Short Notes for MHI-10 – Question 10
i) Gardens in Mughal Cities
Mughal gardens, known as charbaghs, were an integral part of urban planning in Mughal India. More than mere green spaces, these gardens were symbolic of imperial authority, Persian aesthetic ideals, and Islamic cosmology. The Mughals, especially emperors like Babur, Humayun, and Shah Jahan, developed extensive gardens in cities such as Delhi, Agra, and Lahore, blending utility with symbolism.
The gardens typically followed the Persian quadrilateral design, dividing space into four parts with intersecting water channels, representing the Quranic image of paradise. These gardens often featured pavilions, fountains, and terraces, combining architecture with nature. They were laid along riverbanks or near royal palaces, offering a space for leisure, diplomacy, and public display of power.
In urban centers, Mughal gardens provided a retreat from the dense city life and symbolized harmony, order, and divine legitimacy. They were used for imperial gatherings, poetry recitations, and diplomatic negotiations. Gardens like the Shalimar Bagh in Lahore and Mehtab Bagh in Agra exemplify this blend of aesthetics, functionality, and power.
Thus, Mughal gardens were not just horticultural achievements but integral to the spatial and cultural fabric of Mughal urbanism.
ii) The City as the Site of Spectacle
In medieval and early modern India, cities served as sites for public spectacle, where the power and prestige of rulers were performed and visualized. Urban centers like Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, and Vijayanagara became stages for political theatre through architectural grandeur, royal processions, public ceremonies, and festivals.
Spectacles served multiple purposes: they legitimized rule, reinforced social hierarchy, and emotionally engaged the urban populace. Imperial durbars, coronations, victory parades, and religious festivals were all carefully orchestrated public events. For example, Akbar’s jharokha darshan (daily public appearance) created a sense of divine kingship, while Jahangir and Shah Jahan used court paintings and architecture to amplify imperial magnificence.
Markets, mosques, and processional routes were important sites of spectacle. The architecture itself—minarets, palaces, city gates—was designed to awe. In colonial times, British authorities adopted this tradition, staging their own parades, durbars, and public projects to assert control and legitimacy.
Thus, the city was not just a site of habitation or commerce but a carefully curated stage where the rulers displayed their power, aesthetics, and ideology in public space.