day needs of the community for drinking water and farming. Soon, due to the composition of the lake bed and exploitation of the lake, it started to dry. The bed was also used for cultivation for a brief period. The upper layers being porous, composed of sandy and clayey silt, it was difficult for the water to be retained and evaporation losses also contributed to the drying of the lake multiple times. Feroz Shah Tughlaq, the ruler who has been well known for his contributions to the built heritage of Delhi, had introduced a Madarsa along with his tomb in an ‘L’ shape around the lake in 1388 with an intent to appropriate the legacy, rewrite the contested succession and promote Islam. The place which was earlier used by locals for daily needs had been face-lifted. A new meaning, a new beginning for the exchange of knowledge, cultural associations and architecture was seen. Hundreds of years later, the tombs, the madrasa and other monuments remain intact but are scarred by the humans who disregarded the heritage and vandalized it.
The case of urbanization is something that has been posing a threat to the ecologically rich, architecturally sound, and historically significant complex. Post-independence events like the Asian and the Commonwealth Games had brought in people from various cultural backgrounds to settle in the vicinity. DLF, a private developer, procured land and started developing high-end societies like Safdarjung enclave. Although this ensured a cultural and economic mix of social groups, this eventually led to disregarding the existing heritage. The lake dried in the second half of the 20th century after which INTACH proposed an Operational scheme in 2002, the first of its kind, to conserve the lake. Without the detailed plan of how treated water from Vasant Kunj STP could have been redirected to Hauz Khas lake via Sanjay Van Park where Duckweed treatment was introduced, the lake we see today wouldn’t have existed.
This was a crucial step towards conserving an important ecological repository. Today, Hauz Khas district park is a home to rich biodiversity, thousands of avifauna, flora and many other living entities that help enhance the microclimate of the region. Where would man be without mother nature? Be it the engineering marvels like the step-wells which are left to be mere monuments or the diminishing courtyards of any old city of India, be it the encroached forests leaving fauna homeless or the carbon emissions which lead to global warming, we have been ignorant and selfish all along. Few cases of revival often go unnoticed and unappreciated.
The Hauz Khas complex housing madrasa and the lake, is now the heart of Hauz Khas, South Delhi. The neighbourhood has undergone a drastic shift in character from an area of historic importance to an affluent precinct with cafes and shops especially attracting the youth of the city.
The present-day Hauz Khas can be identified with 4 major aspects: the lake and monuments, the cafe culture, an artistic destination due to the graffiti made by artists (some who reside there), and the village which is overshadowed by the dense urbanization that has taken place over the last half of the century. A serious threat is posed with Hauz Khas gaining prominence, over 120 restaurants licenses have been revoked due to fire safety concerns and newer constructions close to the heritage buildings flout environmental clearance norms.
The boundary wall that stands between the district park and the Hauz Khas village differentiates yet beautifully unifies the two distinct fabrics, one being ecologically sensitive Hauz Khas lake and the other being highly dense and commercialized Hauz Khas village. Argumentably, the coexistence of the two raises concerns regarding their future, sustenance, and how they would change with time to set newer trends as seen in the past. I call this unique relationship between the two, “the flip side”.
The illustration depicts the coexistence of ecology and habitat. The two being geographically placed adjacent to each other, still have a distinct identity and interdependence.
On one side lies the remnants of the past and new ways of life on the other,
One that echoes with the chirping of birds and the other that hustles and bustles,
On one end where the burbling water calms one’s mind and on the other the booze subdues one’s senses,
One is known for its rich architectural heritage while the other has fancy interiors.
The wall stands as if a coin with two sides, flipside there’s a whole new world.
Do we name it sustainable on one side and habitat on the other or together a sustainable habitat is what we wish to create?
The views, information, or opinions expressed above are solely those of the author(s) involved and do not necessarily represent those held by India Lost & Found and its creative community.
Hi, I’m K Chandana…
An ardent traveller and an architect by profession, I believe in ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’, meaning the world is one family. I am a passionate musician, a sport enthusiast and love to write. Currently enrolled in the masters program of Urban design at SPA Delhi, I am to create sustainable and inclusive neighbourhoods.
