Srinagar: Renovation work on the historic Sultanate-period monument Madeen Sahab in old Srinagar has stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The monument was all set to see a blossom of blue flowers on its roof after many years. The archaeological department had refurbished its roof by laying a new layer of soil and planting blue bulbous flowering plants. But the restoration work has been left incomplete due to unavailability of material.
The site has great historical significance and it is the only mosque in the city that has a well preserved terrace garden on which various varieties of flowers would bloom in the summers, lending to the monument a unique beauty.
However, this roof had suffered significant damage along with the adjoining Hamam. Archaeology staff were working to retrofit the mosque’s spiral and remove the old soil top and plug any leakage by laying water proof aluminum sheets along with a new topping of soil.
Deputy Director of Archives, Archeology and Museums Department, Mushtaq Ahmad Beg told Kashmir Reader that the restoration work had started more than 10 years after the monument suffered damage. He said almost 80% work had been completed.
“Paper machie work, wood work and many other minor works are incomplete. Once we will receive the material required, work will be restarted,” Beg said.
However, what could have possibly become a lost treasure of Kashmir, has been saved, preserved and restored somewhat to its original position.
It is believed that some parts of the shrine have been removed and preserved in a museum in London. The shrine is believed to have been built during the reign of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, popularly known as ‘Budshah’ by Kashmiris, in the year 1444 as a tribute to his teacher Muhammad Madani.
The historic Madeen Sahib shrine is closed since long and no one is allowed to enter the premises.
As per locals, in 2002 a rumour spread in Srinagar that some miracle had happened inside Madeen Sahib Shrine. The rumour spread like wildfire and a good number of people rushed to the shrine to check what exactly had happened.
Following the incident, Department of Archives, Archeology & Museums sealed the shrine and since then, no one has been allowed to enter the premises except those with official permission.

NAZIMA SIDIQ