Guide: MS. PARSHATI DUTTA
Coordinator:
Tanaya Verma, Dr. Parul Munjal
DISSERTATION
IN ARCHITECTURE
2020-2021
Submitted
by:
SAHITI
BHALLA
170BARCH005/SSAA/B.Arch./17
SUSHANT SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I
would like to express my deepest appreciation to all those who provided me the
possibility to complete this
dissertation. A special gratitude I give to my guide, Ms.Parshati Dutta,
whose contribution in stimulating
suggestions and encouragement, helped me to coordinate my project especially in writing this dissertation.
Her immense knowledge, profound experience
and professional expertise in the subject has enabled me to complete
this research successfully.
I
also wish to express my sincere thanks to the subject coordinators Ms. Tanaya
Verma and Ms. Parul Munjal for their
consistent support and assistance.
ABSTRACT
Mughals were one of the powerful rulers of the Northern region of India. The Mughal reign in India started by Babur. Babur was closely connected with Central Asia and Timurid ancestry. Babur ruled from Delhi and a major typology developed under Babur were the Gardens and the tombs. The transformation of natural landscapes to a cultural landscape provided a metaphor for the imperial rule. Babur was influenced by the urban life and Persian concept of Paradisal Garden which influenced him to develop the Garden typology in Delhi. Babur was also influenced by the ideas of Timurid architectural forms especially tombs and thus influenced him to develop the typology in the city. Mass construction and city development was done under Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan. These mass constructions included the administrative, social, and ideological changes. Mughal capital cities such as Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore and Shahjahanabad were important.
The
primary reason for shifting capitals were to exercise control in terms of
decision making, economic resources and
overpowering the previous rulers. Capitals played an important role in the organization of the territories. The
change in the capital also took place due to the shortage of water and increase in population
of the city.
City
forms over time. The above-mentioned Mughal cities were native cities and the
market streets were narrow. These
markets were often crowded and sold local crafts. The influences of the architecture from one city was seen in
the other city. Similarly, Imperial Capital of Delhi was also influenced by the history.
The
research aims at drawing a comparative analysis between the Mughal capital city
and the imperial capital of Delhi and
look at how a Mughal capital city have influenced the Imperial capital of Delhi.
GLOSSARY
i)
Bagh: Garden
ii)
Baoli: Stepwell
iii)
Chahar Bagh or Char Bagh: Walled in garden divided into several
compartments. In Mughal Architecture;
the square plan is divided into four quarters by paved walkways and canals.
iv)
Chowk: Open court or square
v)
Chajja: Sloping or horizontal projection from the top of a wall supported by
brackets to protect from rain or
sun
vi)
Chatri: Small domed Kiosk, usually an open pillared construction vii) Chini Khana: China Room
viii)
Dargah: In India, a place or complex where the shrine of a Sufi Muslim saint
is situated. The Mughals used the term
to designate the imperial court. ix)
Darwaza: Gate, gatehouse, door
x)
Diwan: Term of various applications such as diwan-I- aam and diwan-i-khaas xi) Diwan-I-Aam: Hall of Public
audiences
xii)
Diwan-I-Khas: Hall of private audiences
xiii)
Hammam: bath house, usually consisting of a group of rooms for the various
stages of bathing procedure. A Mughal
hammam has three main unites, the rakth kan (
dressing room), sard khana ( cold room) and the garam khana ( hot
room) xiv) Hauz: pool or tank
xv)
Jali: Perforated stone screen with ornamental design
xvi)
Jami masjid or Jama Masjid: Congregational mosque, Friday Mosque xvii) Jharoka: Architectural Frame for
official appearances of the Mughal emperor; Its
conventional shape is that of an overhanging oriel window supported by a
bracket. xviii) Madrasa: College of
religious education
xix)
Mahal: Palace, palace pavilion, apartment hall, in Mughal India, it often
applied to the palace quarters of women.
xx)
Masjid: Mosque
xxi)
Mihrab: Arched niche in qibla
xxii)
Qalib kari: Mould work; decorative network applied to facing of vaults or
cavettos of coved ceilings. The term
indicates that it
xxiii)
Sarai: Inn for travellers and merchants; usually a four sided enclosure with
fortified corners and one or two gates;
the courtyard may contain a mosque, wells and
bazaar streets.
xxiv)
Sheesh Mahal: Room decorated with mirror mosaic.
Chapter
1: Synopsis
1.1
Research Question
What
is the form of Mughal Capital city and how has it influenced the British
Capital?
