Power lines threaten Mukhi House
The museum's curator and administrator, Naeem Ahmed Khan, submitted a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) on April 21, 2025, requesting the relocation of electric wires entangled with the museum's structure. The letter highlighted the architectural and cultural significance of Mukhi House, which was declared protected heritage under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994, in 2018.
Mukhi House was later converted into a museum and opened to the public in 2021. Located in a densely populated residential area, it now faces a serious preservation challenge: electricity to nearby homes is supplied via cables that run across and hang from the museum's outer walls, some even strung across windows and fastened to its original iron grills. The letter warned that these power lines not only compromise the visual integrity of the site but also pose a serious threat to the building's structure - particularly its wooden doors and windows - in the event of an electrical malfunction.
Copies of the letter were also sent to the Deputy Commissioner of Hyderabad, the Deputy Director (Heritage/Admin), and the PS to the Director General of the Sindh Culture, Tourism, Antiquities, and Archives Department. Yet, despite the passage of a full month, officials have taken no action. Restoration work is currently underway at Mukhi House after years of delay. Museum staff caution that if the hanging wires are not removed soon, a large portion of the museum's outer wall may remain unrestored and unpainted, defeating the purpose of ongoing renovation efforts.
Window to past
Also known as Mukhi Mahal, the building was constructed in 1920 by Mukhi Jeth Anand, a prominent member of Hyderabad's Sindhi Hindu community. The architecture of the mansion combines Renaissance, Art Deco, and Art Nouveau styles, featuring stained glass windows, intricately carved wooden details by Indian artisans, and marble accents.
The house comprises 12 rooms, two grand halls, and a spacious central courtyard along with a smaller rear courtyard. In a notable moment of pre-Partition history, India's future Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru stayed at Mukhi House with his family - a visit now commemorated with a rare photograph on display at the museum. After Partition, the Mukhi family remained in Hyderabad until 1957 before migrating to India. The building was subsequently occupied by various government departments, including the Settlement Office and a girls' school. It also suffered damage during periods of political unrest in the city.
It was not until the tenure of former District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil that a decision was made to preserve the site. In 2008, the Mukhi family relinquished formal ownership under the condition that it would be preserved and opened as a public museum. Restoration began in 2009 under the Sindh Government's Department of Archaeology, and by 2013 the museum opened its doors to the public.
Mukhi House today hosts a collection of personal memorabilia, historical photographs, and cultural artifacts donated by the Mukhi family - an effort to preserve not only their legacy but the broader cultural history of Hyderabad.
The building, located near Chaari at Homestead Hall, remains a popular attraction for both local and visiting tourists.
However, the entangled power cables, particularly at the rear of the building, continue to mar the structure's historic charm and pose an ongoing threat to its preservation. Unless immediate steps are taken to address the issue, a vital piece of Sindh's heritage may face further degradation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
28-07-2025
- Express Tribune
A fountain of legacies
There's something about the shimmer, tinkle and graceful arc of water in motion. From ancient Minoan courts and Persian gardens to Roman aqueducts and modern plazas, fountains have been more than just ornamental - they've been sacred, social, symbolic and of late, cooling-off spots in sweltering cities. As per DW, with a history spanning almost five millennia, fountains first served practical needs. Around 2,000 BCE on Minoan Crete, water from springs was channeled through terracotta pipes into stepped basins at palaces like Knossos and Zakros. These weren't just for washing - they were integrated into religious sites for purifying rituals. In ancient Egypt, fountains often featured lion's head spouts, a motif passed down through Greco-Roman and Islamic traditions. For instance, the Court of the Lions in the 14th?century Moorish Alhambra palace in Granada Spain features a fountain consisting of 12 lion figures spouting water. Associated with strength and divine guardianship, lions symbolized protective power. Thus, a lion in mid-roar made an ideal candidate for visually striking spouts, especially at palaces or grand entryways. In traditional Islamic gardens, fountains and water features played a central role, reflecting the Quranic vision of paradise and symbolised purity, life and divine beauty. Influenced by the Moors of the Nasrid dynasty (residents of the aforementioned Alhambra) and the Persians of the Sasanian Empire, these gardens were designed to evoke spiritual bliss and harmony by integrating, among others, fountains into their layout. Symbolism and service In Europe, the Renaissance and Baroque periods transformed fountains into vehicles of spectacle and political symbolism. Leading the pack are Rome's famed fountains: Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona represents the four major rivers known during the Renaissance: the Nile (Africa), the Danube (Europe), the Ganges (Asia) and the Rio de la Plata (Americas). Commissioned by Pope Innocent X and built in 1651, it symbolised the global reach of the Catholic Church and the pope's power. Completed in 1762, the Trevi Fountain has since achieved pop icon status and is now an influencer magnet, partly due to the legend that a coin tossed into it would ensure a return to the Eternal City, likely influenced by the 1954 film Three Coins in the Fountain. In Ottoman Istanbul, public "cesme" or fountains were donated by wealthy families as acts of charity. Often bearing poetic inscriptions, these fountains offered water freely in a hot climate and were meeting spots for the city's residents. Modern spectacles Fast forward to the 20th and 21st centuries, and some fountains have even become iconic "performers." California-based WET Design has created two such examples. The Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas, opened in 1998, feature more than 1,000 fountains swaying to music and enhanced by light. The display spans