DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27192#0209
176
CIVIL ARCHITECTURE.
Book VI-
1527.1 His successor, Vikrama Shahi, added another palace, of
even greater extent, to this one in 1518;2 and Jahangir and
Shah Jahan added palaces to these two, the whole making up
a group of edifices unequalled for picturesqueness and interest
by anything of their class that exists in Central India (Plate
XXVIII.).3 Among the apartments in the palace was one
called the Baradari, supported on twelve columns, and 45 ft.
square, with a stone roof, which was one of the most beautiful
apartments of its class anywhere to be found. It was, besides,
singularly interesting from the expedients to which the Hindu
architect was forced to resort to imitate the vaults of the
Moslims. They had not then learned to copy them, as they
did at the end of that century, at Brindaban and elsewhere,
under the guidance of the tolerant Akbar.
Of these buildings, which so excited the admiration of
the Emperor Babar, probably little now remains. The Moslims
added to the palaces of the Hindus and spared the temples
and the statues of the Jains ; we have ruthlessly set to work to
destroy whatever interferes with our convenience, and during
the few years we occupied the fort, probably did more to
disfigure its beauties, and obliterate its memories, than was
caused by the Moslims during the centuries they possessed
or occupied it. Better things were at one time hoped for,
but the fact seems to be that subordinates and contractors
are allowed to do as they please, and if they can save them-
selves trouble, there is nothing in India that can escape the
effect of their unsympathising ignorance.
Amber.
The palace at Amber, the original capital of the Jaypur
State, ranks next after that of Gwaliar as an architectural
1 Erskine’s ‘ Memoirs of Baber,’ p.
3§4-
a Cunningham’s 4 Archseological Re-
ports,’ vol. ii. pp. 346 et seqq., plates 87
and 88.
3 We occupied the fort during the
mutiny, and retained it long after. The
first thing done was to occupy the
Baradari as a mess-room ; to fit up
portions of the palace for military occupa-
tion ; then to build a range of barracks,
and clear away a lot of antiquarian
remains to make a parade ground. What
all this means is only too easily under-
stood. M. Rousselet — no unfriendly
critic—observes: — 44 Les Anglais sont
tres-activement occupes a simplifier la
besogne de 1’archeologue, et a faire
disparaitre ce precieux document de
l’histoire de l’lnde. Deja toutes les con-
structions a la gauche de la porte de
Test sont livrees a la pioche, et le
meme sort est reserve au reste ” (‘ L’lnde
des Rajahs,’ p. 362). And, again:
“Mais, helas! l’Ourwahai lui aussi a
vecu. Quand j’y revins en decembre,
1867, les arbres etaient coupes, les
statues volaient en eclats, sous les pics
des travailleurs, et le ravin se remplissait
des talus d’une nouvelle route construite
par les Anglais : talus dans lesquels
dorment les palais des Chandelas et des
Touars, les idoles des Bouddhistes et des
Jainas.”—Loc. cit. p. 366.
CIVIL ARCHITECTURE.
Book VI-
1527.1 His successor, Vikrama Shahi, added another palace, of
even greater extent, to this one in 1518;2 and Jahangir and
Shah Jahan added palaces to these two, the whole making up
a group of edifices unequalled for picturesqueness and interest
by anything of their class that exists in Central India (Plate
XXVIII.).3 Among the apartments in the palace was one
called the Baradari, supported on twelve columns, and 45 ft.
square, with a stone roof, which was one of the most beautiful
apartments of its class anywhere to be found. It was, besides,
singularly interesting from the expedients to which the Hindu
architect was forced to resort to imitate the vaults of the
Moslims. They had not then learned to copy them, as they
did at the end of that century, at Brindaban and elsewhere,
under the guidance of the tolerant Akbar.
Of these buildings, which so excited the admiration of
the Emperor Babar, probably little now remains. The Moslims
added to the palaces of the Hindus and spared the temples
and the statues of the Jains ; we have ruthlessly set to work to
destroy whatever interferes with our convenience, and during
the few years we occupied the fort, probably did more to
disfigure its beauties, and obliterate its memories, than was
caused by the Moslims during the centuries they possessed
or occupied it. Better things were at one time hoped for,
but the fact seems to be that subordinates and contractors
are allowed to do as they please, and if they can save them-
selves trouble, there is nothing in India that can escape the
effect of their unsympathising ignorance.
Amber.
The palace at Amber, the original capital of the Jaypur
State, ranks next after that of Gwaliar as an architectural
1 Erskine’s ‘ Memoirs of Baber,’ p.
3§4-
a Cunningham’s 4 Archseological Re-
ports,’ vol. ii. pp. 346 et seqq., plates 87
and 88.
3 We occupied the fort during the
mutiny, and retained it long after. The
first thing done was to occupy the
Baradari as a mess-room ; to fit up
portions of the palace for military occupa-
tion ; then to build a range of barracks,
and clear away a lot of antiquarian
remains to make a parade ground. What
all this means is only too easily under-
stood. M. Rousselet — no unfriendly
critic—observes: — 44 Les Anglais sont
tres-activement occupes a simplifier la
besogne de 1’archeologue, et a faire
disparaitre ce precieux document de
l’histoire de l’lnde. Deja toutes les con-
structions a la gauche de la porte de
Test sont livrees a la pioche, et le
meme sort est reserve au reste ” (‘ L’lnde
des Rajahs,’ p. 362). And, again:
“Mais, helas! l’Ourwahai lui aussi a
vecu. Quand j’y revins en decembre,
1867, les arbres etaient coupes, les
statues volaient en eclats, sous les pics
des travailleurs, et le ravin se remplissait
des talus d’une nouvelle route construite
par les Anglais : talus dans lesquels
dorment les palais des Chandelas et des
Touars, les idoles des Bouddhistes et des
Jainas.”—Loc. cit. p. 366.