Key
Words: Mughal Architecture, Colonial architecture, City development, Capital
cities, shift in capital.
1.2
Introduction
Rulers
utilized architecture as a tool to showcase their power. The culture of the
dynasty or the ruler has also been
showcased in the architecture of the city. A shift in the capital was influenced by the economic and demographic
factors which allowed the use of human and
material wealth, responses to local political, military, and logistic
conditions and ideological factors which
were majorly a comparison with the other rulers. The first ruler from the
Mughal dynasty was Babur. The ruler was
closely connected with Central Asia and Timurid Ancestry. The architecture reflected the style of
architecture from these areas. The capital under the rulers Babur and Humayun
in India was not developed much. Specific typologies were introduced under the two rulers and were
further developed under Akbar, Jahangir and
Shahjahan. A combination of different architectural styles like Central
Asian and Rajasthani was seen in the
cities of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Shahjahanabad.
A
larger part of the city planning in India under the rule of Mughal dynasty was
done by the rulers Akbar, Jahangir and
Shahjahan. Administrative reforms were also done under the reign of Akbar. The ideologies of Akbar were seen
in the architecture and the city developed by him. Location of the city were investigated in
such a way that provided natural barriers and
functioned like boundaries of the city. The architecture and the city
planning planned by Akbar was a way to
disassociate from the traditional architectural styles being followed.
 |
Map 1 Map of Delhi (1857-58), William Machenzie |
The
agenda of setting up new cities was more political than architectural. The
shift in the British capital from
Calcutta to Delhi was a similar reason. Delhi has historical importance and
Indians accepted Delhi as a capital,
which also led to a shift in the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. Central vista or the Imperial Capital of
Delhi was a political project than an architectural project. The imperial capital displays a combination
of architectural styles as it is a mix of both Eastern styles of architecture and Western style of
architecture. Geometry and axis play an integral part in the city planning of the British
Imperial Capital.
The
research would focus on how the city development of a Mughal capital city
influenced the city planning of British Imperial Delhi.
1.3
Aims and Objectives
The
aim of the research is to understand the planning principles involved in the
development of Mughal capital city and
the Imperial capital of Delhi.
The
objectives of the research are as follows: -
1.
To analyse the morphology involved in the development of the 4 dominant
Mughal Capital Cities.
2.
To analyse the morphology involved in the development of the British
Imperial Capital of Delhi.
1.4
Scope of Research
The
research will investigate the city planning of the Mughal capital cities such
as Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore and
Shahjahanabad and Imperial capital of Delhi. The research will not investigate the influence of the planning of
the other cities on the city planning of Imperial Delhi
Limitations
of Research
The
research will have certain limitations. Mughal capital city of Kashmir will not
be considered in the research as the
city was the capital for a particular season of the year that is the Summers. The city majorly consists of the
garden typology built under the Mughal rulers
Jahangir and Shahjahan.
1.5
Methodology
 |
Figure 1 Methodology |
Table 1 Mughal Cities Considered in Research
The
research focuses on the influence of the Mughal capital cities on the British
Imperial Capital in terms of the city
development and the buildings of importance. The research would focus on collecting data based on the city
development and buildings of importance.
Way
Forward
Data
from books and research papers will be written down and a matrix will be
made. Inferences from the different city
maps will be drawn and added to the matrix made. A comparative analysis will be drawn. Using the
comparative analysis, the influences on the
imperial city would be drawn.
1.6
Literature review
The
literature which has been looked into for the purpose of this research is
Monumentality and Mobility in Mughal
cities by Carlo M. Sinopoli, Making of the city of Fatehpur Sikri by
Satish Davar, Shahajahanabad :
Locational Factors and Emergence of the city, Chandini Chowk: The Mughal City of Old Delhi by Swapna
Liddle, Connaught Place and making of New Delhi
by Swapna Liddle, Mughal Architecture by Ebba Koch, Lutyen’s New Delhi:
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow by M.N
Bunch.
i)
Mughal Capital Cities
The
above-mentioned literature state how each Mughal ruler develops the cities. The
cities in focus were Agra, Fatehpur
Sikri and Shahjahanabad. The Mughal cities were derived by the concept of Amos Rapaport which means a
traditional capital. The features which defined such an establishment were a strong and enduring
administrative and economic centrality, a
position at apex of the settlement hierarchy and a high investment in
the production of symbols of power,
identity, and status. The shift in the capital from Delhi to Agra by the Mughal
ruler Akbar in the year 1565 was done to
disassociate from the traditional elites of Delhi. The walled city of Agra was created post the destruction
of the old forts. The city of Agra was created on the banks on Yamuna. The Agra Fort or the Red
Fort of Agra was a fortified Royal Enclave
built on an elevated hill. The scale of the building was monumental in
order to remind the people of Akbar’s
power. The research papers also state the locational factors which played an important role in the setting of the city.