more than 300 meters (around 1,000 feet) with water soaring as high as 138 meters. This audiovisual spectacle reportedly utilises water from an on-site well, and not city water systems. With 6,600 underwater lights that some claim can be seen from the International Space Station, the Dubai Fountain located on the Burj Khalifa Lake is reportedly the world's largest performing fountain. Close to 275 meters wide and shooting water 150 meters high, its waters are choreographed to sway to Arabic classics or K-pop hits. Critics have argued that fountains waste water, especially in drought-prone regions. During drought conditions, some cities turn off their decorative fountains to preserve water resources, as was the case in Milan in 2022. Facing this problem, modern designs often use recirculated water and solar-powered pumps. Research has shown that fountains can have localized cooling effects - especially when they incorporate fine sprays or mist, which increase evaporative contact with air. According to the European Climate-Adapt initiative, released in 2024, "water spray from a fountain has an even greater cooling effect due to the large contact surface between water and air, which stimulates evaporation." Similarly, Urban Green-Blue Grids states that "fountains and misting installations cool the air and skin by means of evaporation." Timeless purpose Thus as Europe - the fastest-warming continent, according to the World Meteorological Organisation - wilts under punishing heat waves, cities have been adapting their existing water features to meet modern needs. In Paris, the 19th-century Wallace fountains, scattered across the city and originally created to dispense free drinking water, were retrofitted in 2021 with misting nozzles that spring into action during strong heat. Vienna has misting arches, interactive fountains and playful water zones for kids and adults looking to cool off. Berlin is expanding its network of touchless drinking fountains, combining hygiene and hydration. In 2022, archaeologists restored a Roman imperial period fountain in Turkey's ancient city of Kibyra using over 150 original marble fragments. Turkiye Today reported in April 2025 that the fountain built in 23 CE "has begun flowing again" making Kibyra the second Turkish ancient city "to feature a restored and functioning Roman fountain." It has to be underscored, though, that fountains alone could not temper city temperatures; that would require a complete overhaul of how cities are planned. Yet the fact that urbanites are often drawn to fountains in their living spaces - whether to immerse themselves in the cool water or quench their thirst at those offering potable water - show that fountains aren't just relics of gilded eras. Their soothing relevance may see a renaissance as we face a hotter future.
Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Power lines threaten Mukhi House
A month after a formal request was made, no action has yet been taken to remove hazardous electrical wires hanging from the historic Mukhi House Museum in Hyderabad. The museum's curator and administrator, Naeem Ahmed Khan, submitted a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) on April 21, 2025, requesting the relocation of electric wires entangled with the museum's structure. The letter highlighted the architectural and cultural significance of Mukhi House, which was declared protected heritage under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994, in 2018. Mukhi House was later converted into a museum and opened to the public in 2021. Located in a densely populated residential area, it now faces a serious preservation challenge: electricity to nearby homes is supplied via cables that run across and hang from the museum's outer walls, some even strung across windows and fastened to its original iron grills. The letter warned that these power lines not only compromise the visual integrity of the site but also pose a serious threat to the building's structure - particularly its wooden doors and windows - in the event of an electrical malfunction. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Deputy Commissioner of Hyderabad, the Deputy Director (Heritage/Admin), and the PS to the Director General of the Sindh Culture, Tourism, Antiquities, and Archives Department. Yet, despite the passage of a full month, officials have taken no action. Restoration work is currently underway at Mukhi House after years of delay. Museum staff caution that if the hanging wires are not removed soon, a large portion of the museum's outer wall may remain unrestored and unpainted, defeating the purpose of ongoing renovation efforts. Window to past Also known as Mukhi Mahal, the building was constructed in 1920 by Mukhi Jeth Anand, a prominent member of Hyderabad's Sindhi Hindu community. The architecture of the mansion combines Renaissance, Art Deco, and Art Nouveau styles, featuring stained glass windows, intricately carved wooden details by Indian artisans, and marble accents. The house comprises 12 rooms, two grand halls, and a spacious central courtyard along with a smaller rear courtyard. In a notable moment of pre-Partition history, India's future Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru stayed at Mukhi House with his family - a visit now commemorated with a rare photograph on display at the museum. After Partition, the Mukhi family remained in Hyderabad until 1957 before migrating to India. The building was subsequently occupied by various government departments, including the Settlement Office and a girls' school. It also suffered damage during periods of political unrest in the city. It was not until the tenure of former District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil that a decision was made to preserve the site. In 2008, the Mukhi family relinquished formal ownership under the condition that it would be preserved and opened as a public museum. Restoration began in 2009 under the Sindh Government's Department of Archaeology, and by 2013 the museum opened its doors to the public. Mukhi House today hosts a collection of personal memorabilia, historical photographs, and cultural artifacts donated by the Mukhi family - an effort to preserve not only their legacy but the broader cultural history of Hyderabad. The building, located near Chaari at Homestead Hall, remains a popular attraction for both local and visiting tourists. However, the entangled power cables, particularly at the rear of the building, continue to mar the structure's historic charm and pose an ongoing threat to its preservation. Unless immediate steps are taken to address the issue, a vital piece of Sindh's heritage may face further degradation.
