Mughal Garden
Mughal Garden
Mughal Garden
INTRODUCTION
Mughal gardens are a group of gardens built by the Mughals in the Islamic style of architecture.
This style was heavily influenced by the Persian gardens particularly the Charbagh structure. The founder of the Mughal empire, Babur, described his favourite type of garden as a charbagh. Hamida Banu Begum, the principal widow of Emperor Humayun, ordered a garden to be laid around the tomb of the late emperor.
CONCEPT
The circle represents perfection and so is sacred to Allah, therefore, circles and spheres are absent from islamic garden. Pools and tanks were square (representative of human existence as nourished by the four rivers of life) or octagonal (eight representing the combination of the divine perfection of the circle and the square of human life). The numbers eight and nine were considered auspicious by the Mughals and can be found in the number of terraces or in garden architecture such as octagonal pools.
LANDSCAPE FEATURES
The Muslim rulers tried to create manmade reflections of the Paradise on earth.
The plants for these gardens were chosen with a view to keeping alive the idea of eternity. SHADY AND FRUIT TREES
The trees in the Mughal gardens were generally planted to emphasize the general lines of the gardens. SHADY AND FRUIT TREES
The dark cypress trees were usually planted to give the essence of death and life. SHADY AND FRUIT TREES
Flowering fruit trees represented renewal, a symbol of youth and life, portraying a cycle of life. SHADY AND FRUIT TREES
The pavilion includes a number of fountains, shaded trees and innumerable varieties of flowers that blossom in spring and autumn. C O O L PA V I L I O N S
Streams were diverted to the gardens to provide continuous running water. FLOWING STREAMS
Flowers were mostly planted parallel to principal water channels and also bordering the smaller subdivisions of chahar bagh. FLOWERS
Mughal flowers were spring flowers, lilles, tulips, poppies, anemones, cyclamen, iris and violets. FLOWERS
During summer, peonies, jasmine, carnations, roses, delphiniums and hollyhocks were also included. FLOWERS
LANDSCAPE PRINCIPLES
Monotony was the special danger of the mughal as of other classic styles, was clearly recognised by its designers. REPITITION