16 years later the city of Fatehpur Sikri was designed by the Akbar in order to express the world
view he was creating using the materials. Sikri was also a physical expression of Akbar’s concept
of Kingship. Fatehpur Sikri was built along the
Royal corridor or the Mughal Highway. Fatehpur Sikri was located 37 kms
west of Agra. While the capital was
shifted from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri, the economical, political, and
military facilities remained in Agra.
The city was occupied for about 15 years and then the capital was shifted to Lahore.
Shahjahanabad was the city developed by the last Mughal Emperor. The city’s connectivity with the rest of the
Mughal cities were described. The key buildings in the city of Shahjahanabad were the Red fort and
Jama Masjid.
ii)
British Imperial Capital
The
literatures also discuss about reasons for the shift in the capital city of the
British and mentions the zoning of the
overall city and the functions that would take place in the city. The zones in the city were the governmental
establishments, Cantonment zone or the imperial
military camp and the zone for the Indian clerks, press and other
Government establishments which were
located between the Terracotta Gardens and Paharganj area. The city also
included
the fringe and unplanned town where the rural migrants resided. The shift in
capital was majorly political than
architectural. The buildings of importance in the town planning of the British Imperial Capital were the
Secretariat building, Government house and the Council Chamber. The literatures mention the site
selected for setting up the city ie the Raisina Hill and the reasons behind choosing the site. The
Secretariat Building was placed on the top of
the hill to symbolize power.
A
road which is known as the King’s way was lined up by the trees and consisted
of open spaces and a canal. The King’s
way was superimposed by a rectangular grid and geometric system which comprised of the hexagons whose
points intersected with the East-West axis of
King’s way. Perpendicular to the King’s way lied Queen’s way. The
central Crossing of the King’s way and
Queen’s way lies Museums, Cultural institutions, and record offices. The
city has a strong use of geometry and
axis as these hexagons were divided into smaller hexagon and triangle plots to define the residential
units. The circular geometry has also been used in the city planning of British Imperial city.
The plan of the Imperial Delhi coincides with the principles of Vedic architecture which is a
system of Quasi Mystical System of Cardinal Points, symmetry, and centre. Due to the system
incorporated in the city planning, the Government houses face the east direction to capture the
cooling breeze and the morning sun.
CHAPTER-2
Morphology of the city, Settlement patterns and
Evolution of built environment in a Mughal Capital City.
A
Mughal city had a distinctive characteristic which was developed over time. The
city were developed along a water source
that is a river. The imperial cities of the Mughal Rulers were dominantly developed by Emperor
Akbar, Jahangir, Shahjahan and
Aurangzeb. There were certain attributes that were developed by these
emperors. There were certain attributes
which were developed by them and were dominantly used by their ancestors while developing the
architectural style. A Royal Residence,
congregational mosque and the bazaar were vital in the city
development.
2.1
Agra
2.1.1
Location of the city and concept.
In
the year 1565, Akbar shifted the capital from Delhi to Agra. The emperor
wanted to disassociate from the city of
Delhi and wanted to create a new city which
displayed the reforms the emperor introduced. These reforms included
formal disciplines and included self
-importance by worshiping oneself. These reforms were different from the Islamic practices. He
built a new walled city by destructing
the already present forts. Since the emperor wanted to create a city
which disassociated him from his
ancestors, he built the Royal residence by demolishing previously existing forts and other
structures. The new walled city was present on
the banks of River Yamuna and the river was a major source of water in
the city. Beyond the walled city, all
the residential buildings were built.
 |
Map 2 AGRA FORT |
2.1.2 City Development
The
city of Agra was designed on nine-fold system and displayed elements of Indo
Muslim architecture. Hathi Pol or the Elephant gate was present in the
west direction and was designated for
the public entrance.
A
residential axis was met at an angle broken by public axis. The public axis
was formed by open bazaar streets which
started from the Hathi Pol to the courtyard of the public audience or the
Diwan-I-Aam.
