21AR210 – ARCHITECTURAL
PRINCIPLES – INDIAN
ARCHITECTURE
“UNIT II – INTRODUCTION TO MUGHAL
ARCHITECTURE”
The kinesthetic experience of architecture is manifested in our ability to
move and comprehend three-dimensionally. Understanding space is the act of
moving, and architecture design is an act of choreographing the human body
through spatial constructs.
CONFLICTS WERE EXPRESSED MOST ELOQUENTLY IN THE RESPECTIVE PLACES OF WORSHIP
The temple was mysterious, elusive , and The mosque was wholly intelligible – open,
complex – a dark sanctum with functional and devoid of imagery, wall
iconography and images and focused on a surfaces broken up by vividly painted and
central shrine. glazed surfaces , enriched with decorative
Indian tradition based on trabeated style calligraphy.
of architecture The muslims employed arcuated styles.
Indians built with stone masonry. They brought mortar masonry , which
offered greater versatility.
Islamic architecture gains its origins when the Muslims began to build in
conquered lands
Byzantium
Greece
Egypt
Middle East
The most common types of
Islamic public buildings
Mosques
Madresahs
Mausoleums
• Dome—a circular roof, usually hemispherical in form, placed over a circular, square, oblong, or
polygonal space.
• Pendentives — Byzantine builders were the first to discover the proper handling of the device
essential to placing a dome over a square compartment during the construction of the Hagia
Sophia at Constantinople (A.D. 532–37).
• Under Byzantine influence the Muslims adopted the use of the dome; one of their first important
monuments is the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. They often used the so-called Persian or
onion dome. The most celebrated example is the Taj Mahal (A.D. 1630) at Agra, India.
Islamic architecture shares many A particular characteristic is Characteristic
forms and structural concerns with the architectural decoration elements of
Byzantine, Medieval, and Independent of structure Mughal
Renaissance architecture Intricate patterns completely cover Buildings
exteriors and interiors jharokha
Islamic architectural characteristics
Domes of various shapes
Large interior spaces Chhatri
Arch forms in the shape of a
Domes and ceilings
horseshoe are uniquely Islamic Chhajja
Arches and columns
Walls and vaults Jali
Wall-like facades Guldasta
Charbagh
• The concept of Allah's infinite power is evoked by designs with repeating themes.
• Human and animal forms are rarely depicted in decorative art as Allah's work is
matchless.
• Calligraphy is used to enhance the interior of a building by providing quotations
from the Qur'an.
• Islamic architecture focuses on the beauty of the interior rather than exterior
spaces.
• Use of impressive forms such as large domes, towering minarets, and large
courtyards are intended to convey power.
A jharokha (or jharoka)
The Jharokha is a stone
window projecting from
the wall face of a building,
in an upper story,
overlooking a street,
market, court or any other
open space.
A chhatri is a small domed
pavilion used as an element in
Indian architecture, especially
Mughal architecture.
The term can also refer to
funerary sites in India which
have such structures built over
them.
Chhajja is the term for projecting eaves or
cover usually supported on large carved
brackets, as used in Indian architecture
(especially Mughal).
In Rajasthan it is particulary essential and
is larger in dimension.
More than providing shade they also act as
heat sinks for the buildings in the hot
region of Rajasthan.
A jaali is the term for a
perforated stone screen,
usually with an ornamental
pattern, as used in Indian
architecture.
Charbagh is a Persian-style
garden layout. The
quadrilateral garden is
divided by walkways into four
smaller parts.
In Persian, "Chār" means 'four'
and "bāgh" means 'garden'
