MUGHAL GARDENS

TIME LINEBABUR

1526-1530

• Babur, the first Mughal -king, had gardens built in Lahore and Dholpur• E.g., RAM BAGH, AGRA

HUMAYUN1530-1543

• Humayun has not as such contributed much to the landscape architecture but he had built PURANA QUILA , DELHI in which there are traces of landscape.

AKBAR1556-1605

• Akbar built several gardens first in Delhi, then in Agra, eg, Humayuns tomb, Fatehpur sikhri• These tended to be riverfront gardens rather than the fortress garden. Which influenced the

later Mughal garden architecture

JAHANGIR1605-1627

• Jahangir, did not build as much, but he helped to lay out the famous Shalimar garden.

SHAH- JAHAN1628-1658

• Shah Jahan, marks the apex of Mughal garden architecture and floral design.• Example, Shalimar(lahore), Taj mahal, Red fort, Nishat garden(kashmir).

AURANGZEB1658-1707

• Aurangzeb has not developed much gardens except Chauburji.

INTRODUCTION

CHARBAGH• These gardens are private and formal spaces.• The basic structure consists of four quadrants divided

by • waterways • pathways.

• Traditionally, the rich used such gardens in work-related functions

• These gardens balance structure with greenery.• The plants are often placed at periphery of the pools or

path. Typical layout of Mughal Garden

• Mughal gardens are a group of gardens built by the Mughals. • This style was heavily influenced by the Persian

gardens, particularly the Charbagh structure. • Significant use of rectilinear layouts are made within the

walled enclosures.

CLASSIFICATION Mughal Gardens are generally

divided into 4 sections – Rectangular Pearl garden Long Butterfly garden Circular garden Terraced garden

TERRACED GARDEN

CIRCULAR GARDENLONG BUTTERFLY GARDEN

DESIGN CONCEPT And philosophy• Mughal gardens design derives primarily from the

 Islamic garden, although there are influences that come from the Persian and Timurid gardens

• The most important feature of Mughal garden is Charbagh system.

• The Mughals were obsessed with symbol and incorporated it into their gardens in many ways.

Gardens influenced from Islamic gardens

Symbols used in Mughal garden

• Quranic references to paradise were in the architecture, layout, and in the choice of plant life

• Numerological and zodiacal significances connected to family history or cultural significance, were often used.

• The numbers eight and nine were considered auspicious by the Mughals and were found in the terraces or in garden architecture E,g. octagonal pools

• The design symbolizes 4 flowing rivers of Paradise and reflects the gardens of Paradise derived from the Persian paridaeza, meaning walled garden

Abundance with 4 rivers flowing from a central spring or mountain, separating the garden into north, south, east and west.

FEATURES• Running water (perhaps the most important element) and a pool to reflect the beauties of sky and garden• Flowers of different species were used for beautification of gardens, the flowers are chosen according to their depiction and belief of life and death• Significant use of rectilinear layouts are made within the walled enclosures.• Typical features include pools, fountains and canals inside the garden.•The garden might include a raised hillock at the center, reminiscent of the mountain at the center of the universe in cosmological descriptions, and often surmounted by a pavilion or palace

TAJ MAHAL:- GARDEN CASE

STUDY

•Built by- Shah Jahan•According to Quran, garden is symbolic of Paradise Garden divided into 4 parts.• Further divided into 16 sections of flower beds with raised pathways•Symmetry and pattern can be seen in the relationship between

• sunlight and shade • plants and water• light and dark tones

•Trees of Taj garden are• Cyprus(signifying death)• Or of the fruit bearing type (signifying life)

arranged in a Symmetrical pattern.•Garden conjures up the Islamic concept of heaven where rivers of water, milk, wine and honey flows.

• The Taj garden, the tomb building is placed at the farthest end. • The tomb garden and subsidiary buildings are

• Enclosed by a broad wall with octagonal pavilions at each end.• A monumental entrance gate in the centre of southern side.

• When the emperor built the Taj, the garden was full of trees• fruit trees• Cypress• palm trees• flowering trees.• The flowers were not what we see today, but species of narcissus, iris, tulip and rose.

• It was conceived as garden of Eden or Bagh–i–adam with flowers, trees and water channels.

WATER CHANNEL

TOMB

ENTRY GATE

GARDEN AREA

• The use of water is the most remarkable character of mughal garden.• Shah jahan built a marble pool in the centre on north-south axis of the garden, to

reflect the perfection of Taj Mahal. • From the central, elevated pool Haus–i- kaus, the water channels flow in four

directions dividing the garden at right angles into four.• The inclination and level of the garden is carefully designed to keep the water

continuously flowing from Yamuna river behind the Taj. • The formal garden is based on Char Bagh or four proportional garden plan.

ELEVATED POOL

WATER CHANNEL

TOMB

RAISED PATHWAYS DIVIDING GARDEN INTO SECTIONS

WATER CHANNEL DEPICTING FLOWING RIVER AND DIVIDING THE GARDEN INTO 4PARTS

ENTRANCE

CENTRAL MARBLE POOL

FLOWER BEDS

PLAN:- TAJ MAHAL

MUGHAL GARDENHUMAYUNS TOMB

COMSSIONED BY BEGA BEGUM IN 1569-1570 designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyath

• The garden is divided into 36 squares by a grid of water channels and paths.

• Divided initially into four large squares separated by pathways and channels.

• Each square divided again into smaller squares by pathways creating a charbagh.

• The channels bisect at right angles.

THE CONCEPT AND ITS EXECUTION The symbolism behind the charbagh is

very strong it relates to life after death. The Quran describes paradise as a garden

of eternity with four rivers of water, milk, wine and honey.

The water in the channels is carried out north, south, west and east. Meaning- Larger paradise gives away to

smaller ones. Eternal flowers, fruit, herbs, water and

birds added further character to the tomb garden.

The tomb rose like a cosmic mountain above the four rivers.

Fountain at the central axis

Single rectangular bagh

Meeting point of all the channel

SITES OF MUGHAL GARDENS

• INDIA1. HUMAYUN’S TOMB, DELHI2. TAJ MAHAL, AGRA3. RAM BAGH, AGRA4. MEHTAB BAGH, AGRA5. SHALIMAR GARDENS, KASHMIR6. YADVINDRA GARDENS, PINJORE7. KHUSRO BAGH, ALLAHBAD

HUMAYUN’S TOMB

RAM BAGH

SHALIMAR GARDENS

YADVINDRA GARDENSKHUSRO BAGHTAJ MAHAL

VARIOUS MUGHAL GARDENS Afghanistan

Bagh-e Babur(Kabul) •India

Humayun's Tomb-Delhi (Nizamuddin)

Taj Mahal-Agra Ram Bagh-Agra Mehtab Bagh-Agra Shalimar Gardens (Kashmir)-

Kashmir Safdarjung's Tomb Yadvindra Gardens-Pinjore Khusro Bagh, Allahabad

Pakistan Chauburji(The Gate to

the Mughal Gardens) Lahore Fort Shahdara Bagh Shalimar Gardens

(Lahore) Hazuri Bagh

THANK YOU!MADE BY-

APOORVA MATHURSURABHI GUPTA