MODULE 4

MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE
Mughal Architecture is the type of Indo-Islamic
architecture developed by the Mughals in the 16th,
17th and 18th centuries throughout the ever-changing
extent of their empire in the Indian subcontinent. It
developed the styles of earlier Muslim dynasties in
India as an amalgam of Islamic, Persian, Turkish
and Indian architecture. Mughal buildings have a
uniform pattern of structure and character, including
large bulbous domes, slender minarets at the corners,
massive halls, large vaulted gateways, and delicate
ornamentation. Examples of the style can be found in
modern-day India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and
Pakistan.
The Mughal dynasty was established after the victory
of Babur at Panipat in 1526. During his five-year
reign, Babur took considerable interest in erecting
buildings, though few have survived. His
grandson Akbar built widely, and the style developed
vigorously during his reign. Among his
accomplishments were Agra Fort, the fort-city
of Fatehpur Sikri, and the Buland Darwaza. Akbar's
son Jahangir commissioned the Shalimar Gardens in
Kashmir.
Mughal architecture reached its zenith during the
reign of Shah Jahan, who constructed Taj Mahal,
the Jama Masjid, the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore, the Wazir Khan Mosque, and who renovated the Lahore
Fort. The last of the great Mughal architects was Aurangzeb, who built the Badshahi Mosque.

6 IMPORTANT MUGHAL EMPERORS

At its height, a period extending from the middle of the 16th century to the beginning of the 18th, the Mughal
Empire controlled almost the entire Indian subcontinent, marshaling vast amounts of money and manpower.
The best-known members of the Mughal dynasty are its first emperors—Babur and five of his lineal
descendants: Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb. These six emperors are sometimes
collectively known as the Great Mughals, and the military, artistic, and political glories of the empire are
inextricably connected to their individual biographies.

BABUR - Zahir al-Din Muhammad (throne name Babur) was a fifth-generation descendant of the Turkic
conqueror Timur, whose empire, built in the late 14th century, covered much of Central Asia and Iran. Born
in 1483 at the twilight of that empire, Babur faced a harsh reality: there were too many Timurid princes and
not enough principalities to go around. The result was a constant churning of wars and political intrigue as
rivals sought to unseat each other and expand their territories. Babur spent much of his youth fixated on trying
to capture and hold Samarkand, the former capital of the Timurid empire. He occupied it in 1497, lost it, and
then took it again in 1501. His second triumph was brief—in 1501 he was resoundingly defeated in battle by 1
Muhammad Shaybani Khan, losing the coveted city along with his native principality of Fergana. After one
final futile attempt to retake Samarkand in 1511, he gave up on his lifelong goal. But there are second acts in
Timurid life. From Kabul, which he had occupied in 1504, Babur turned his attention toward India, launching
raids into the Punjab region beginning in 1519. In 1526 Babur’s army defeated a much larger force belonging
to the Lodi Sultanate of Delhi at the Battle of Panipat and marched on to occupy Delhi. By the time of Babur’s
death in 1530, he controlled all of northern India from the Indus to Bengal. The geographical framework for
the Mughal Empire was set, although it still lacked the administrative structures to be governed as a single
state. Babur is also remembered for his autobiography, the Baburnamah, which gives a cultured and witty
account of his adventures and the fluctuations of his fortunes, with observations on nature, society, and politics
in the places he visited.
HUMAYUN - Babur’s son Humayun (birth name Nasir al-Din Muhammad; reigned 1530–40
and 1555–56) lost control of the empire after a rebellion led by the Afghan soldier of fortune Sher
Shah of Sur expelled him from India. Fifteen years later, Humayun took advantage of discord
among Sher Shah’s successors to recapture Lahore, Delhi, and Agra. But he wasn’t around long
to enjoy his restored empire; he died in a fall down the steps of his library in 1556 that may have
been caused by his excessive drinking. He was succeeded by his son Akbar.

