Feature 
 

Heritage

Mughal Magic

Art and architecture flourished in the Mughal era. Under the patronage of powerful Mughal emperors, great works were built.

By Bilal Mustikhan | September 2021

The Mughal emperor Babur came to the Indian subcontinent in 1526 A.D and established Mughal rule. This developed into an empire that held sway over India for the next 300 years.

The Mughal throne and authority brought substantial development and was a pivotal factor in laying the roots of distinct art and architecture traditions.

The works were revolutionary in which stone was transformed into sumbols of Mughal nobility. Their monuments depicted personal representations by which they wanted to be remembered and their glory recognized by the world.

The artists of their times were the ones who introduced uniformity in patterns and structure. Grand domes, graceful minarets at the corners and massive halls were embellished colossal vaulted entrances with exquisite ornamentation.

Mughal architecture reached its apogee during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan; this is not to say that other Mughal emperors, both preceding and succeeding him, did not have their own contributions to make to Mughal heritage.

Emperor Babur began his reign over the subcontinent in 1526 A.D. He brought staggering developmental changes along with monumental structures. He contributed to building masjids (mosques), temples and gardens. Panipat Masjid, Jama Masjid, and Babri Masjid are his renowned contributions. Out of these, Babri Masjid created more hype in recent times and was destroyed by the current extremist Hindu dispensation in India. Located on the banks of the Ghaghara River in Faizabad disrtrict, it was designed with three entrances; the middle entrance was more and prominent.

His successor was his son Humayun (1530 to 1556). He did not bring much improvement in any department as war broke out though Humayun was responsible for the recruitment of many artists and painters.
The actual astounding growth in terms of monuments and art pieces took place during the reign of Akbar (1556-1605).

His extraordinary use of rocks such as standstone was his signature. He employed artists from all over the subcontinent. It were these people who were responsible for countless books on history, romance, poetry, and much more.

Hamzanama, commissioned by Akbar, is the most mentionable for containing illustrations of the legendary exploits of Amir Hamza. The volume was completed in 14 years. It originally ccontained 1400 illustrations but only 200 have survived. Humayun’s tomb, constructed by his son Akbar in 1562, is in Delhi. This was the first-ever garden tomb in the subcontinent. It was also the first of many tombs with a Persian double dome. It is sleek, finished with white marble which is applied across the exterior. The small canopies surrounding the central dome are designs beyond their time. This style was the key to design concepts that led to the designing of the beautiful Taj Mahal.


The methods used by Akbar and his comrades were based on a foundation - approach, which is being used to this day. A group usually worked on one illustration, starting with a designer who supervised the entire project, an artist of extraordinary skills to implement the idea and calligraphers to work on the manuscript. Others were also involved as they were needed for the mixing of colours in proper proportions and ratios.

Jahangir (1605-1627) the son of Akbar, had concepts more in the Persian mould, rather than Indian. His most incredible creation is the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daula in 1628, decorated with white marble.
Like his father, Jahangir did not fancy the idea of illustrations of others and chose to reflect portraits of himself surrounded by his colleagues and comrades.

The era of Jahangir’s son Shah Jahan (AD 1628-1658) promoted the delicate elegance of art in the Mughal Empire. In memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mehal, he created the incomparable Taj Mahal.
The art style followed during Shah Jahan’s reign was more rigid and a lot more luxurious than those of the previous emperors.

The Taj Mahal was constructed by 20,000 men. It is situated in Agra and was inspired by the tomb of Humayun. It comprises three domes built with white marble and four minarets around the domes. The architectural design is designated to honour both Hindu and Muslim religions.

Inside the Taj Mahal is the beauty of carvings combined with calligraphy with inlays of semiprecious stones illuminating the essence of the monument, honouring the design and creating ever-lasting beauty.
The last of the great Mughal emperors, Aurangzeb Alamgir (1658-1707), was responsible for the architectural beauty of the Badshahi Masjid in Lahore. He also built one of the 13 doors of the Lahore Fort.
Apart from architectural growth and development, painting and art on their own merit were not promoted in his reign. Very few of his portraits and art pieces remain, which is why there was an abrupt decline in art during his era. However, in the reign of Shah Alam II, artists began copying portraits and masterpieces from the recent past.

Other art styles that existed during the Mughal era involved Rajput paintings. These paintings comprised portraits from Rajput courts from the 16th to 19th centuries. The colours in Rajput paintings comprised paints extracted from minerals, plants, gold, silver and precious stones.

These Rajput paintings were further classified into two styles - the Rajasthani style and the Pahari style.

The Rajasthani art style was based on simplicity and vivid colours, depicting various trades. This art style was used in the courts of Rajasthan.

The Pahari art style comprisess curvy lines with cool and calm colours and a delicate harmonious touch.

The Mughals established an empire and spearheaded cultural and artistic growth and development in the subcontinent. Their art styles and structures faded with time, but the monuments still exist and are a symbol of nobility and greatness of the Mughals that will remain until the end of time.

Read More