Revision as of 13:55, 28 May 2017

St James' Church, Kashmere Gate, Delhi; Picture courtesy: The Times of India, Jul 03 2016

A history, St James' Church, Kashmere Gate, Delhi; Graphic courtesy: The Times of India, Jul 03 2016

Dara Shikoh's library

Mohammad Ibrar, Dara Shukoh's library to get fresh lease of life, April 3, 2017: The Times of India

Dara Shikoh's library, Kashmere Gate, Delhi; Mohammad Ibrar, Dara Shukoh's library to get fresh lease of life, April 3, 2017: The Times of India

Before being killed in a battle of succession by his brother, Dara Shukoh, the eldest son of Mughal emperor Shahjahan, known as a man of intellectual pursuits, had established a library in 1637 near Kashmere Gate.

The books have long been lost, but the building stands even today . Last month, the Delhi chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) began work to restore the historic edifice to its former glory .

After the prince's death, the library building changed hands several times. According to historian Swapna Liddle, it was given to Donna Juliana, the Portuguese governess of the roy al Mughal children and the name behind Sarai Julena near Jamia Millia Islamia. It remained in her family till Nawab Safdarjung purchased it in mid-18th century .

After that, the building morphed into the first British residency occupied by Sir David Ochterlony and then in subsequent years into a government college, a municipal school, office of the state archaeology department and finally into an archaeological museum.

Liddle said that Ochterlony , after buying the building with personal funds, transformed it by incorporating European features while revamping the building. “The original fluted pillars and arches were covered over to produce a façade of pillars in the neoclassical style,“ explained Liddle.

The building is unique for the mix of Mughal architectural features, such as baluster columns and scalloped arches, and colonial additions like the Roman pillars with Ionic capitals. “INTACH hopes to conserve this unique hybrid of architectural styles,“ said Liddle. The series of columns and arches found on the lower level constitute what was perhaps the Qutub Khana, or library , which originally housed the books, most of which were destroyed after the events of 1857.

In 2011, the Sheila Dikshit government decided to convert the library into a city museum in collaboration with INTACH with “the intention of preserving and promoting cultural heritage“. The state archaeology department will display around 2,200 artefacts, including excavated coins, stones and other antiquities from ancient and medieval times.

Notorious Market

AlokKNMishra, Auto spare parts for a fraction of `original' price popular with buyers, Jan 1, 2017: The Times of India

When TOI visited the shops in the automotive hub at Kashmere Gate, it found Made in Taiwan taillights of a Honda City available for Rs 2,500 when it costs Rs 6,500 at a showroom. Brake pads of a Skoda Superb, which, according to a trader, are listed at Rs 25,000 at the showroom, were available for a tenth of the amount.

Satbir Singh, general secretary , Automotive General Traders Welfare Association (AGTWA), a body of tractor spare parts dealers, pointed out that the price of a clutch assembly at the showroom of a top tractor brand is Rs 25,000, but the same product is available at Ram Bazaar or Mori Gate for Rs 12,000.

The prolific sale in cheap spares bearing the name and logo of auto companies here has led to the market being pulled up as a “Notorious Market“ by the United States Trade Representative. There are around 25,000 spare parts stalls Kashmere Gate, Panja Sharif, Ram Bazaar and Mori Gate. The combined turnover of these shops is reportedly around Rs 5,000 crore annually . That is money that should legitimately have gone into the accounts of the genuine auto part makers.

While some concede that among the products available here are counterfeits, mostly from China, the market also sells genuine wares, products from original equipment manufacturers and locally made products. Kawaljeet Singh, executive member, Delhi Motor Traders Association, said it was mostly in Panja Sharif that duplicates were sold. But he resented the area being designated a “notorious market“ because, he pointed out, some of the spare parts shops are registered with India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade for the export of locally made products to Latin American and South African countries.Description: https:ssl. gstatic.comuiv1iconsmailimagescleardot.gif The Automotive Parts Merchants Association also found the listing demeaning and has planned a meeting of the governing council next week to discuss the issue, said its general secretary Vishnu Bhargav. Niranjan Poddar, president of AGTWA, argued that branding the entire market as a hub of spurious prod ucts just because a few engaged in sale of dupli cates was unfair.

