The Sehdara Pavilion, located on the eastern side of Jahangir’s Khwabgah, within the Jahangir Quadrangle, is a rare example of cultural confluence between Mughal and European artistic traditions. The pavilion comprises three chambers arranged in an eastwest alignment: a central rectangular hall with a bangla roof flanked by two domed chambers, each capped with a squat, fluted dome. Historical records and photographic documentation suggest that the Sehdara may have been subjected to significant alterations during British occupation of the Fort. An 1894 map documents its conversion into staff quarters, likely leading to the removal of architectural features such as red sandstone frames from doorways. The additional British-period structures were dismantled in 1903-04, and the building’s initial conservation was carried out by the Department of Archaeology in the 1960s.

The central chamber of the pavilion houses frescoes of unmistakable European origin and Christian iconography, unparalleled in any other extant Mughal building. Six primary panels remain discernible, despite extensive damage from neglect, graffiti, and overpainting. These frescoes include depictions of Pope Gregory the Great, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Anthony Abbot, as well as other anonymous figures. One panel is traditionally identified as a youthful Shah Jahan, based on the turban and facial features. Executed with remarkable skill, the paintings demonstrate an understanding of Renaissance modeling and monumental scale. Their quality suggests that the artists were not Europeans but Indian painters from the Mughal era, adept at reproducing European prints using transfer techniques such as tracing and stenciling.

The Sehdara Pavilion’s frescoes may be situated within the broader context of Jesuit missionary activity in the Mughal court during the reigns of Akbar and Jahangir. Jesuit letters and contemporary chronicles detail the presentation of Christian texts and imagery to the Mughal emperors. Jerome Xavier, a Jesuit missionary active in both Agra and Lahore, documented the use of Christian iconography in court art and acknowledged the Mughal painters’ capacity to emulate European aesthetics with precision.

The Sehdara Pavilion is not merely an architectural relic but a vivid testament to transcultural exchange in early modern South Asia. Its Christian-themed frescoes reflect a moment of genuine artistic curiosity and syncretism fostered under imperial patronage. As such, it stands as one of the most compelling examples of the entangled histories of Mughal visual culture and European religious art.

Conservation efforts at the Sehdara Pavilion began with the development of a key for damage mapping and structural assessment and progressed through a series of investigations and documentation processes. The interventions the monument had been through were studied and recorded before any physical work was initiated. The structure was stabilized, and the frescoes on the exterior facades were conserved. The stabilization of frescoes also included removal of inappropriate intervention plasters. The plaster work of the domes on the roof was also stabilized.

Currently, the reconstruction of the jaali screens and the application of new plaster work on the roof and exterior facades is ongoing. Following this, reconstruction of the damaged false ceiling as well as other damaged architectural elements will be initiated. A strategy for the conservation of the paintings in the main chamber is also being developed. Additionally, the laying of indoor and outdoor flooring, implementation of waterproofing measures around the context, prevention of water ingress into the structure, and provision of electrification and architectural illumination is also being undertaken.