Floral decoration in Mughal buildings, Lahore

Abstract

Mughals entered III Indo-Pak. subcontinent with a unique grace and ruled it from 1526 to 1859. They introduced tremendous changes in the art history of South Asia. Indo-Pak. s ubcontinent had remained under the influence of various ruling dy nastics, including Central Asian , Persian and Sultanate dynasty. The amalgam of which shaped the architectural heritage of Mughals, i.e ., chapter number one, for which di fferent books provided infolmation . Central Asian architecture is discussed in detail in valuable volumes of the Journal of Central As ia. edited by professor A. 1-1. Dani . Authentic books of Parkstone, GA Pougatchenkova., L Unmyakov, Tuirikov \/, Alcskerov Y. N., Titus furckha ... tDonald and Wilber, Antony Hutt, R.A. Jairazbhoy, R. Nath and Percy Brown accommodate information •. bout architecture of Central Asia and Persia and that of Indo-Pak. subcontinent. The Mughal constructions had attracted lIlany writers to di scuss the chamcteristics of difrerent Mughal buildings, under a single authorship or to describe the building separately in an ind ividual book. Originality. ind ividuality and magnificence are the hallmarks of Mughals The founder of Mughal dynasty, Zahir-ud-Din Babur, bears excellent aesthetic taste and love for the beallty nature. The surroundings of his homeland, farghana, inspired him to such an e><tent that after capturing India he wanted to turn its dry and barren land as fresh and fragrant as Cen Iral Asia. The scarctty of water was overcome by producing at1ificial lakes and water wheels. In this way he planted the first Mughal garden in Indo-Pak. subcontinent, Aram Bagh reflects the plan ofTimLlr's gardens in Herat and Samarkand. Jehang ir improved the Mughal gardens in Kashmir and India, whereas Shahjehan 's Shalamar garden in Lahore was the climax of garden craft in indo Pak. subcontinent. The books of Saifur-RClhman Dar, Abdul Rehman, Sajjad Kauser, 1. Brookes, Elizbeth Moynihan and eM. Villier provided material for the Mughal and other historical gardens. The tomb architecture in three stages was a Central Asian inspiration. for instance, the tomb of Samanid Sultan Ismail and mausoleum of Bibi Khanum inspired most of the Mughal tombs. The central Asian mosques of Khwaja .Mashadi, Tajikistan, with the high portal , symmetry and spaciousness, inspired Jami mosque Fatehpur Sikri and Badshahi mosque, Lahore etc XXI Hllmayun spent most of his time in the court of Shah Tehmasp, in Persia. during the period of his exile. where he was impressed with work of Persian artists. When he came back to india. he brought WIth him some of tlte renowned artists, ie, Mir Seyyid Ali Tebrizi. Khwaja Abdul Samad and Abul Hassan. They brought marvellous development in the art of miniature paintings. Some of them depicted the flora and fauna with extreme sensitivity. Later on Shajehan. an engineer king, designed most of the Mllghal monuments , bringing about stylistic development In art of construction. The revival of miniature paintings of' Jehangir's period dazzles in more durable material in Shahjehan's time. Which is a tribute of Shahjehan to h is father's gen IU S. The contribulions of Akbar disclose an unusual aspect of Mughal architecture. He wonderfu lly composed arcuate system with treabeate system of construction. For the fi rst time Padma Lotus, Nagpasha, Satkona, Ghantikas, Chakra, SW'dstica, hanging bells and chain design, animals, birds and human figures are added with calligraphy, geometric designs and abstrac.t shapes as exquisitely balanced compositions. This trend was reduced in Jehangir's reign, whereas the art of garden craft and miniature paintings reached to cl imax. The spe<;ialists of flom and fawla were encouraged with rewards and titles. His patronisation motivated the princes, princesses, governors and noblemen to plant enchanting gardens. e.g., ( gardens of Kashmir and those around the tomb of Jtl..,." o;d-ud-Daula and Akbar in Agra. 111 Sh D.lhjehan's time depiction of Hindu elements was almost disappeared except hanging bell and chain designs, but the flo ral ornamentations expanded with surprising beauty. The sophi sticated fl ora in miniature paintings of Jehangir's time on hard surface of stone is presented with extreme sensitivity, delicacy and refined taste. In the reign of Aurangzeb this art gradually declmed, except a few mosques. In this period exaggeration and duplication In decorati ve and architectural features is observed without any modification. Inclus ion of foreign elements, like Pahari, Rajistani. GUJrati and Westren elements, devalued the standard of Mughal architecture and it finally