The
mosques played an important role in the Mughal architecture. Humayuni Kachpura Mosque was an important structure in
the city of Agra. The mosque was
enclosed by Begampuri Mosque which was styled in Timurid
Architecture. Next to the mosques lied
the bazaar which were open streets lined by wings. Next to the mosques, a Sarai was located which was
designed based on a uniform principle.
The Sarai consisted of a square or a rectangle shape. The wings consisted of unconnected tiny closet of rooms
with narrow porch. The central wing did
not consist of gates as the rooms are large in size. The Mughal Gardens in
the city were developed and they
acquired form under the Emperor Jahangir. The
residential gardens were shifted from the centre to the riverfront. The
main buildings on the riverfront were
arranged on the terrace.
Later
on, the tomb of Emperor Akbar: Sikandra and the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s wife and Shah Jahan: Taj Mahal
were constructed in the city.
2.1.3
Materiality and Architectural style
The
buildings were built in the red sandstone. There was a variety of Red sandstone used ranging from rose pink to deep
purple. The trabeated style of
architecture was used in construction of most buildings. Stucco domes
with a geometric pattern on them was
also a common element in the buildings. Band like structures were constructed along the river
front to supply the water. Accentuated
façade was constructed toward the outside of the Red fort.
2.2
Fatehpur Sikri
2.2.1
Location of the city
Under
the reign of Akbar, the capital was shifted from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri after
16 years. The city of Fatehpur Sikri was
built along the royal corridor or the Mughal
highway and located 37 kms west of Agra.
2.2.2
City development
The
city of Fatehpur Sikri had an open plan. The important roads in the cities are radiating from the centre which the town
settlement patterns. The concept of the city
was largely based on the influence of presence of Salim Chishti’s tomb.
The open plan of the city was based on
the influence of Chishti’s principles on Akbar.
The
city was located on a site which was barren, rocky land and was about
100-150 feet above ground levels. The
city formed part of Vindhyan range that extends for about two miles in the South-West direction.
To the North-West of this ridge was a
wide and shallow valley of the Khari river which was bounded by low
ranges of Bandravali Hills. The city was
developed around the palace complex. The city was developed on the banks of Yamuna.
 |
Map 3 IMPORTANT BUILDINGS IN THE CITY DEVELOPMENT OF FATEHPUR SIKRI |
The city was sub-divided using the grid system. This grid system was based on eight super squares each of which comprising of nine modular squares. This type of a grid system was used to determine the location of the major city gates and important landmarks which were crucial in the development of the city. Agra Gate was located on the axis of the existing approach from the city of Agra to the city of Fatehpur Sikri. The location of the other two important gates in the north side of the ridge directly depended on the existing street pattern.
 |
Figure 2 GRID SYSTEM |
The
usage of the grid pattern that is the nine squares were utilized by the
Mughal emperor in the development of the
architectural plan and garden layouts. Such a grid pattern was developed in the ancient Indian
traditions. Division of the space into 9
equal squares offered a privilege use of the central space as it
maintained an implicit visual relationship
with the surroundings.
2.2.3
Materiality
The location of the site was such that
different varieties of red sandstone were found. This variety ranged from Rose Pink to deep Purple.
The material was also used in the city of Agra.
The
city of Fatehpur Sikri was inhabited by stone cutter before the Mughal emperor
Akbar made Sikri his capital and stone
cutting was an important craft around the city. The stone cutters had built a mosque namely Masjid-I-
Sangtrashan which was the Stone cutter’s
mosque. The mosque displayed the art of stone cutting as well. The
masjid played an important role in the
development of the city.
2.2.4
Buildings of importance and city development.
The masjid was an important structure in the Mughal empire. Apart from the Masid-I Sangtrashan , Jama Masjid or the Jami Masjid played an important role in the city planning. The mosque placed in the centre and was also known as central mosque. The entrance to the mosque was through the Buland Darwaza and was located at the South facing side. The gate was placed on a height of thirty to forty steps and establishes communication with the people and the town. Since the stone cutting craft was highly practiced in the city, the gate displayed the use of greyish-blue quartzite. Badshahi gate also known as the King’s Gate was located where one could enter the courtyard space from the East. Towards the west wall was the rear side and the wall was intimately related to Chisti’s household. On the Northern side of the masjid, no entry gate was provided.
 |
Figure 3 LOCATION OF THE SARAI AND MOSQUES |
Sarai or the inn was another important building in the city of Fatehpur Sikri. The sarai was designed in the shape of cross and was built for the visitors of the city. The location of the Sarai was such that it was located at the crossing of the axes of the two mosques. The Sarai included 100 rooms and each room comprised of an open verandah. These veranadahs opened to 30 foot- wide street. The distance between the centric mosque and the sarai was 300 IlahiGaz which was 30 ¾ inches. This distance was important as it was used for fixing and positioning of the major town planning units.