AKBAR - Humayun’s son Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) is often remembered as the greatest of
all Mughal emperors. When Akbar came to the throne, he inherited a shrunken empire, not
extending much beyond the Punjab and the area around Delhi. He embarked on a series of military
campaigns to extend his boundaries, and some of his toughest opponents were the Rajputs, fierce
warriors who controlled Rajputna (now Rajasthan). The Rajputs’ main weakness was that they
were divided by fierce rivalries with each other. This made it possible for Akbar to deal with
Rajput chiefs individually instead of confronting them as a united force. In 1568 he captured the
fortress of Chitor (now Chittaurgarh), and his remaining Rajput opponents soon capitulated.
Akbar’s policy was to enlist his defeated opponents as allies by allowing them to retain their
privileges and continue governing if they acknowledged him as emperor. This approach,
combined with Akbar’s tolerant attitudes toward non-Muslim peoples, ensured a high degree of
harmony in the empire, in spite of the great diversity of its peoples and religions. Akbar is also
credited with developing the administrative structures that would shape the empire’s ruling elite
for generations. Along with his skill at military conquest, Akbar proved to be a thoughtful and
open-minded leader; he encouraged interreligious dialogue, and—despite being illiterate
himself—patronized literature and the arts.

JAHANGIR - Jahangir (birth name Salim), the son of Akbar, was so eager to take power that he
staged a brief revolt in 1599, proclaiming his independence while his father was still on the throne.
Two years later he went so far as to arrange for the assassination of his father’s closest friend and
adviser, Abu al-Fazl. These events disturbed Akbar, but the pool of possible successors was small,
with two of Jahangir’s younger brothers having drunk themselves to death, so Akbar formally
designated Jahangir as his successor before his death in 1605. Jahangir inherited an empire that
was stable and wealthy, leaving him to focus his attention on other activities. His patronage of the
arts was unprecedented, and his palace workshops produced some of the finest miniature paintings
in the Mughal tradition. He also consumed excessive amounts of alcohol and opium, at one point
employing a special servant just to manage his supply of intoxicating drugs.

SHAH JAHAN - Like his father Jahangir, Shah Jahan (birth name Shihab al-Din Muhammad
Khurram) inherited an empire that was relatively stable and prosperous. He had some success in
extending the Mughal Empire into the Deccan states (the states of the Indian peninsula), but he is
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known today primarily as a builder. He commissioned his most famous creation, the Taj Mahal,
in 1632 after his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died while giving birth to the couple’s 14th child.
The massive mausoleum complex took more than 20 years to complete and today is one of the
best-known buildings on earth.
Mughal family politics remained tricky as always during Shah Jahan’s reign. In 1657 Shah Jahan
fell ill, igniting a war of succession among his sons. His son Aurangzeb won, declaring himself
emperor in 1658 and keeping his father confined until his death in 1666.

AURANGZEB A skilled military leader and administrator, Aurangzeb was a serious-minded

ruler who avoided the decadence and substance-abuse issues that had plagued several of his
predecessors. He presided over the Mughal Empire at its widest geographical extent, pushing the
southern border down the Deccan peninsula all the way to Tanjore. But his reign also saw the
beginnings of the empire’s decline. As a more strictly orthodox Muslim than his predecessors, he
ended many of the policies of religious tolerance that had made pluralism and social harmony
possible.
As his reign progressed, events within the empire became increasingly chaotic. Religious tensions
and heavy taxes on agriculture led to rebellions. Aurangzeb suppressed most of these uprisings,
but doing so strained the military and financial resources of the imperial government. When
Aurangzeb died in 1707, the empire was still intact, but the tensions that emerged during his nearly
five-decade reign plagued his successors and caused the gradual breakup of the empire over the
course of the 18th century.

Mughal Architecture incorporates Indian elements with Persian and Islamic elements. Some features
common to many buildings are:

 Large bulbous onion domes, sometimes surrounded by four smaller domes.