losts its identity. The aesthetic taste and inclination of MlIghal rulers to the beauty ofsurrollnding nature was a moti vation to select the topic of the present research, "Floral Decoration in Mughal buildings. Lahore" . Many authors have conveyed their views through authentic volumes. It Includes the books of Rabinder Nath, Cathrine B. Asher, Abdullah Chughtai. Ahmad Nabi Khan. Ebha XXll Koch, S_M_ La\lf, Gfl-R T;l\otson, KK Mumtaz, Waliullah Khan, Ishtiaq Ahmad, Percy Brown and many others. The variety of fl ora includes flowers and trees introduced by Babar and i-iamayun, through Central Asia and Iran. Akbar added various local species of plant kingdom_ Mughal fl ora was described briefly but exposed greatly through photographs and drawings Sylvia Crowne disc ussed its sty li sation briefly and botanical names in detail. A small volume of Blunt Willfhd discl oses botanical drawings offlora, depicted in worldwide buildings. In a new book of English ornaments, written by I. Page", different modifications of acanthus leaf can be studied. The vegetal ornamentation depicted in world ... ,ride architecture is introduced by Owen Jones and B.n(ster Fl<;tcner in their valuable books. In the present researc:h the flora is ciassiflCd into four categories, including flowers, trees, climber and leaf The frequently depicted flowers in Mughal era include Lotus, Lily, Tulip. 1ris, Carnation and Narcissus, inhabitants of cold climate and are introduced from Persian and Central Asian territories, whereas other flora, like Sunflower, Jasmine, Hibiscus, rose, Zinnia, n.JJia and Chrysanth emum are either taken from local environment or introduced from early Muslim decorations. The depiction of Cypress and Chinar is the Persian inspiration_ When Gujrat was taken over by Akbar, under his reign datepalm entered in Mughal architecture through Gujrat. Banyan, willow and Pomegranate are rarely noticed but the appeara[]ce of blossoming trees is again frequ ent, which is an influence of Persian poetry and arch itecture. The vegetation of Mug hal monuments, located in Pakistan and India, specifically in Lah ore is thoroughly described in chapter number I, II and In, with the help of photographs, whicb is then com pared with those decorating the worldwide monuments. The individuality of most of the Mughal flora is highlighted that excel in style and attraction than those, adorning the buildings located in the other parts of the world. It was noted that flora also enhances the grandeur of other subject matters, portrayed in MughaJ buildings. This aspect is unfolded in chapter IV_ The scro lls of lily, tulip, grapevine, hibiscus, morning glory and jasmine are composed with lyrical curves of calligraphy. The volumelof R. Nath, Annemarie Schimmel, Khatibi Abdul Khabio and Pr~sSe)'Avennes, provided a ground for comparative study. Geometric designs in Islamic art is descrihed in detail by Essam Et -Said and Eva Wilson, which helped the comparison of the geometric motifs of Mughal constructions with other XX'll Islamic monuments. The flora depicted in Mughal monuments break the rigidity of geomelnc lines and creates Dowing movement through curves, colours and delicacy of lines . e.g., the interior and exterior of Maryam Zamani and Wazir Khan mosque. Flora is splend idly composed with human figures, animals and birds. This trend introd uced by Akbar, which is a Hindu inspiration. In Mughal architecture it is portrayed with more simplification a.nd balance. This theme has created overcrowded effect in Hindu arch itecture. For such detail the account of Rea Alexr can be studied that provides valuable information about Che~kyan architecture. In Mughal buildings through less detail a.nd si mplificat ion the decoration not only focuses the subject but it becomes an integral part of the structure too, without disturb ing the primary importance of the building. In the Ia.st chapter the skill and thoughtfulness of Mughals is analysed and projected at varying degrees. Sajjad Haider, Yogel J Yene:\;" Porter, R. Nath and other \'lf lters had discussed the a rtist1c a pproach of Mughals and worldwide buildings, regarding the SCUlpted, painted, chiselled and embedded flora. Flora is furnished in dazzling techniques and material of construction with sty li sation, modification, abstra.ction, as repeated patterns and floral arabesque. It create, slow and fitst movement 011 different scales, lending a music.a: quality to the whole atmosphere, which is emphasised with coloured photographs. [n this ."" "'d a rich Inbllte IS paid to the artistic skill, botanical knowledge and genius ofMughals miers, artists, artisans. architects and des igners.