Overview for History of Mughal Architecture (Volume IV, Part I)
This is part 1 of Vol. IV of the multi-volume series: History of Mughal Architecture, three volumes of which have already been published. This volume deals with Shah Jehan’s age of ‘Architectural Aestheticism’ (1628-1658 A.D.) and its representative monuments, some of which mark the zenith of the style. This part has seven chapters. Sources of the history of this period have been enumerated in Chapters 1. The second chapter deals with ‘Shah Jehan and His Times: the Land, the People and the Culture’ and studies the literatures, arts and crafts which went into the making of the Mughal Civilization. Administrative buildings have been studied in Chapter 3, with such institutions as ‘durbar’ and ‘jharokha’, with which they were associated. The fourth chapter deals with residential buildings and also the regal life, which they ensured. The Ana Sagar Baradaris of Ajmer and Palatial complex of Bari have been studied in Chapters 5 and 6, with plans and photos, and in all necessary details, for the first time. Chapter 7 deals with mosques which have been stylistically classified to make a proper distinction between ‘Margiya’ and ‘Desiya’ forms. It is, thus, a cultural history of his age too. Contemporary Persian histories and accounts of foreign travelers have been utilized, and quoted wherever necessary for authentication. It is adequately illustrated by 86 colour and 380 b & w plates, 15 Persian Katbas and 160 figures of plans, sections, elevations, and sketches.
R. Nath (Author)
Prof Ram Nath (born: 1933) was educated at St. John’s College, Agra. He passed his M.A. (History) in I Dn with first position. He did his Ph.D. and D.Litt. on Mughal monuments of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Delhi from the Agra University. He taught at Agra College as Lecturer (1965-75) and University of Rajasthan, Jaipur as Reader and Professor (1979-93). He is dedicated to higher research in Medieval Indian Architecture which he has studied in the field. He has worked at more than 45 historical sites, mainly of Western India, during the last three decades. He was the recipient of several research fellowships, including the prestigious Homi Bhabha Fellowship. He has authored more than 45 books, 10 monographs, 150 research-papers and 250 popular articles. He is internationally recognized as an authority on Mughal Architecture. His five-volume monumental series: History of Mughal Architecture is a classic of which three volumes and a supplement have been published. The series is, truly, his magnum opus. He has directed the course of the study of Indo-Muslim Architecture into the scientific channel and made it a perfect discipline, instead of a compendium of romantic tales, fanciful anecdotes and hearsay legends. He has traced the evolutionary process of this style, point by point, and emancipated it from sectarian and racial misnomers. His is, essentially, a study of the Land, the People and the Culture.
Bagchee
