On the occasion of Children's Day, the Archaeological Survey of India along with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture released a children's guidebook to the world heritage site Humayun's Tomb here on Monday. The book is intended to encourage children to take interest in the city's heritage.
The book was prepared by the Trust and published by ASI and is part of the Humayun's Tomb – Nizamuddin Basti Urban Renewal Project, a not-for-profit public-private partnership initiative. Written in a story format along with illustrations, the book explains how the 450-year-old monument was built.
Authored by eminent historian Narayani Gupta and illustrated by Anitha Balachandran, it is the first site-specific guidebook in India.
“Humayun's Tomb is one of India's 26 World Heritage Sites and is visited by over 300,000 school children every year,” said Union Culture Minister Kumari Selja releasing the book at Humayun's Tomb at a ceremony attended by 500 children from nearly 15 schools of the Capital.
The book includes interesting facts about the World Heritage Site.
Priced at an affordable Rs.50, the book will be available at the tomb and other ASI centres in Hindi and English. Over 30,000 copies have been published so far. Said ASI Director-General Dr. Gautam Sengupta: “This book is the first in a series planned as part of celebration of ASI's 150 years of existence. The next one will be about a heritage site near Chennai.”
