Sunder Nursery

Sunder Nursery is a 16th-century heritage garden complex adjacent to the Humayun's Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Delhi. Originally known as Azim Bagh, it lies on the Mughal-era Grand Trunk Road, and is currently spread over 100 acres. The garden was originally built by the Mughals in the 16th century. Today it contains nine heritage monuments, including ASI-protected Sundarwala Burj, Sundarwala Mahal and Lakkarwala Burj. During the British rule, nursery was established to grow experimental plants, which gave it its current name, though much of the original garden was thus lost.

The garden complex is undergoing an extensive restoration project, undertaken by Aga Khan Trust for Culture India, jointly with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Central Public Works Department (CPWD) which currently runs the garden. The project also involves restoration work 30 near by heritage structures.

Plans for the project were drawn in 2007, and work on the third phase was initiated in 2010, and is part of the larger Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Project of the Aga Khan Trust. Due lying abandoned for decades, much of the area has since overgrown, and during the initial work some 1,000 trucks of rubble was removed, before the ground was leveled and subsequently classical Persian gardens were recreated, with fountains and water channels. Two main architectural features were restored. The Lakkarwala Burj tomb is now set in a new rose garden, while the 16th-century Sunderwala Burj tomb was restored as per the orange sandstone and white lime mortar used in its original design. Its red sandstone interior walls saw entire sections of white Quranic verses being recreated.

The garden is set to replicate the four micro-habitat zones which were part of Delhi’s original landscape namely Kohi (ridge), Bangar (alluvial), Khadar (riverine) and Dabar (marsh).

In 2013, a Mughal-era lotus pond was excavated, which is being restored. After restoration, the first phase of the project is set open to public in 2015.

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