2.3
Lahore
2.3.1
Location of the city
The city of Lahore was developed by the Mughal
emperors in the Punjab province of the undivided Pakistan. The primary source
of water in the city was from the River Ravi.
 |
Map 3 Lahore City Map |
2.3.2 City Development
The
city was developed along the river Ravi which was the primary source of water.
The Lahore fort was developed by the
Emperor Akbar and Emperor Jahangir. The city around the fort was developed under the Emperor
Jahangir.
The
city developed by the Emperor Jahangir was known as the Jahangir Quadrangle.
An important part of this Quadrangle
came to be known as the Zanana Courtyards. These courtyards were located within the palace
complex and displayed a combination of local brick architecture with the imperial style of Agra
and Fatehpur Sikri in the form of trabeated
sandstone verandahs.
Post
the completion of the Palace complex, the emperor developed the residential
buildings around the palace. An
important residential tower was developed known as Kala Burj which was built in order to preserve the wall
paintings. The emperor also developed the Bashahi Mosque and was built in red sandstone.
The
pavilions were also developed in the city. Water Pavilions developed in the
city in the shape of an octagon. This
pavilion was developed on the designs of the Sher Mandal. The primary pavilion was linked by a bridgeway on
arches to the gatehouse on the western banks.
Emperor Jahangir set up Kos Minars and wells on the Agra- Lahore
route.
Under
the reign of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb primary Mughal networks or the roads
from the city were constructed. The
primary networks built under Aurangzeb was the route from Lahore to Kabul. On these roads, buildings
like Sarai were constructed. The Sarai was well
connected with the Bazaar and wells. Other buildings on these roads were
the hammams.
2.4
Shahjahanabad
2.4.1
Location of the city
The city of Shahjahanabad is in Delhi and on the banks of Yamuna. The city displays strong traditional, spiritual, and temporal power which is associated with site. The symmetry played an important role in the development of the city than the imperial axis. Imperial Axis was laid from east to west in the middle of the fort. The city was central to the rest of the cities of Delhi such as Siri, Firozabad, Indraprat, Jahanpannah etc.
 |
Figure 4 SURROUNDING CITIES OF SHAHJAHANABAD |
2.4.2 Market Space and City development
The
market street was divided in three sections and the division was done by 2
large squares. This street was
perpendicular to the fort of the city. First section of the street from the fort was known as the Urdu Bazaar also
known as the Bazaar of the Royal Camp. The
bazaar got its name from the proximity to the fort in the front. The
second section of the street was known
as Kotwali Chowk. The street was also known as the Asharfi Bazaar which was the money market. This bazaar ended in a
large octagonal square known as Chandini
Chowk. This chowk was commissioned by Princess Jahanara. The chowk had a
large pool in the centre which reflected
moonlight or Chandini. A pre-existing road in the Shahjahanabad was an
important diagonal street in the city. The street ran from North-West direction to the South-East direction. The
street comprised of many older structures and also comprised of Shrine of Shah
Turkman the Sufi Saint and the Shrine of Razia Sultan, the only lady ruler of
Delhi. The closed gate to the location was the Turkman Darwaza. The gate
was constructed in Red sandstone. The
other structures that were present on this axis were a stepwell and wells and were built by Sher
Shah Suri. The reason for constructing these
structures was the axis which was primarily a highway.To the west of the
Chandini Chowk lied the Fatehpuri Bazaar
which terminated in the Fatehpuri Mosque. To the South of Chandini Chowk was a hammam or the public
bath. To the North of this hammam was a two
storey Sarai. On the other side of the Sarai lay vast garden which was
built by Makramat Khant. Through this
garden ran Nahan-e-Bahisht which was the same water channel that runs through the Red Fort. There was another
dominant street in the city which was an extension of the main North- South
axis. The road lied within the fort and connected the fort to the Akbarbadi Gate and was known as Faiz
Bazar road. This road later, connected the
Southern Gate of the city to the Akbarabadi Gate or the Delhi Gate. The
shops were lined up on both the sides.