 Use of white marble and red sandstone.
 Use of delicate ornamentation work, including pachin kari decorative work and jali-latticed screens.
 Monumental buildings surrounded by gardens on all four sides.
 Mosques with large courtyards.
 Persian and Arabic calligraphic inscriptions, including verses from the Quran.
 Large gateways leading up to the main building.
 Iwans on two or four sides.
 Use of decorative chattris.

AKBAR PERIOD ARCHITECTURE –

(Tomb of Humayun, Jahangir mahal, Fathepur sikri)
Akbar period architecture, building style that developed in India under the patronage of the Mughal
emperor Akbar (reigned 1556–1605). The architecture of the Akbar period is characterized by a strength made
elegant and graceful by its rich decorative work, which reflects many traditional Hindu elements. The style is
best exemplified by the fort at Agra (built 1565–74) and the magnificent town of Fatehpur Sikri (1569–74),
but fine examples are also found in the gateway to the ʿArab Sarāʾī (guesthouse at Humāyūn’s
tomb), Delhi (1560–61), the Ajmer fort (1564–73), the Lahore fort with its outstanding decoration (1586–
1618), and the Allahabad fort (1583–84), now largely dismantled.

TOMB OF HUMAYUN
Humayun's tomb is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun in Delhi, India. The tomb was commissioned
by Humayun's first wife and chief consort, Empress Bega Begum (also known as Haji Begum), in 1569-70,
and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas and his son, Sayyid Muhammad, Persian architects chosen by her. It
was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, and is located in Nizamuddin East, Delhi,
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 A high wall surrounds the garden on three sides.
 The tomb is planned in a garden based on the
conceptof Charbagh. The tomb lies in the centre of
the mughal garden
 Its plan, based on the description of Islamic paradise
gardens
 It is a square ninefold plan, TOMB LIES IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE MUGHAL GARDEN
 two-storyed vaulted chambers radiate from the
central, double-height domed chamber.
 The chambers of each level are interconnected by
straight and diagonal passages.
 Each of the main chambers has in turn eight more,
smaller chambers radiating from it.
 The symmetrical ground plan contains 124 vaulted
chambers in all.
 The tomb built of rubble masonry and red sandstone,
uses white marble as a cladding material and also for
the flooring, lattice screens (jaalis), door frames, eaves (chhajja) and for the main dome.
 It stands on a vaulted terrace eight-metre high and spread over 12,000m²(Structure elevated in ground
floor which has chambers)
 It is essentially square in design, though chamfered on the edges to appear octagonal, to prepare ground
for the design of the interior structure??

 The plinth made with rubble core has fifty-six cells all around, and houses over 100 gravestones. Plus,
the entire base structure is on a raised platform, a few steps high.
 square 'ninefold plan', where eight two-storyed vaulted chambers radiate from the central, double-
height domed chamber. It can be entered through an imposing entrance iwan (high arc) on the south,
which is slightly recessed, while others sides are covered with intricate jaalis, stone latticework.
 The central octagonal chamber has the cenotaph of Humayun, which is encompassed by octagonal
chambers at the diagonals
 It also has arched lobbies on the sides and their openings are closed with perforated screens.
 Central octagonal hall has eight alcoves, one on either side,divided into a double-storeyed elevation.
 The third storey above them has jail openings.
 Above them is the stalactite which takes the double-dome.
 Three emphatic arches dominate on each side, of which the central one is the highest
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 The second storey also has a similar design
 Roof surmounted by a 42.5 meters high double dome with marble and pillared kiosks or chhatris placed
around it, which occurs here for the first time in India.

