Mughal architecture

Mughal architecture is the style of architecture developed in the Mughal Empire in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries throughout the ever-changing extent of their empire in the Indian subcontinent. It developed from the architectural styles of earlier Indo-Islamic architecture and from Iranian and Central Asian architectural traditions, particularly the Timurid architecture. It also further incorporated and syncretized influences from wider Indian architecture, especially during the reign of Akbar (r. 1556–1605). After the expansion into the Indian subcontinent, the imperial capital was, depending on the period, in Agra (present-day India), Delhi, or Lahore (present-day Pakistan), along with other sites that served for short periods. In several cases, Mughal emperors commissioned new imperial cities as their capitals, such as Fatehpur Sikri by Akbar and Shahjahanabad by Shah Jahan. These capitals contain some of the greatest displays of Mughal monumental architecture, but imperial patronage was also directed across various cities and rural sites throughout the empire.

thumb|The use of elephant-shaped column brackets at [[Lahore Fort reflects Hindu influences on Mughal Architecture during the reign of Akbar.]]

Mughal architecture was derived from three main architectural traditions: local Indo-Islamic architecture, the architecture of Islamic Persia and Central Asia, and indigenous Hindu architecture. Decoration was commonly executed in tile or stone. was the technique of decorating with inlaid stone. It developed in this region independently from the Italian technique that is widely known elsewhere.

In religious architecture, Babur's mosques also followed the designs of earlier Timurid mosques, with a tall central entrance portal (pishtaq), a courtyard, and a prayer hall covered by a large central dome flanked by side aisles covered by smaller domes. An example of this is his mosque at Panipat. The construction of the walled city was started in 1569 and completed in 1574.

It contained some of the most beautiful buildings – both religious and secular which testify to the Emperor's aim of achieving social, political and religious integration. The main religious buildings were the huge Jama Masjid and small Tomb of Salim Chisti. Buland Darwaza, also known as the Gate of Magnificence, was commissioned by Akbar in 1576 to commemorate his victory over Gujarat and the Deccan. It is 40 metres high and 50 metres from the ground. The total height of the structure is about 54 metres from ground level.

The Haramsara, the royal seraglio in Fatehpur Sikri was an area where the royal women lived. The opening to the Haramsara is from the Khwabgah side separated by a row of cloisters. According to Abul Fazl, in Ain-i-Akbari, the inside of Harem was guarded by senior and active women, outside the enclosure the eunuchs were placed, and at a proper distance there were faithful Rajput guards.

Jodha bai Palace is the largest palace in the Fatehpur Sikri seraglio, connected to the minor haramsara quarters. The main entrance is double storied, projecting out of the facade to create a kind of porch leading into a recessed entrance with a balcony. Inside there is a quadrangle surrounded by rooms. The columns of rooms are ornamented with a variety of Hindu sculptural motifs.

Tomb of Salim Chisti

thumb|right|The tomb of [[Salim Chishti is considered to be one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture ]]

The Tomb of Salim Chishti is famed as one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture in India, built during the years 1580 and 1581. The tomb, built in 1571 in the corner of the mosque compound, is a square marble chamber with a verandah. The cenotaph has an exquisitely designed lattice screen around it. It enshrines the burial place of the Sufi saint, Salim Chishti (1478 – 1572), a descendant of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer, who lived in a cavern on the ridge at Sikri. The mausoleum, constructed by Akbar as a mark of his respect for the Sufi saint, who foretold the birth of his son.

Jahangir

Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah

thumb|The tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah is often regarded as a draft of the [[Tāj Mahal.]]

The tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah, is a mausoleum in the city of Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Often described as a "jewel box", sometimes called the "Bachcha Taj", as the tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah is often regarded as a draft of the Taj Mahal.

Shah Jahan

thumb|The [[Tomb of Jahangir at Lahore does not have a dome as Jahangir forbade construction of a dome over his tomb.]]

Rather than building huge monuments like his predecessors to demonstrate their power, Shah Jahan commissioned elegant monuments. The force and originality of this previous building style gave way under Shah Jahan to a delicate elegance and refinement of detail, illustrated in the palaces erected during his reign at Agra, Delhi and Lahore. Some examples include the Taj Mahal at Agra, the tomb of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, under the chief architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori. He was said to have personal a preference for white marble in architecture, as in the Taj Mahal. Although some buildings built during his era were made of red sandstone, such as the Red Fort in Delhi, he preferred to use white marble for his private quarters.

The Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) in the Agra Fort and the Jama Masjid at Delhi, the latter built under the supervision of his Grand Vizier, Saadullah Khan, a Punjabi Muslim, are imposing buildings of his era, and their position and architecture have been carefully considered so as to produce a pleasing effect and feeling of spacious elegance and well-balanced proportion of parts. Shah Jahan also renovated buildings such as the Moti Masjid, Sheesh Mahal and Naulakha pavilion, which are all enclosed in the Lahore Fort. He also commissioned a mosque named after himself in Thatta called Shahjahan Mosque (not built in the Mughal architecture, but in Safavid and Timurid architecture that were influenced by the Persian architecture). Shah Jahan also commissioned the Red Fort in his new capital at Shah Jahanabad, now Old Delhi. The red sandstone Red Fort is noted for its special buildings-Diwan-i-Aam and Diwan-i-Khas. Another mosque was built during his tenure in Lahore called Wazir Khan Mosque, by Wazir Khan who was the court physician to the emperor. It is famous for its rich embellishment which covers almost every interior surface. Other public works by high ranking nobles of Shah Jahan include those of Ali Mardan Khan, Wazir Khan, Nasiri Khan, and Kartalab Khan Deccani.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal, a World Heritage Site was built between 1632 and 1653; commissioned by the emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal . Considered to be the most ornately decorated Mughal-era mosque, It is well known for its intricate faience tile work known as kashi-kari, as well as its interior surfaces that are almost entirely embellished with elaborate Mughal-era frescoes. The mosque has been under extensive restoration since 2009 under the direction of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the Government of Punjab. Wazir Khan also commissioned the Shahi Hammam; the baths were built to serve as a waqf, or endowment, for the maintenance of the Wazir Khan Mosque.

Shah Jahan Mosque

thumb|The mosque's tile work exhibits Timurid influences introduced during Shah Jahan's campaigns in Central Asia.

The Shah Jahan Mosque is the central mosque for the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The mosque commissioned by Shah Jahan, who bestowed it to the city as a token of gratitude. Its style is heavily influenced by Central Asian Timurid architecture, which was introduced after Shah Jahan's campaigns near Balkh and Samarkand. and is also notable for its geometric brick work, a decorative element that is unusual for Mughal-period mosques.

Aurangzeb

In Aurangzeb's reign (1658–1707) squared stone and marble was replaced by brick or rubble with stucco ornament. Srirangapatna and Lucknow have examples of later Indo-Mughal architecture. He made additions to the Lahore Fort and also commissioned one of the thirteen gates which were later named after him (Alamgir).

Badshahi Mosque

thumb|[[Badshahi Masjid, Lahore, Pakistan, the second-largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent]]

The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, was commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Constructed between 1673 and 1674, it is the largest Mughal mosque and the last of the imperial mosques to be built.

Additional monuments

Additional monuments from this period are associated with women from Aurangzeb's imperial family. The construction of the elegant Zinat al-Masjid in Daryaganj was overseen by Aurangzeb's second daughter Zinat-al-Nissa. Aurangzeb's sister Roshan-Ara who died in 1671. The tomb of Roshanara Begum and the garden surrounding it were neglected for a long time and are now in an advanced state of decay.

Bibi ka Maqbara

thumb|[[Bibi Ka Maqbara is a tomb in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, which was commissioned by Aurangzeb in the memory of his wife, Dilras Banu Begum]]Bibi Ka Maqbara was a mausoleum commissioned by Emperor Aurangzeb, in the late 17th century as a loving tribute to his first wife, Dilras Bano Begum in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Some accounts suggest that later it was taken care by Azam Shah, son of aurangzeb. It is a replica of the Taj Mahal, and was designed by Ata-Ullah, the son of Ahmed Lahori, who was the principal designer of the Taj Mahal.

Late Mughal

Lalbagh Fort

thumb|[[Lalbagh Fort in Dhaka, an incomplete fort commissioned by Azam Shah]]

Lalbagh Fort (also known as "Fort Aurangabad"), a Mughal palace fortress at the Buriganga River in the southwestern part of Dhaka, Bangladesh, whose construction started in 1678 during the reign of Aurangzeb's son Azam Shah.

Tomb of Safdar Jang

thumb|Tomb of Safdar Jung at night

The Tomb of Safdar Jung completed in 1754 is one of the last examples of Mughal Architecture.

Gardens

left|thumb|The [[Shalimar Gardens, Lahore|Shalimar Gardens in Lahore are among the most famous Mughal gardens.]]

