Answer: Kings built temples to show their devotion to God and their power and wealth. King Rajarajeshvara built the Rajarajeshvara temple for the worship of his god, Rajarajeshvaram. Here, the names of the king and the god appear to be similar. The king took the god’s name because it was auspicious and he wanted to appear …
Compare the reasons why temples were built and destroyed? Read More »
Shah Jahan constructed a new city namely Shahjahanabad in Delhi. In this city, the imperial palace commanded the river-front. Only especially favoured nobles like his oldest son Dara Shukoh were given access to the river. All others had to construct their homes in the city away from the River Yamuna.
The Taj Mahal is the grandest architectural accomplishment of Shah Jahan’s reign. He adapted the river-front garden in its layout. Here, the white marble mansoleum was placed on a terrace by the edge of the river and the garden was to its south. Shah Jahan developed this architectural form as a means to control the …
Describe how Shah Jahan adapted the riverfront garden in the layout of the Teg Mahal. Read More »
Mughal rulers were skilled in adapting regional architectural styles in the construction of their buildings.For example:In Bengal, the local rulers had developed a roof that was designed to resemble a thatched hut. The Mughals liked this ‘Bangla dome’ and used it their architecture. In Akbar’s capital at Fatehpur Sikri, many of the buildings show the …
The Qutb Minar is five storeys high. The first floor was constructed by Qutbuddin Aybak and the rest by Iltutmish around 1229. Over the years it was damaged by lightning and earthquakes and repaired by Alauddin Khalji, Muhammad Tughluq, Firuz Shah Tughluq, and Ibrahim Lodi.
Shah Jahan’s audience halls were specially constructed to resemble a mosque.The pedestal on which his throne was placed was frequently described as the qibla, the direction faced by Muslims at prayer, since everybody faced that direction when court was in session. The idea of the king as a representative of God on earth was suggested …
Humayun’s tomb was, built between 1562 and 1571. Its main features are: The central towering dome and the tall gateway known as pishtaqbecame important aspects of Mughal architecture. This tomb architecture was first visible in Humayun’s tomb. The tomb was placed in the centre of a huge formal Chahar baghand built in the tradition known …
When was Humayun’s tomb built? What are its special features? Read More »
The Mughal emperors were very much interested in literature, art, and architecture. Babur, in his autobiography, described his interest in planning and laying out formal gardens, placed within rectangular walled enclosures, and divided into four quarters by artificial channels. These gardens were called Chahar bagh, four gardens, because of their symmetrical division into quarters. Beginning …
Write a brief note on the Chahar bagh built by the Mughal rulers. Read More »
King Rajendra I looted the temples of the defeated rulers and seized prized statues from them. He these statues in the decoration of the Shiva temple, that he built in his capital in the early 11th century.Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni was a contemporary of Rajendra I. He destroyed and looted the temples of defeated kings …
The Raj raj Ishvara temple was built in the early 11th century. It had the tallest shikhara amongst temples of its time. Its construction was a very difficult task. There were no cranes in those days. The 90 tonne stone for the top of the shikhara was too heavy to lift manually. Hence, the architects …