There was a water channel which ran through the middle of the road. The other developments in the city were large
gardens. First garden was located seven to eight
 |
Map 4 LOCATION OF PALACE, JAMA MASJID, ROAD CONNECTIVITY & WATER CHANNEL |
kilometres to the north west of the city and the second garden was located over a kilometre to North West of the city.
2.4.3
Buildings of importance and city development
The
first building that was built was he Red Fort and was placed on the edge of
Yamuna and was in the shape of
parallelogram that measured 1600 ft on the East-West direction and 3200 ft on the North-West direction. This
dimension was exclusive of the gateways. The principal entrance faces Chandini Chowk. This entrance
runs for about a mile and opens into the
vaulted hall or the deeply recessed portal. A stream runs through the
centre. The vaulted hall has an
octagonal break in the centre and is 375 ft in length. The vaulted hall was
created in a way which has an effect of
Gothic Cathedral. This portal opens in a hall which is a bazaar. This bazaar is a two-storey space and is not
vaulted. This hall opens up in the courtyard
measuring about 540 ft by 360 ft. This courtyard opens up in the Music
hall which measures about 540 ft by 420
ft. The palace consisted of the Diwan-i-Aam the court for the common people and the Diwan-i-khas, the hall of private.
The palace also consisted of the Rang Mahal
or the Painted hall which consisted of the bath and the apartment space.
The hall was highly ornamented. There
were gardens present in the palace which were laid out in a formal style and were adorned with fountains and little
pavilions. The gardens also showcased the kiosks of white marble.
Another
important building in the city of Shahjahanabad was the Jama Masjid. The
mosque was completed in the year 1656
and was the congregational mosque. The mosque was built on a natural height of the land and was the
largest mosque in the Mughal empire. The mosque
was built in Red Sandstone and white marble.
Post
the city took shape, the nobility started building their homes. Large mansions
were located in the north of the city.
One of these large mansions was built by Dara Shukoh. Other mansions were built by the Wazir. The
interior of these mansions consisted of painted ceiling and walls and underground chambers which were
meant for resisting during summers. A ghat
was present on the banks of the river and was used by Hindus for bathing.
This ghat was named Nigambodh Ghat. The
ghats which were present on the south of the Red Fort were meant for the transportation of the grains
and other merchandize. The boats were parked on
these ghats.
CHAPTER-3
Morphology of the city, Settlement patterns and
Evolution of built environment in British Imperial Delhi.
3.1
Location of the city
Designed
by the British architects and town planners Herbert Baker and Edwin Lutyens,
New Delhi or British Imperial Delhi is
in the core zone of Delhi. The British shift their capital from Calcutta to Delhi due to the historical
importance of the city. Delhi was also central to many places and was well connected through Railways.
The shift in capital was in favour of the
British Government as Delhi was equidistant from major commercial hubs
that is Calcutta and Bombay. The city of
Delhi had closer proximity to Shimla, the summer capital of the British and had better climatic conditions than
Calcutta.
 |
Figure 5 SURROUNDING AREAS OF THE BRITISH CAPITAL |
The city was planned on the Raisina Hill which lies west to the city of Shahjahanabad. The site was not surrounded by built area. The southern and the eastern edges had Old tombs and other structures.
 |
Map 5 LOCATION OF THE BRITISH IMPERIAL CAPITAL |
3.2 City Development
A
processional highway connects the British Imperial Delhi and the city of Shahjahanabad. This highway ends at the Royal
Mosque Jama Masjid and is in the direction
of North-East. The plan of New Delhi coincides with the principles of Vedic architecture, the quasi mystical
system. The plan gave importance to the
cardinal points, symmetry, and the centre as the keeper of power and
energy. The main avenue in the city
terminates at South-West corner of the Jama Masjid and is known as Rajpath in the present day. On
the path of the avenue lied a populous
settlement of Paharganj. Humayun’s Tomb and Safdarjung’s Tomb were incorporated as terminal points of the important
avenues. Another important avenue which was developed around the city was the
Vijay Chowk which was the avenue leading
from the are Raisina Hill to Jama Masjid. This divides the area into two parts that is the Kashmere Gate and the
Delhi Gate of Red Fort.
Most of the city land was rural and agricultural in nature. This land was divided into five blocks. Block A was largely agricultural in nature and contained eleven villages. This block also included the areas like Naraina, Palam Nagar, and Maharm Nagar. These areas were allotted as the cantonment area. Block B measures about 13000 acres and contained highly populated areas. In this block, 55% of the area was cultivated and was known as the Khandrat or the ruins. Other economic activites in the area included the Cotton Mills.