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JAHANGIRI MAHAL

 Jahangiri Mahal (Hindi: जहाँगीरी महल, Urdu: ‫)جہانگيری محل‬, may be the most noteworthy building
inside the Agra Fort of India. The Mahal was the principal zenana (palace for women belonging to the
royal household), and was used mainly by the Rajput wives of Akbar. It is a form of Islamic
architecture .
 The palace was built by Akbar. It is one of the earliest surviving buildings of Akbar's reign.
 The construction of its rooms for maximum privacy with relatively few openings in the external
elevations
 the organization of the interior spaces support the theory that the building was built as a zenana, or
residential palace for the imperial women.
 The multi-storeyed palace is faced with finely carved red sandstone,
 The palace is a complex organization of interconnected rooms around two courtyards.
 The building measures 63 meters north-south and about 78 meters east-west.
 Its main entrance is on the west (principal) elevation; its eastern elevation faces the Yamuna.
 The central courtyard is square in plan, approximately 22 meters per side. The second courtyard occurs
towards the east along the fort wall and faces the river. The rooms are organized as successive bands
around the courtyards; the degree of privacy increases, as the light levels decrease, with distance from
the courtyard.
 Its main entrance is on the west (principal) elevation; its eastern elevation faces the Yamuna.
 The central courtyard is square in plan, approximately 22 meters per side.
 The second courtyard occurs towards the east along the fort wall and faces the river.
 The rooms are organized as successive bands around the courtyards; the degree of privacy increases,
as the light levels decrease, with distance from the courtyard.
 The western entrance gateway leads into a square hall measuring 6 meters in length, whose square
geometry transitions into a vaulted ceiling through pendentives articulated with trabeate squinches.
 From leads through a narrow corridor to the main courtyard of the palace. A courtyard encircling
rooms.
 North and south side has large room which can be entred through trabated series of arches.
ELEVATION
 The western elevation of the palace holds a central pishtaq, projecting slightly from the face of the
building.
 The pishtaq is composed of a deep-set iwan punctured by an ogee arch.
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  Blind shallow arches articulate the walls on either
side of the pishtaq and are flanked by octagonal
turrets. A continuous chajja (stone eave) runs
across the elevation, wrapping around the turrets
at the level above the blind arches. It is interrupted
only by the pishtaq. Above the chajja is a second
storey comprising an open gallery formed of
alternating rectangular openings and stone
columns; above the gallery is another chajja.
 The turrets are topped by domed pavilions or
chattris, rising above the entire composition. On
the eastern side, the palace’s wall is flush with the main fort wall.
 The large facade of the palace is most remarkable for its projecting portico whose lotus parapet is
decorated with beautiful merlon in relief, a rectangular opening with carved panels and projecting
balconies supported on circular pillars, elegant brackets with Bengal slanting roofs
 The entire structure is constructed in lakhauri bricks and veneered by finely dressed and carved red
sandstone slabs on a one metre high plinth. The red sandstone slabs are so finely joined that no end of
a hair can penetrate into the joint as correctly recorded by Abul Fazl, a court historian of Emperor
Akbar.
 There is a huge bowl called Hauz-i-Jahangiri that is carved out of a single piece of stone. This was
used as a container for fragrant rose water.

FATEH PUR SIKRI

 Fatehpur Sikri is a town in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh, India. The city itself was founded as
the capital of Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar, serving this role from 1571 to 1585,. The
name of the city is derived from the village called Sikri which occupied the spot before.
 Without disturbing the capital status of Agra, he shifted his residence and court to Fatehpur sikri,
situated some 40kms west of Agra.
 All these buildings are made from red sandstone.in which white marble and glazed tiles have been
used for ornamentation
 Guilds of stone workers from malwa, rajashthan and gujrat also contributed to this grand project and
lest there mark on the architecture of fatepur sikiri.
 It was built by AKBARin 1571 located in Agra as his new capital.
 Itwas planned as the cultural, commercial and administrative centre of the Mughal empire.
Built using richly ornamented red sandstone ,is a beautiful blend of Hindu-Islamic architecture.
 It was abandoned 14 years after its creations.
 The FatehpurSikricomplex stands on a ridge and the city is enclosed by an embattlement on three sides and
on the fourth by a vast artificial lake which was the main source of water supply to the city.
 The palace complex is a series of courts and structures in between
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  the center of the courts are not aligned with each other axially; it makes for a dynamic diagonal sequencing
of spatial experience full of unexpected expansions and contractions.
 Changes of levels are subtle.
 The orientation of buildings is dictated more by the contours of the site than by anything else.
 Main aspect of spatial sequences at FatehpurSikriis transition. At times there are very definite and sharp
transitions from one space to another. There are also examples of soft and subtle changes.
 The varying skyline , created by a change of height and form, is an important design element in the
FatehpurSikricomplex.
 Apart from these structural elements, the use of niches and screens is also important in the complex..
 Most common element is a chhatriwhich is an elegant domical structure with slender columns designed
like an open pavilion.


