How did Mughal architecture help us?

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1 Answer

Ajay Pathak, Graduate Engineer Trainee (2017-present)

Answered Jun 8, 2018 · Author has 178 answers and 98k answer views
There many unique architectures build during the reign of different rulers of different
periods. Each architecture has some best quality of it's own or we can say that it has it's own
uniqueness to outnumber each other in some or the other way.

Mughal architecture is a profusion or a mixture of the earlier Lodhi era, Sultanate styles,
Persian styles and the Hindu architecture of the erstwhile kingdoms. Thus, Mughal
architecture in India was a combination of the architectural styles that the early Mughals
brought with them and the styles which were already predominant in India. This style came
to be known as the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture.

Let us now go through some of the various characteristics which became

features/trademarks of Mughal buildings and as a result in broad, its style of
representation. These are some things which most of us can relate to when we visit or
picture a Mughal building.

The Idea of Jannat-

Mughal architecture in India was based around the concept or idea of Jannat (Paradise).
The Mughals came from a relatively arid and harsh climate. Mountainous regions with
rugged landscapes which gave no sense of respite were the profile of the land that they came
from.
Initially, all building activity of the Mughals was focussed on functional needs such as
building forts, mosques, places for a congregation. These spaces were built to showcase the
authority and the might of the new ruling classes.

Once the leadership of the Mughals was established in India, the construction activity
underwent a massive change. Buildings were now designed to be pleasure palaces for the
royalty. One of the other reasons behind this was also that the ladies and the children came
with bag and baggage to set up their homes in this new country.

The idea of these new structures was based on the Islamic idea of Jannat or paradise. The
char bagh style of landscaping is a direct result of it. The spaces were designed to capture
the imagination of the royalty as well as the general populace. Water bodies, green areas,
impressive structures all lent a hand to achieve this task.

Charbagh Gardens

The Charbagh concept of garden design is one of the most well-known features of Mughal
Buildings and landscapes. Char Bagh translates into four gardens. As mentioned earlier, the
idea behind the char bagh originates from the idea of paradise. The four sub-gardens are
divided with the help of walkways and waterways ( channels). The central part of each
garden is an impressive fountain and a water body. An excellent example of this is the
Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi and even the Taj Mahal.

Note- The building in most Charbagh gardens is placed in the center of the entire site.

Monumental and Impressive

Another striking feature of Mughal architecture in India is all building typologies are
constructed to be monumental in size. Think about it, from the famous Taj Mahal in Agra to
the Red Fort all Mughal buildings were meant to impress. This was partly due to the reason
that the Mughals wanted to consolidate their position in the newly conquered territory.
Also, the Mughal buildings were meant to signify the authority of the Mughals over its
subjects.

Thus, all in all, Mughal buildings were primarily built on monumental scale. They unlike the
buildings of the bygone eras were not constructed on a private or a public scale.

Use of Passive Cooling Techniques

One of the lesser known facts of the Mughal buildings was that they incorporated a number
of passive cooling techniques to factor in the intense heat prevalent in North India during
the summers. Some of the most notable features of this strategy include Jaalis, walls with
high thermal mass (thick walls), canals & waterways, cross ventilation, relatively smaller
windows, blank walls, courtyards, gardens and so on and henceforth.

These features helped made the fortresses and palaces habitable and made them sustainable
long before the concept of sustainability came into being.

Canal System

The Mughals were also masters in managing water resources efficiently. This was possible
because of their excellent construction skills, knowledge in regards to water management
and conservation and ingenious thought process.
One of the most excellent examples of this can be seen in the Shalimar Bagh gardens. The
Mughals used ingeniously to their advantage the natural water resources present at the site
and the power of gravity to create a one of a kind garden complex. Gravity has been used to
create truly magnificent fountains which ultimately flow into a lake. The chemistry between
man-made and nature is truly commendable.

Building Typology

Regarding the building typologies prevalent in Mughal architecture, the following are the
major ones-
Forts
Palaces
Mosques
Military outposts
Defensive Structures
Hunting Lodges
Summer Palaces
Mausoleums
Religious Buildings
Merchant Havelis
Common Hutments

The Mughal buildings ranged from defensive structures such as forts and military outposts
to pleasure palaces. Other major building types included merchant havelis, religious
structures and common hutments for the commoners.