Express Tribune
17-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Dil, Dariya — a mystical connection
Listen to article Dear Mughees Riaz, I am unsure whether I should first admire your passion and celebrate your success in capturing the spirit of Ravi or share my grief on the river's deteriorating condition. I shall do both. In this open letter, I address all those concerned; people of Lahore, the custodians of the city of gardens. The gardens that depend on Ravi; the sustainer of life, the custodian of history, curator of cultural expressions and the muse to poets and painters amongst whom you stand tall. Before this letter becomes an elegy, a nawha for Ravi, lamenting the neglect, misuse and lack of empathy towards its history, ecology and future, I shall direct my attention to your contribution to contemporary landscape painting in Pakistan. Landscape painting is a form of art that depicts natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, rivers, trees and forests. It provides a wide view of nature and its elements arranged into a coherent composition. This is, at least, the Academy Art approach towards the genre that became popular during the sixteenth-century Renaissance in the Western world. In our tradition, painting was never about describing the visible world. It has always been a means of conveying the inner landscape of the artist's heart and mind. This is what your landscapes which are almost abstract in form, colour and narrative, are all about. They reveal your quest to resolve the mysteries of nature. They exemplify your thought patterns and emotions, as well as your values and priorities. They are like a mirror to the soul, offering insights into visions, dreams, motivations and potential. That reminds me of your meeting with Ustad Allah Bux. I am talking about the elderly stranger on the bank of Ravi who caught you painting the river, appreciated your effort and wished you success before disappearing into the dusky mist. Had you seen or met the Ustad in real life, this visitation dream or a comforting apparition, as the psychologists would call it, was justifiable. The pressure to excel in the exam or outdoor painting could explain it. But you recognised the mysterious man in Allah Bux's portrait years later. Even if it was a vision or vivid dream, it was as if the universe conspired to guide you to follow his footsteps. If not a divine intervention, it is indeed a romantic affair with Ravi and I don't need theology or science to support my observation. Admit that you are consumed by its mystifying character. Like a love-struck Urdu poet, the more you paint it, the more it turns into a labyrinth of complexity; of atmospheric perspectives, colour combinations, feelings and emotions. Birds, animals and pottery sherds often appear alongside the calm skies and unruffled waters giving meaning to somewhat placid conformations. The use of muted colours, such as pale blues, pinkish greys and anything in between, creates a soothing palette that invites contemplation. Your association with the Punjab University, your alma mater, aligns your interest with what the critics and historians call "the Punjab School of Landscape Painting". We shall talk about this human urge to name and categorise things some other time. For now, it's important to acknowledge maestros like Khalid Iqbal and Zulqurnain Haider as the leaders of your clan. Unlike others who paint blue skies, lush green lands, mud houses, mustard fields and flowers with a Romanticist approach or aim to capture the light and colour like impressionists, your main concern is the infinite space of limitless skies and boundless waters. But you do not allow the viewers of your landscapes to be lost in this metaphysical realm rather you tend to ground them in physical reality. Buffaloes, dogs, crows, trees or broken clay pots are the symbolic forms that connect the two spheres; ethereal and corporeal. And yes, about your more recent visual vocabulary — the burqa-clad women and bearded men. I am quite intrigued and look forward to engaging with them in the upcoming retrospective show titled Dil, Dariya. But I shall admit, my first love will remain the Ravi-scapes. Bano April, 25 PS: The show will open in the first week of May @ Ejaz Gallery Lahore