Town planning
 Skillful organization of the terrain (the ridge and slopes).
 Easily available building material (red sandstone).
 In accordance with climatic conditions (air and light).
 Open spaces to ensure maximum sanitation.
 Perfect system of drainage and water supply.
 In accordance with social needs as Purdah and political compulsions as Security.

The ridge did not have an even level, hence terraces on the receding levels were made one for each of the three
main complexes, namely
 The Mosque Complex
 The Royal Complex
 The Public Complex

The orientation of the buildings on all three terraces is on N-S axis of the ridge

Artificial lake
 Khari Nadi was a seasonal river which contained water for only 6 months.
 A huge lake called Terah Mori was built to contain water for use throughout the year and more.
Gates
 It is accessed through gates along Delhi Gate, the Lal Gate, the Agra Gate and Birbal's Gate,
Chandanpal Gate, The Gwalior Gate, the Tehra Gate, the Chor Gate, and the Ajmeri Gate.
 The palace contains summer palace and winter palace for Queen Jodha.

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JAHANGIR PERIOD

AKBARS TOMB SIKANDRA

 1603 AD
 Started by Akbar completed by Jahangir
 Enclosure of 150acres – garden
bahistabad
 Gateways – centre of façade
 Main gate way 74’ high
 Minarets at corners – 4 sides 86’ high –
3 storey
 Arched chamber above portico – Naubat
Khana
 Tomb – 5 storey structure – receding in
size as it goes up
 Tomb - Marble platform
 Sloping corridor- 60’ long- leads to
burial chamber
 1st , 2nd, 3rd and 4th storey is similar in
terms of arches and domes placement
 Top story completely of marble
 Tombstone is on terrace, surrounded by
arched Verandah

 The ground storey consists of a massive

terrace, over 300’ side and 30’ high,
with a series of arches recessed within
its sides. In the centre of each side is a
tall rectangular structure containing an
arched alcove with a graceful marble
kiosk above its parapet.
 Above the terrace is a series of sandstone pavilions, arcades and kiosks and is a light and fanciful structure
in complete contrast with the powerful substructure.
 The uppermost storey of Akbar’s tomb is in marked contrast with the rest of the structure as it is composed
entirely of white marble instead of red sandstone. It is a massive structure with a solid projecting cornice
with a tall and graceful kiosk over each corner. The entire structure is surrounded by a range of delicately
perforated screens. The interior of this storey is an open court surrounded by arcaded cloisters and a
cenotaph in the centre.

SOME DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF THE TOMB OF AKBAR

1. It has a unique design. It is dome less and has an extraordinarily high plinth and receding storeys
composed of arcades and attached chhatris.
2. Minarets appear here on the main gateway as integral part of its composition

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3. White marble as an alternative building
material has come here to stay. The
minarets of the gateway and the fifth storey
of the main tomb are entirely built of white
marble.

4. Dados with border inlaid by rare and semi-

precious stones have been used here for the
first time. Dado-art as principal form of
mural ornamentation made a definite
beginning from this tomb.