But police, of course, have a different story.

Unlike in Gandhi Na gar, also hauled up by the USTR for across-the board trademark viola tions by apparel sellers, the cops regularly raid shops for selling fake products in Kashmere Gate.“Our investigative units keep a check on these shops. We have confiscated counterfeits earlier. Even last week, we carried out raids,“ said an officer at the Kashmere Gate police station.

The temptation of having to pay less for a spare part brings thousands to Kashmere Gate. Automotive spares and accessories -whether it is for a small passenger car or high-end vehicle -are more than 50% cheaper here than in dealerships and at showrooms.These cheap products are sourced from China, Indonesia, Taiwan and South Korea. They look like genuine spare parts and often bear the brand and logo of automobile manufacturers.

St James' Church

The Times of India, Jul 03 2016

Richi Verma  St James' Church in Kash mere Gate isn't just the oldest church in Delhi, it's also pivotal to the cap ital's history. Established by Colonel James Skinner in the early 19th century, the church has stood proud for over a century and a half, surviving even the battering it received during the Revolt of 1857. But age is finally catching up with this first protestant church of Delhi. The church's facade has been damaged by water seepage and missing mouldings; there are cracks in the building and the red sandstone flooring has also seen rapid deterioration. Naturally, the managing committee is worried.

Intach Delhi chapter has prepared a detailed project report on the problems faced by St James church. “The most important step is to strengthen the building and its foundation. This is critical as the metro corridor near the church will start by the year-end. We do not know what will be the effect of vibrations. We have suggested a few measures to safeguard the building,“ said an official.

Members of the church congre gation said it was necessary to have a complete overhaul. “Over the years, there has been steady decay, and strengthening the foundation is a priority. We are highly concerned about the impact of metro vibration. Delhi Metro has built two underground tunnels in front of the church. While DMRC has assured us that the line will have no impact on the church building, we want to be doubly cautious. Once the trains start running at a twominute frequency in each direction, we wo r r y i t w i l l cause tremors that could affect the church. Even though DMRC says with modern technology, there will be no impact on the church, we are the custodians of this church and we want to our own assessment. So we asked Intach to prepare a report on the condition of the grounds around the metro tunnel and the possible effect on the church,“ said a senior member of the church committee.

“Extensive instrumentation and real-time monitoring was done to check the effect of vibrations or damage to the structure during tunnelling in this stretch. DMRC has taken a lot of measures to ensure that tunnelling progresses smoothly without disturbing the church,“ said a DMRC spokesperson.

Checking the effect of vibration is a priority for the church; water damage is another problem that must be addressed.

“The church's proximity to the Yamuna and a high underground water table has made it vulnerable to water damage. There is seepage through the walls and pillars that has damaged the facade,“ said a church member.

The Intach report lists the problem of water accumulating around the church, particularly during the rains. “We need to ensure water doesn't accumulate around the building, as that leads to seepage and damages the building. The terrace also needs water-proofing,“ said an Intach official.

Other problem areas are cracks in the terracotta balustrades, weakening of pillars due to water damage and rusting of iron rafters. The memorial plaques need cleaning too. The DPR submitted in April focuses on strengthening the building to reduce effect of vibrations and overall conservation of the building. The project is expected to start in September.

“The next major step is to get funds. The DPR has a budget of Rs 3.5 crore and our annual budget is a fraction of that. The church has just 200 mem bers and our only source of funds is contri butions. We will soon launch a collection drive and appeal to international agencies, representa tives of Commonwealth countries, British High Commission, Christian institutions and anyone who has a link with us. We also plan to approach the Delhi gover nment and LG office.In 1995, the LG had contributed Rs 20 lakh for conservation,“ said senior member of the church committee.