Water scarcity takes sheen out of Mughal-era gardens

Aurangabad: With the drought situation worsening in the region, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) too is struggling to save the centuries old gardens at various historical sites in and around Aurangabad.

The situation at the historical Mughal Garden of the 16th century monument Bibi-ka-Maqbara is so bad that one lakh litres of water is being supplied through tankers on a daily basis.

The monument dubbed as Deccan's own Taj Mahal houses the tomb of Rabia-ul-Durrani, the wife of erstwhile Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. It has lush green gardens spread over 47 acres, including the 24-acre historical garden situated surrounding the mausoleum.

The monument houses over 4,000 trees and shrubs as well as 10 beds of rose gardens that were irrigated using water from the historical wells of Langarkhana, Hathi Hauz, Cantonment and Tanki, besides a couple of 300ft-deep wells.

The ASI authorities are going extra mile to sustain some of the special variety of rose and other plants at the garden. Officials said only trees, shrubs and plants from a list prepared in the Mughal era are planted in the garden.

Till 2005, Moghul Garden was looked after by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), which later handed it to the ASI authorities.

ASI's horticulture assistant (grade I) Nikhil Jyoti Das, who has been tasked with the maintenance of Mughal Garden at Bibi-ka-Maqbara, Daultabad Fort Garden and Ellora Garden, is struggling to sustain them. "Till 2008, we were able to lift water from our wells and tube wells for irrigating the gardens. But the situation started deteriorating to the extent that since March-end this year, we have been forced to rely on tankers for sustaining the gardens at Bibi-ka-Maqbara."

Authorities said they are somehow sustaining the gardens at the site, but they are going through testing times when it comes to Daultabad Fort garden, which was built after the Mughals took over the fort.

A senior official said on the condition of anonymity, "Daultabad Fort has the distinction of remaining unconquered. But in the face of acute water shortage, we fear that its garden might lose the battle for survival."

Das said, "Maintaining the six-acre garden located in front of the kacheri (court) at Daultabad Fort is a challenge for us, as neither any vehicle nor any tanker can reach there."

He said the ASI is heavily dependent on a tube well, which has almost run dry, for supplying water the trees of various varieties, including tecoma, kaner and chandi pat among others.

Authorities said the situation is comparatively better at the seven-acre lawn located in the vicinity of the world heritage site of Ellora Caves, as the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran has been consistent in supplying water. The garden was constructed recently as part of beautification of the world heritage site.