Block
C, D and E were allotted for future developments in the city. Few plots
were allotted for the plots in the new
enclaves or residential colonies. Southern portion of these blocks were
allotted for the expropriated menials and daily wage labours. The area was developed along the strict grid
layout.
The
British had incorporated the Garden system in front of the buildings as an inspiration from the Mughal
architecture.
The
settlement in the British city was categorised into 3 parts that is the civil
lines, native town and cantonment. Civil
lines was largely occupied by the European
population and the Native town was occupied by the indigenous
population.
3.3
Materiality and architectural style.
The
material used in the development of the city was the recycled stone from
the surrounding sites. The buildings in
the British Imperial capital showcased the Indo Saracenic architectural style.
The architecture style was developed by incorporated both Indian and Western styles of
architecture.
3.4
Buildings of Importance and City Development
The
Viceroy’s Residence was located on Malcha and later shifted on top of the Raisina Hill. Halfway down the Rajpath laid
the Secretariat Building. A broad avenue
went to the North Western gate of the Purana Qila. Another primary avenue in the city ran perpendicular to the Rajpath.
This avenue ran through the Secretariat
building. A Cathedral was placed on the southern end of the second
avenue. A railway station was
constructed on the northern end. These avenues were named King’s way and Queen’s way. The King’s way
was lined up with trees, open spaces,
and canals. This was laid out on a rectangular grid and further divided
into smaller hexagons and triangles.
This was done in order to segregate the spaces based on the typologies. This was then surrounded by the
circular arrangements of municipal
offices, post offices, shops and hotels. This circular arrangement was
known as Connaught Place. Due to
discourse of the river Yamuna, the British revived the riverfront. The riverfront was on the route
of Civil lines to Paharganj. A separate
cantonment zone or imperial military camp was setup in the Block A.
Between the Terracotta Gardens and
Paharganj was the area allotted to Indian clerks, press and other government establishments.
Chapter-4
Comparative Analysis
A
Mughal Capital city had developed over time. The city gave importance to the
natural elements around the city as the
location of the city was such that provided natural advantages to the city. The axis formed in the city was
vital as it was the only route for commuting. The importance of gardens in the city development
was witness in a Mughal capital city. The
importance was due to their association with the Timurid dynasty and an
inspiration from the Indian
Architecture.
On
the other hand, the British Imperial Capital did not shift the capital to
expand their territory but due to the
political and commercial reasons.
Table
2 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
 |
Figure 6 SPACES IN MUGHAL CAPITAL CITY AND BRITISH IMPERIAL DELHI |
The
spaces in a Mughal Capital City were built along a riverfront and the defence
system was allocated within the walled
city or the palace complex. Inspired from the Timurid dynasty, a Mughal city consisted of the Mughal Gardens
and were an essential part of the city
development. The bazaars of the Mughal city were in the form of streets
and were an open space.
The
British Imperial Delhi on the other hand had a separate cantonment area or army
base. The British were inspired by the
concept of Char Bagh and modified the layout of the gardens according to their needs. The commercial and
the office hub of the British Imperial Delhi was a defined space and was known as the
Chapter-5
Conclusion
The
Mughal capital city like Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore and Shahjahanabad have
influenced the British Imperial Delhi in
numerous ways. The influence is based on the following factors: -
1. Importance of Axis
The Mughal emperors and the British gave importance to the axis of the city. Axis played a vital role in the city formation. The axis formed in the city were important routes for commuting. The axis in the cities were formed to connect the city to important buildings around the city.
2.
Location of the residential complex
Residential
complex was an important building in the Mughal capital and the British capital city. Residential complex in the
Mughal capital city was the Palace or the Red
Fort and in the British imperial capital was the Viceroy’s house or the
Government house. These complexes were
built in order to house to the supreme body of
governance that the Mughal royal family and the Viceroy of the British
Government. The complexes were located
on the naturally elevated surfaces such as a hill.
3.
Importance of water source
The
source of water was vital in the city development. The source of water in
the Mughal capital city and British
Capital city was the River Yamuna except the city of Lahore ( River Ravi supplied water in the
city of Lahore). The cities were built along
the course of the river. The British revived the course of river Yamuna
as the course had changed over the
period of time.
4.
Garden Layouts
Gardens
were an important part of the Mughal city planning and architecture. The gardens played a vital role in the landscape.
