SHAH JAHAN ( 1592 – 1666 )Brief History :

• Shahbuddin Mohammed Shah Jahan was the

ruler of the Mughal Empire in the Indian Subcontinent from 1628 until 1658.

• He was the fifth Mughal ruler after Babur,

Humayun, Akbar, and Jahangir

• After revolting against his father Jahangir, as

the latter had revolted against Akbar, he

succeeded to the throne on his father's death in 1627

• The chief events of his reign were the destruction of the kingdom of Ahmadnagar (1636), the loss of Kandahar to the Persians (1653), and a second war against the Deccan princes (1655)

SHAH JAHAN ( 1592 – 1666 )

Brief History :

• In 1658 he felt ill, and was confined by his son Aurangzeb in the citadel of Agra until his death in 1666

• The period of his reign was the golden age of Indian architecture.• Shah Jahan erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of

which is the Taj Mahal at Agra, built as a tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal

• The Pearl Mosque at Agra and the palace and great mosque at Delhi also commemorate him

• The celebrated "Peacock Throne," said to have been worth millions of dollars by modern estimates, also dates from his reign

• He was the founder of the modern city of Delhi, the native name of which is Shahjahanabad.

SHAH JAHAN ( 1592 – 1666 )

General Developments :

• Golden era of Mughal domination was achieved.• It was the age of marble in the building art.• Architecture received a new impressiveness during this regime• All buildings were of a more polished type• All sand stone buildings were transformed into marble pavilions• Marble gave scope for delicate ornamentations & fine moldings• Enrichment was attained by means of inlaid patterns in coloured

stones• Noticeable alterations in the character of the arch• The arches and curves were foliated.• The dome also assumed another form – the bulbous Persian type• The system of double doming was also derived• Introduction of pillars with tapering baluster shafts with vaulted bracket capitals and foliated bases

SHAH JAHAN ( 1592 – 1666 )

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• Shah Jahan resolved to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi• He began to layout the city of Shahjahanabad in 1638• The site was on the right bank of river jamuna• The project consisted of a palace fortress in a more comprehensive

scale• It was formed on the concept of a city within a city• The whole scheme was executed according to the requirement of

one authority• The scheme was carried out in a systematic & uniform manner• The most important portions were designed and executed under the

personal direction of Shah Jahan himself• The Delhi fort in plan is an oblong shape with 3100 ft in length and

1650 ft wide• It is aligned from north to south• The fort enclosed is enclosed within a high and strongly fortified wall• There are 2 main gateways, one on the west and the other on the

south side

SHAH JAHAN ( 1592 – 1666 )

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• The western entry was called ‘Lahore Gate’ and was used as a ceremonial entry

• The southern entrance was a more private one

• From these gateways two thoroughfares pass into the fort interior

• These two thoroughfares intersecting at right angles towards the centre of the entire composition

• The Lahore Gate on the west is in the form of a broad gate vaulted arcade - most imposing

SHAH JAHAN ( 1592 – 1666 )

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• The two thoroughfares directly link with a large rectangular area and itself contained within the surrounding walls.

• This gives the effect of an enclosure within an enclosure• The inner area measures 1600’ by 1150’• It aligned along the eastern rampart overlooking the river Jamuna• This accommodates the royal and private apartments• Outside this on west within the rectangular spaces are the service

quarters, barracks etc.• The palace enclosed nearly symmetrical in its arrangements

resolves into four parts

1. A large central quadrangle with Diwani i amm2 & 3. Two square spaces open on each side for ornamental

gardens and courtyards4. The range of marble palaces

SHAH JAHAN ( 1592 – 1666 )

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• Every feature in this plan is formal and regular and most of it laid out in a square

• There is no oblique or curve in the entire scheme

The range of marble palacesThe Hammam MahalThe Rang Mahal or the hall of audienceDiwani i khasDiwani i amm

SHAH JAHAN ( 1592 – 1666 )

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