Mughal gardens are gardens built by the Mughals in the Islamic style. This style was influenced by Persian gardens. They are built in the char bagh structure, which is a quadrilateral garden layout based on the four gardens of Paradise mentioned in the Qur'an. This style is intended to create a representation of an earthly utopia in which humans co-exist in perfect harmony with all elements of nature.

The quadrilateral garden is divided by walkways or flowing water into four smaller parts. Significant use of rectilinear layouts are made within the walled enclosures. Some of the typical features include pools, fountains and canals inside the gardens.

Some famous examples of Mughal gardens are the Bagh-e-Babur at Kabul, Mehtab Bagh gardens at the Taj Mahal, gardens at Humayun's Tomb, Shalimar Gardens at Lahore, Wah Gardens in Wah, Khusro Bagh at Allahabad, as well as Pinjore Gardens at Haryana.

The ensemble of six Mughal Gardens of Jammu and Kashmir (Pari Mahal, Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, Chashme Shahi, Verinag Garden, Achabal Gardens) are on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

Shalimar Gardens

It is a Mughal garden complex located in Lahore, capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab. The gardens date from the period when the Mughal Empire was at its artistic and aesthetic zenith. Construction of the gardens began in 1641 during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, and was completed in 1642. In 1981 the Shalimar Gardens were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as they embody Mughal garden design at the apogee of its development.

Akbar (r. 1556–1605) organized ice transport from Kashmir to Delhi, Agra, and Lahore via a 14-stage relay system, delivering ice in two days using saltpetre. The ab-dar khana at Fatehpur Sikri used sandstone cisterns and qanats, resembling yakhchāl, to cool water and make sherbets and early desserts.

During the era of Jahangir (r. 1605–1627), Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri describes baraf khana as insulated cellars storing ice for palace cooling, food preservation, and kulfi, a frozen milk dessert with pistachios and saffron. Ice was harvested in Lahore from shallow ice pans and stored in straw-lined pits.

Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) commissioned a baraf khana in Sirmaur to supply Agra and Delhi’s Red Fort. These underground structures with thick walls stored ice for drinks, food, and kulfi, symbolizing imperial luxury.

Influence

Mughal architecture has also influenced later Indian architectural styles, including the Indo-Saracenic style of the British Raj, the Rajput style and the Sikh style. One scholar has also noted similarities between Mughal architecture and architectural projects within the Ethiopian Empire in the early 17th century, primarily those sponsored by Susenyos I and carried out with the help of the Jesuit missionaries that he patronized. This influence was likely due to the strong connections between the Jesuit missions in Ethiopia and Mughal India at the time. Indian craftsmen, possibly with experience in Mughal constructions, are also reported to have worked on the projects.

Several mosques in Malaysia, such as the Kapitan Keling Mosque, Jamek Mosque, and Zahir Mosque, were influenced by Mughal architecture in their designs. In Brunei, the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque also incorporates Mughal influences.

Gallery

File:Salim Chishti Tomb-2.jpg|Jali decorative work at the Tomb of Salim Chishti, Fatehpur Sikri.

File:Akbar's Tomb 04.jpg|Akbar's Tomb at Agra, India, uses red sandstone and white marble, like many of the Mughal monuments. The Taj Mahal is a notable exception, as it uses only marble.

File:Grave of Emperor Jahangir II.jpg|Jahangir's grave at the Tomb of Jahangir, Lahore is decorated with parchin kari work.

File:Tomb of Nisar Begum at Khusro Bagh Allahabad.jpg|Tomb of Nithar Begum at Khusro Bagh, Allahabad, India.

File:Ustad's Tomb Nakodar, Punjab.jpg|One of the Tombs of Ustad-Shagird, Nakodar, India.

File:Agra 03-2016 05 Taj Mahal complex.jpg|The Darwaza-i-Rauza (Great Gate) of the Taj Mahal.

File:Red Fort in Delhi 03-2016 img3.jpg|Lahori Gate of the Red Fort, Delhi, India.

File:Arabic Calligraphy at Wazir Khan Mosque2.jpg|The shahada in Arabic calligraphy at the Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan.

File:Dewan-e-Khas (Hall of Special Audience).JPG|Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of private audience) at Lahore Fort.

File:Shah Jahan Mosque Center (20673302596).jpg|Shah Jahan Mosque in Thatta, Pakistan. The mosque is not built in the Mughal style, but reflects a heavy Persian influence.

</gallery>