The stylistic initial of MTH or Mahbubia Town Hall. | Photo Credit: Serish Nanisetti
Inside the Mahbubia Town Hall or the old Telangana Assembly building in Hyderabad, craftsmen use one-inch brushes, 1-cm trowels and a keen eye to bring symmetry to their work. Perched on a scaffolding, hanging by ropes, the craftsmen chisel out the repetitive vegetal patterns, geometrical patterns on the lime stucco of the rows of pillars. Patterns and designs that were hidden away for years are revealed. What had disappeared has been restored. In a building that used to be rows of offices with furniture, books and ACs for legislators of Telangana Assembly is now a workspace for craftsmen who go about their task with precision.
“When we took up the work, the roof was leaking as if there was no roof. They even laid a tin sheet to keep out the rainwater. There were layers and layers of 20th century interventions added to the roof which affected the drainage and led to seepage,” says Ratish Nanda, CEO of Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which carried out the conservation work.
The team removed tonnes of debris, restored the slopes and had the water tanks removed from the terrace. “The building has got a new lease of life. Conservation is cheaper than building afresh,” says Nanda.
