IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : India History From 8th to Mid 15th Century - Architecture

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History India From 8th to Mid 15th Century

Architecture

Structure

33.0 Objectives
33.1 Introduction
33.2 Beginning of Mughal Architecture
33.2.1 Buildings of Babur
33.2.2 Buildings of Humayun
33.3 Interregnum: The Sur Architechlre
33.4 Architecture Under Akbar
33.4.1 Stru~~ral Fonn
33.4.2 Building Projectp
33.5 Architecture Under Jahangir and Shah Jahan
33.5.1 New featues
33.5.2 Major Buildings
33.6 The Final Phase
33.6.1 Buildings of Aurangzeb
33.6.2 Safdar Jang's Tomb
33.7 La us Sum up
33.8 Key Words
33.9 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

33.0 OBJECTIVES

The establishment of Mughal rule in India in 1526 (Block 2) revitalised Indo-Islamic
architecture. The new mlers effected an amalgam of the prevalent architectural forms and
techniques with those brought from Central Asia and Persia. The result of their efforts was
the emergence of one of the most splendid buildings in India.
After reading this Unit you will'know about:

new structurpl forms and techniques in mughal architecture;
major buildings of this period; and
elements of decadence in Mughal architecture towards the close of the period.

33.1 INTRODUCTION

The Mughal rulers were men of acute aesthetic awareness and, as patron of art and culture,
they built beautiful cities and buildings in India. The foundation of a new style of
architecture in India had already been laid in the thirteenth century with the introduction of
the arcuate technique where spaces were covered with domes and entrance$ were made with
the help of arches. The Mughals carried this tradition and created a synthesis of the
pre-Turkish technique, viz., trabeate with the arcuate. The final result, however, of all this
blending was the emergei~ce of a distinct style of their own.
Babur did not have enough to devote to big architectural projects. He, nevenlieless, laid out
several gardens in India on the pattern of his culture-area In his memoires (Bahurnarna) he
claims credit for some pavilions also. Unfortunately very few of his buildings survive today.
Humayun, Babur's successor, was plagued by continuously eroding political authority.
Within a decade of his assuming power, he was dethroned and sent into exile in Persia. The
buildings dating from this period, therefore, do not show any distinctiveness. Humyun
survived for only one year after his return to India in 1555. However, the impact of a long
contact with the Persian culture can be seen in the designing and execution of his
mausoleum under the supervision of wife Hhida Banu Begum.