5. Mosaic by Inlay of rare and semi-precious

stones, different from `square' and
`tessellated' mosaic of glazed-tiles, has also
been used here, boldly and assertively, for
the first time.

6. Incised Painting as a choice mode of mural

decoration in the interiors and on
semisoffits of alcoves, arches and vaults has
also been used here for the first
time. Paneling, for the depiction of
ornamental compositions, both in carved
and inlaid mosaic techniques, each one used
within a frame like a painting, has been
adopted here most exuberantly, as a
primary scheme for the treatment of all
exterior surfaces.

7. Motifs and Designs, animate, geometrical,

naturalistic and -stylistic, floral,
arabesques and stalactites, have been depicted here in all art, carving and color schemes, which were
then known, in such an unprecedented wide variety and on such a large scale that it almost served as a
grand repertory of motifs and designs to jewelers, metal-workers, textile and carpet weavers; architectural
decorators and, in fact, to all handicraftsmen in the later ages.

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SHAHJAHAN
TAJ MAHAL

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JAMA MASJID DELHI

 The mosque is considered as the best among all

mosques built during the Mughal Empire as it has the best
mixture of marble and limestone.
 The mosque has three great gates, four towers and two
40-metre tall minarets constructed of strips of
red sandstone and smooth white marble.
 The northern gate has 39 steps and the southern side has
33 steps The eastern gate was the royal entrance and has
35 steps.

 Out of all these gateways, the eastern one,

which was used by the emperors, remains
closed during weekdays. The mosque is
built on a red sandstone porch, which is
about 30 feet (9.1 m) from ground level
and spreads over 1200 square metres.
 The dome is flanked by two lofty minarets
which are 130 feet (40 m) high and
consists of 130 steps, longitudinally
striped with marble and red sandstone.
 The minarets consist of five storeys, each
with a protruding balcony.
 The adjoining edifices are filled
with calligraphy. The first three storeys of
the minarets are made of red sandstone,
the fourth of marble and the fifth of
sandstone.
 The courtyard can accommodate 25,000
worshippers and occupies 408 square feet.
 Mosque is located at the west side of the
courtyard
 There is a tank in the courtyard for the
ablution purpose
 The mosque is about 261 feet (80 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) wide.
 The prayer hall measures 61 metres in length and 27.5 metres in breadth.[15] It is made up of high
cusped arches and marble domes.
 The cabinet located in the north gate has a collection of relics of Muhammad – the Quran written on
deerskin, a red beard-hair of the prophet, his sandals and his footprints embedded in a marble block.
 It is covered with white and black ornamented marble to look like a Muslim prayer mat.
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  Beside it, a thin black border measuring 3 feet (0.91 m) long and 1.5 feet (0.46 m) wide is marked for
the Muslim worshippers. There are 899 total such boxes. The architecture and plan of Badshahi
Masjid, which was built by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb in Lahore, is closely related to that of the
mosque. Before the Revolt of 1857 there was a madrasa near the southern end of the mosque, which
was destroyed during the revolt.

DELHI – THE MUGHAL CAPITAL

Delhi is a city that has seen both glory and destruction in its long. It has beenplundered, ruined time and
again only to spring from its ashes to become the capital of powerful dynasties. Fortunately, the resilient and
enduring culture and heritage has withstood the test of time and the city continues to live.
The heart of Delhi can be found in Old Delhi, 350 yrs old, yet strong and beating. Its many-branched arteries
are narrow with age, its veins jostle for space, and its lifeblood is bound to get clotted atsome places at any
time. No city reflects the endless drama of change better.

SHAHJAHANABAD / OLD DELHI

Old Delhi or Purani Dilli was founded as a walled city of Delhi India, founded as Shahjahanabad in 1639,
when Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor at the time, decided to shift the Mughal capital from Agra. The
construction of the city was completed in 1648, and it remained the capital of the Mughal Empire until its
fall in 1857.
 Seventh planned city of Delhi.
 Shahjahanabad was the city with the colossal Red Fort and its14 gates.