Structural Systems

The Mughals were well known for their domes which were very typical of the Indo-Saracenic
style. The Mughals otherwise mostly used trabeation (column and beam structures). One
interesting fact in regards to the structural component of Mughal buildings is that the
structure was extremely thick and cumbersome. In some cases, it was 10 feet thick. This was
in the case of forts and other defensive structures meant to protect the enclosure from
attacks. The substantial structure was also required to transfer the heavy loads of the roof
and the structure in its totality in general. Another feature that is very peculiar in Mughal
buildings is the use of arcades and other pendentive structures to transfer load.

Innovation

Another reason due to which the Mughals were way ahead of their time was innovation.
They created something new and different unlike anything else seen in the world. They
developed an architectural style of their own. A number of significant buildings stand as a
testament to that fact. Some examples are as follows-
The Taj Mahal, Agra
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
Red Fort, Delhi
Jama Masjid, Delhi
Agra Fort, Agra
Shalimar Bagh, Jammu and Kashmir

Each building is an innovation in itself from the soothing gardens of Shalimar Bagh to the
impressive bastions of the Red Fort in New Delhi. The Structural brilliance and the almost
accurate planning of the Mughals baffle most people even in this day and age.

Small Details
As the saying goes, “God lies in the details.” The same goes for Mughal architecture in India.
Examples of this can be seen in almost all Mughal buildings. The intricacies of the Jaali
work, the polish of the dressed stones, inlay work (such as the Pietra Dura as seen in the Taj
Mahal, Agra), delicate carvings and the several unseen details which went into the
construction of these great monuments is a testament to this fact. Thus, it is safe to say that
the Mughals were masters of the details which go into the design and development of a built
form.

Framing Views
Another feature that most people have enjoyed, but few of us notice is the way Mughal
buildings are designed to frame views. You might have seen your friends on social media
posing with the Taj Mahal in the backdrop while on a recent trip to Agra. Have you ever
wondered why everything looks so perfect? The answer lies in the well thought of design of
the monument. The four minarets alongside the Taj help in framing the view along with
performing a critical structural purpose. The minarets act as pins which support the heavy
structure from not sinking in the relatively loose soil (the Yamuna river bank). Thus, the
Mughals made a conscious effort to frame views to make the monuments as aesthetically
beautiful as possible.

Kinesthetics

The Mughals also made use of a concept known as kinesthetics. They designed their
buildings so that the visitor observed at each step of his/her journey a different perspective
of the building. For example, in the Taj Mahal, when one enters the Taj Mahal seems small
and somewhat like a distant dream. After this, the visitor is forced to move forward through
one of the walkways adjacent to the main water canal. During this journey, the visitor gets a
different perspective until he/she arrives at the central white marble fountain. At this point
in the trip, the Taj Mahal seems to emerge from the banks of the river Yamuna. As the
visitor moves ahead, the Taj Mahal seems to vanish, and the plinth appears to become more
prominent with every step traversed. Thus, this goes on to say that the Mughal mastered
this unique art which made their buildings architectural gold.
Hierarchy of Spaces

The Mughals were also successful in creating a hierarchy of spaces. Most palaces and forts
had a clear segregation in between public and private spaces. This can be seen in the Red
Fort in New Delhi among other examples. The outermost areas of the forts were meant for
troop deployments which were followed by their quarters.

The palace area too had clear cut demarcations regarding public and private spaces as well
as according to the class-conscious society prevalent at that time. This can be observed by
the presence of two meeting halls the Diwan i Khas (meeting hall for the nobles) and the
Diwan i Aam (meeting hall for the commoners). Regarding public and public and private
spaces in the palace, the public spaces were reserved for the outer parts while the
apartments for the emperor and his mosque was situated towards the innermost of the
fortress. Thus, the Mughals developed a clear sense of hierarchy while designing spaces.

Religious Connotations

The Mughals built with a strong religious influence. Their buildings adhered to all Islamic
norms and often had many a carving with representing Islamic scriptures. The orientation
of the buildings was decided according to its relative direction with Mecca and Medina and a
number of sculptures and carvings adorned the walls of the monuments.

The reason behind (to an extent) was to influence the majority Hindu population. The
Mughals brought with them a new religion to the country which they wanted the indigenous
population to adopt. Thus, along with building structures which responded to their religion,
another motive behind the religious connotation to building design was to influence the
indigenous population of the region.

Conclusion-

Thus, stating the seemingly obvious, Mughal architecture developed into a

one of a kind architectural style which has withstood the test of time. It is
appreciated widely by people all across the world due to its distant features
as discussed above. It is up to us architects of India to carry forward and
preserve our traditional styles of architecture and create something new that
is looked upon with pride by our future generations.