Monumental Relics of the Imperial Mughals of India (1526-1658): Vol-II

This is an anthology of my twenty-one research paper which was originally published in 1976 and is long out-of-print. While they deal with obscure or little known aspects of Mughal Architecture, they also define various phases of the growth and development of this art from Babur to Shah Jehan (1526 to 1658 A.D.) . They elucidate the builder's personality and, at the same time, provide an appraisal of the tastes and beliefs of the contemporary people. The historical fact is that the stamp of an age and its trends and currents are writ large on its architecture and if the language of the stone is deciphered, architecture can be a veritable source of History, in many respects much more important than contemporary and later contemporary historical chronicles, literary sources and travelogue. It can speak unadulterated truth of the PAST.This volume affords study of this art which ultimately developed to the status of a National style, and the various inspirations which went into its making. Without Vastu - texts of their own, the Mughals were able to build such wonderful (adbhut) buildings as the Taj Mahal, the like of which could not be produced in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran or in any other Islamic country. This shows the extent to which the indigenous art - traditions of the country participated in the formative process.Mughal Architecture is a vast subject and a life-time is not enough to cover the whole of it. Present volume is just a modest instalment by way of introduction of its few aspects. Much yet remains to be done.The work has been adequately illustrated by text figures (drawings) and plates. Chapters:1. Bagh-i-Gul Afshan of Babur at Agra2. Diwan -i-Khas of Fatehpur Sikri3. Account of a Mughal Stepwell and a Well house4. Mysteries of Phansighar at Agra Fort5. Mughal Hammam and the Ghusal-Khana6. Depiction of Fabulous Animals at Delhi Gate Agra Fort7. Personality of Akbar as revealed in the Inscriptions at Fatehpur Sikriand Agra8. Mayura Mandapa of Akbar in the Agra Fort9. Depiction of Tantric symbol in Mughal Architecture10. Minaret versus the Dhvaja-Stambha11. Plan of Akbar's Tomb Agra and a proposed Dome over it12. Inlay specimens at Akbar's Tomb Sikandara13. Mausoleum of Mariam Zamani at Agra14. Depiction of Animate Motifs at Tomb of Itimad ud Daulah Agra15. Augustin of Bordeaux and his relations with Mughal Court16. Tomb Firoz Khan Agra17. Glass Mosaic Decoration and Shish Mahal Agra Fort18. Incised Painting in Mughal Architecture19. Moti Masjid of Red Fort Delhi20. Curved-Roof and Bent-Cornice style of the Mughals21. Concept of beauty in Mughal Architecture (with special reference tothe Aesthetics of the Taj Mahal)