There were gardens designed for the
Royal family within the palace complex and for the general public around
the bazaars and the Sarai. The British were inspired from this concept and
incorporated the same in their city
planning as well.
The
planning process of a Mughal capital city was different from British Capital
city. The difference in planning process
were seen due to the following factors: -
1.
Market space or Commercial Hub
The
Mughal emperors had not designed a specified shape for the bazaars. The bazaars were more informally developed around
the city whereas the commercial hub in
the British Imperial Capital was known as the Connaught Place and was designed in concentric circles. This was a more
defined and formal in nature.
2.
Defence system
The
defence in the Mughal capital city was inside the walled city or the palace
complex whereas in the British Imperial
city, there was a separate area designated for the defence purposes that is the cantonment area.
The military and political power in the
Mughal capital city was exercised from the residential complex and this
was not the same in the British Capital
city. The Mughal emperors wanted to expand their reign in terms of military, economic and political
terms whereas the British rulers wanted to
expand their capital due to business and political reasons.
3.
Public friendly spaces
The
involvement of people in the Mughal capital city was taken care of by
incorporating spaces like Diwan-I-Aam
which is the hall of public audience, public bazaars, public gardens etc. In the British imperial city,
the buildings were designed in order to shift
the political and commercial capital.
List
of References
1.
Liddle, S. (2017) Chandini Chowk : The Mughal City of Old Delhi ( Available
offline and on Kindle)
2.
Liddle, S. (2017) Connaught Place and the making of New Delhi ( Available
offline and on Kindle)
3.
Koch E. (1991) Mughal Architecture ( Available on archive.org Accessed on :
11-09- 2020)
4.
Fanshawe H.C.(1902), Delhi, Past and Present, 1, John Murray, London (
Available on: archive.org Accessed on
10-05-2020 )
5.
Davar S. (2016) The making of Fatehpur Sikri, Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41372237
6.
Buch M ( 2014) Delhi- Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow available at : http://www.jstor.org/stable/23006103 .
7.
Shrivastav S. Shahajahanabad : Locational Factors and Emergence of the
city Available at :
https://www.academia.edu/39423093/Shahjahanabad_Locational_Factors_and_Eme
rgence_of_the_City
8.
Ridley J. (1998) Edward Lutyens ,New Delhi and architecture of imperialism
Annexure
1.
Mughal Capital City
1.1
Sikandara: The tomb of Emperor Akbar
The
tomb is located in the city of Agra and the place was renamed as
Bihishtabad: Paradise Town. This was
done in order to honour the burial of the emperor. The tomb was constructed by the Emperor Jahangir.
The tomb stands in the centre of the
char bagh concept developed around the tomb. The tomb displays a combination of the Timurid inspired vaulted
masonry which was shown by a podium and
the high pishtaqs which were decorated with stone and produced tile work effect with a trabeated sandstone work
represented by receding storeys of the
pillared galleries.
 |
Figure 7 Plan of Sikandra, Agra |
This scheme was incorporated in order to demonstrate the relationship between the residential and sepulchral architecture.
The tomb displays hierarchical use of white marble for the open storey of the tomb and in the minarets.
1.2
Taj Mahal: The tomb of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal
The
tomb is located at the northern end of the main axis of the complex. The tomb
is located on the banks of River Yamuna
and is surrounded by the Mughal Gardens in form of Char Bagh.
The
tomb garden consists of two main components such as a cross axial, four
fold garden. The tomb was constructed on
a raised platform.
The
design of the tomb was based the principles of the Shahjahani architecture
such as geometric planning, symmetry,
hierarchy, uniformity, attention to details, symbolism and selective use of naturalism.
 |
Figure 8 PLAN OF TAJ MAHAL COMPLEX |
The strict use of grid system was done and different modules were used for the gardens, and subsidiary gates to the gardens, the forecourt and the southern gate, the chowk and the southern gate of the bazaar and the Sarai complex. These elements were placed on both sides of the building.
1.3
Palace Complex of the Mughal Emperors
The palace complex of the Mughal Emperors was constructed in the Red Sandstone. The complex was usually situated along a riverfront. The palace had two halls known as the Diwan-i-aam and Diwan-i-Khas. The palace was in the shape of regular parallelogram. There were vaulted halls present at the entrance and a hall opened to the courtyard space. The Rang Mahal or the Painted Hall was also an important hall in the complex which contained bath and apartment spaces.
The
Gardens of the residence were laid out in a formal style and were adorned
with fountains and little pavilions.