2025 - Documentation and Conservation of Three Historical Graveyards in Kashmir, by Mehran Qureshi
Historical graveyards are significant cultural and historical assets that offer invaluable insights into past societies. In Kashmir, the practices surrounding Muslim funerary rites solidified with the arrival of Islam and the establishment of the Shahmiri Sultanate in the early 14th century CE. By the 15th century, numerous graveyards were integrated into Kashmir’s settlements and patronised by kings, saints, and merchants. These graveyards, being active burial sites, require preservation efforts that do not disrupt their living character. This project aims to safeguard and digitally document three historical graveyards in Kashmir: the Graveyard at Anderkot (14th century), the Mausoleum of Sayyid Muhammad Madni (15th century), and the Graveyard at Imambargah Hassanabad, Srinagar (17th to 18th century).
Kashmir’s historical graveyards are also vulnerable to multiple risks, both natural and manmade. Urban floods and water logging have caused extensive damage to these burial sites. Unregulated development has also led to the disappearance of many such sites, with encroachments and new constructions often leading to dislocation or disappearance of the tombstones. Community neglect, due to lack of active engagement and preservation efforts, has resulted in the disrepair and ruination of historical objects and practices.
This project will conduct a comprehensive survey and documentation of the three graveyards allowing the development of a digital archive of the documented graveyards, including detailed site maps, measured drawings of design and ornamentation of the tombstones, high resolution images, 3D models of selected tombstones, and transcriptions of inscriptions. It seeks to share this knowledge by creating a publicly accessible platform for the digital archive to promote awareness and facilitate further research. Based on this it will also develop conservation strategies to guide physical preservation efforts.
Mehran Qureshi is Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) in Kashmir.
