Art and Architecture
The Mughals were fond of laying gardens with running water. Some of the Mughal Gardens are:
- Nishat Bagh in Kashmir
- the Shalimar Bagh at Lahore
- the Pinjore garden in the Punjab
- During the reign of Sher Shah, the mausoleum at Sasaram in Bihar and the Purana Qila near Delhi were built. Large scale construction of buildings started with the dawn of Akbar He built many forts and the most famous one was the Agra Fort. It was built in red sandstone. His other forts are at Lahore and Allahabad. Shah Jahan built the famous Red Fort at Delhi with its Rang Mahal, Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khaswas, Akbar also built a palacecum-fort complex at Fatehpur Sikri (City of Victory).
- Many buildings in Guajarati and Bengali styles are also found in this complex.
- Guajarati style buildings were probably built for his Rajput wives.
- The most magnificent building in it is the Jama Masjid and the gateway to it called Buland Darwaza or the Lofty Gate.
- The height of the gateway is 176 feet. It was built to commemorate Akbar’s victory over Gujarat.
- Other important buildings at Fatehpur Sikri are Jodha Bai’s palace and Panch Mahal with five storeys.
- During Akbar’s reign, the Humayun’s tomb was built at Delhi and it had a massive dome of marble.
- It may be considered the precursor of the Taj Mahal.
- Akbar’s tomb at Sikandara near Agra was completed by Jahangir.
- Nur Jahan built the tomb of Itimaddaulah at Agra.
- It was constructed wholly of white marble with floral designs made of semi-precious stones on the walls. (Pietra dura)
- This method became more popular during the reign of Shah Jahan.
- Taj Mahal
- The Pietra Dura method was used on a large scale in the Taj Mahal.
- Taj Mahal is considered as jewel of the builder’s art.
- It contains all the architectural forms developed by the Mughals.
- The chief glory of the Taj is the massive dome and the four slender minarets
- The decorations are kept to the minimum.
- The Moti Masjid at Agra was built entirely in white marble. The Jama Masjid at Delhi was built in red stone.
- Many features of Mughal tradition can be seen in the Golden Temple at Amritsar.
Paintings and Music
- The foundation for the Mughal painting was laid by Humayun while staying in Persia.
- He brought with him two painters – Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdal Samad to India.
- Akbar commissioned the illustrations of several literary and religious texts.
- He invited a large number of painters from different parts of the country to his court.
- Both Hindus and Muslims joined in this work.
- Baswan, Miskina and Daswant attained great positions as Akabar’s court as artists.
- Illustrations of Persian versions of Mahabharata and Ramayana were produced in miniature form.
- Art Studio established by Akbar. Historical works such as Akbar Nama also remained the main themes of Mughal paintings
- Mughal paintings reached its climax during the reign of Jahangir.
- He employed a number of painters like Abul Hasan, Bishan Das, Madhu, Anant, Manohar, Govardhan and Ustad Mansur
- Music had also developed under the Mughals.
- Akbar patronized Tansen of Gwalior.
- Tansen composed many ragas.
- Jahangir and Shah Jahan were also fond of music.