The Yamuna played the following role in the layout of the new Mughal city at Shahjahanabad. The palace was commanded by the riverfront. Only the specially favoured nobles like Dara Shukoh were given access to the river. All others had to construct their houses far away from the river Yamuna.
The Diwan-i am of the Mughal court suggested that justice was made for all in an equal way. The construction of Shah Jahan’s audience hall was designed to communicate that the king’s justice was equal for the high and the low. Its aim was to create a world where all could live together in harmony. …
Shah Jahan’s diwan-i khas was designed in such a way that it fused together in a grand harmonious synthesis. It was carefully planned. It was placed within a large courtyard. Behind the emperor’s throne there were a series of pietra-dura inlays. It depicted the legendiy god Orpheus playing the lute. The diwan-e khas was aimed to …
The temples communicated the importance of a king in the following manner: Name of the temples and the king were almost similar Examples: King: Rajarajadeva. Temple: Rajarajeshvara. God: Rajarajeshvaram The main Gods were identical in name with the kings. Lesser deities were gods and goddesses of the allies and subordinates of the ruler. Temple was the miniature model of …
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Mughal Chahar bagh consists of four gardens. These gardens are placed within rectangular walled enclosures and divided into four quarters by artificial channels.
Pietra-dura is the inlays (a series of pictures) that depicted the legendary Greek god Orpheus playing the flute.
A shikhara is the topmost pointed portion of a temple.
Trabeate principle of architecture is different from the arcuate principle in the following way: In the trabeate principle, a horizontal beam is placed across two vertical columns and roofs, doors and windows are made. In the arcuate principle, the bricks are joined in an arch shape on a wooden plank, put on two vertical columns, …
How is the ‘trabeate’ principle of architecture different from the arcuate? Read More »
Ans: The ‘rajas’ of ‘mahajanapadas’ built forts around their capital cities because probably the people were afraid of attacks from other kings and needed protection. It is also possible that some ‘rajas’ wanted to show that they were rich and powerful by building large, tall and impressive walls around cities.
Ustad Ahmad LahoriTaj Mahal / Architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori was a Persian architect who is said to be the chief architect of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, built between 1632 and 1648 during the ruling period of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