Planning of Shahjahanabad
 The city was planned according to hindu planning principles of shilpashastra from vastushastra.

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  The site was placed on a high land as in the
shastra and was karmukha or bow shaped

 The arm of the archer was Chandni Chowk.
 The junction of the two main axes is the most
auspicious point in the whole region and was
therefore the red fort.

The designed infrastructure of Shahjahanabad comprised

 The RED FORT
 The Friday mosque. (JAMA MASJID)
 The other major mosques, including the corresponding waqf properties.
 The two main a wide street in town or city.
 The bazaars around the Friday mosque.
 The elaborate system of water channels.
 The major gardens and the city wall.

The arrangement of these planned elements was influenced by certain site features, which precluded
absolute geometry.

Major Streets

 The streets in Mughal capital were usually narrow and

crooked.
 the major streets in the new capital were designed as
wide and straight.
 The east-west street called Chandni Chowk connected
the Lahori Darwaza of the fort
 It ran in a straight line forming a wide wide street with
broad vista..
 The Fort was visible from any place on the street.
 This perspective view marked a new concept of town
planning for the Mughal capital.

Five Main Streets

 The basic network of the five main streets extended
from Chandni Chowk and Faiz Bazaar to other gates and to different part of the walled city.
 The streets were built as the spines of major activities and developed as commercial thorough affairs.
 They connected the Ajmeri Darwaza with the JamiMasjidand Turkmanand Lahori Darwazas.
 The other streets were less significant and were mainly built as access roads to the residential areas.

Division of city sectors :

At the neighbourhood level the city of Shahjahanabad was
defined by the following elements:
 Thanas/Mahallahs
 Streets/bazaars and chowks
 Individual havellis

Thanas and Mahallas:

 The city was divided into 12 thanas (wards)
 each under the control of a thanadar.
 Each thana was again subdivided into several Mahallas -36 mahallas (neighbourhoods).
 The spatial system of the city was based on an extensive hierarchical organization which allowed a
heterogeneous population to live together. 30
Water systems and canals:
 The hot dry climate of Delhi made it necessary to develop an hydraulic strategy in order to ensure
a constant, year round supply of water. Shahjahan ordered his architects to restore the Firoz Shah
canal and extend it to the new city.
 The canal ran through the outskirts of the city, watering gardens and fields.
 It entered the city through the Kabuli Gate in the north-western part of the city and then split into
two branches. One flowed down the middle of Chandni Chowk. The other one passed through the
gardens north of Chandni Chowk and then entered the palace through the Shah Burj.
Gardens:
 The Mughal gardens were laid out according to the Persian char-bagh concept
 They were less rigid because of the fusion of various Indo-Islamic traditions and Hindu
craftsmanship.
 Many large courtyard residences (havellis) in the city also had enclosed gardens.

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 RED FORT
The red sandstone of the massive red fort rise 33 m above the clamour of old delhi as a reminder of the
magnificent power of the Mughal emperors

 Constructed in 1639 by the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah the palace of his fortified capital
Shahjahanabad
 Continued by Aurangzeb
 area of 254.67 acres enclosed by defensive wall
punctuated by turrets and bastions
 the palace was planned according to Islamic
prototypes, each pavilion contains architectural
elements typical of Mughal buildings
 The Lahore Gate is the main entrance, leading to a
domed shopping area known as the Chatta
Chowk(covered bazaar).
 The vaulted arcade of the Chhatta Chowkends in
the centre of the outer court
 In the east wall of the court stands the now-isolated
Naubat Khanathe drum house.
 The inner main court to which theNakkar Khanaled was surrounded by guarded galleries
 On the far side is the Diwan-i-Aam, the Public Audience Hall.The courtyard (mardana) behind it leads
to the imperial apartments.
 The Rang Mahal housed the emperor's wives and mistresses. Its name means "Palace of Colours",
since it was brightly painted and decorated with a mosaic of mirrors.
 The imperial apartments consist of a row of pavilions on a raised platform along the eastern edge of
the fort, overlooking the Yamuna.
 A gate on the north side of the Diwan-i-Aam leads to the innermost court of the palace and theDiwan-
i-Khas(Hall of Private Audience). It is constructed of white marble, inlaid with precious stones.
 West of the baths is the MotiMasjid the Pearl Mosque. A later addition, it was built in 1659 as a private
mosque for Aurangzeb. It is a small, three-domed mosque carved in white marble

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AURANGZEB
RABBI DURANI

Dilras Banu Begum (Persian: ‫( )دلرس بانو بيگم‬c. 1622 – 8 October 1657) was the first wife and chief consort of
Emperor Aurangzeb,[2][3][4][5] the last of the great Mughal emperors. She is also known by her posthumous
title, Rabia-ud-Daurani ("Rabia of the Age"). The Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad, which bears a striking
resemblance to the Taj Mahal (the mausoleum of Aurangzeb's mother Mumtaz Mahal), was commissioned by
her husband to act as her final resting place.
The Mughal architects led great importance on having a stream passing by the structures they erected with a
garden based on a Charbagh pattern. Bibi Ka Maqbara is no different. There was a time when River Kham
could be seen flowing behind the tomb. The Maqbara also has a Charbagh-styled garden and it sits pretty right
in the centre with structures in the four directions. To the north is a 12-door Baradari, south is where the main
entrance is, to the west is a mosque and facing the east is Aina khana or the mirror chamber.

 It is the tomb of wife of Aurangzeb, bano rabi durrani

 The tomb was constructed by prince Azam shah during 1651-1661 ad
 Architect – ata aula
 Architect tried to create a replica of Taj mahal
 The areas occupied by mausoleum is 1485’x 890’ and is enclosed in high walls
 The main gate is towards south and made of brass
 The tomb stands in the center of a garden
 There is a marble dome at the terrace and 4 minarets at the corners of the platform, on which the tomb
stands.
 Stucco plaster work has been done
 Octagonal Minarets detached from the main building
 Chhatris on top of the minarets
 Inverted lotus finial on top of dome and chhatris
 4 minarets on corner of the plan of the mausoleum, chhatris on top of that

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MOTI MASJID

 The mosque was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb at the Red Fort complex in Delhi, India,
from 1659-1660 for his 2nd wife Nawab Bai. The mosque was also used by the ladies of the Zenana.
The mosque was constructed at a cost of Rs. 160,000.
 The prayer hall has three arches, and it is divided into two aisles It is surmounted with three bulbous
domes, which were originally covered in gilded copper.[3][4] The gilded copper was probably lost after
the Indian rebellion of 1857.
 The outer walls are oriented in symmetry with the outer walls of the fort, while the inner walls are at
a slightly different orientation to align with the location of Mecca. The eastern door is provided with
copper-plated leaves.
 The mosque is plastered in white on the outside. Inside is the white marble courtyard and a prayer hall,
which stands on a higher level than the courtyard. The floor of the prayer-hall is inlaid with outlines
of small carpets for prayers (musalla) in black marble. In the middle of the courtyard is a small, square
ablution fountain. The courtyard measures 40 x 35 feet.
 The mosque is built by white marble
 Courtyard – 40’ x 35’
 The boundary wallis 20’ high
 Structure ofmosque is 40’ to30’
 The parapet above the central semi circular arch has florl inlay work
 Two minarets above the central arch opening
 Minarets topped with chattris
 The western wall of the mosque has recessed niche, carved out in marble.
 Beautiful floral arched patterns in the interiors
 Three ribbed domes with inverted lotus patterns on thm and finail on top
 Small minarets araise at various levels and crate beautiful skyline together with the dome
 The external wall of the mosque has arches carved on façade at wo levels and parapetas 3rd level

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