DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27192#0332
Chap. X.
MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE.
293
feature around this court is indeed of pure Hindu architecture.
No arches appear anywhere, but the horizontal style of con-
struction everywhere. The ornamentation, too, which is carved
on all the flat surfaces, is of a class used by Akbar, but not
found in the buildings of others. Indeed, throughout this
palace arches are used so sparingly, and Hindu forms and
Hindu construction prevail to such an extent, that it would
hardly be out of place at Chitor or Gwaliar, though it still
bears that impress of vigour and originality that he and he
only knew how to impress on all his works.1
It is, however, at Fathpur-Sikri, 22-| miles south-west from
Agra, that Akbar must be judged of as a builder. During the
whole of his reign it was his favourite residence. He apparently
was the first to occupy the spot, and apparently the last, at
least, to build there, no single building being identified as
having been erected by any of his successors.
Akbar seems to have had no settled plan when he com-
menced building there. The original part of the building seems
to be the Mahall-i-Khass, a block of building measuring about
270 ft. by 390 ft. and therefore of larger dimensions than the
Red Palace in the fort of Agra. It has two large courtyards,
however, and the buildings that surround it are very inferior in
richness of design and ornamentation. This, however, is far
more than compensated for by the courts and pavilions that
he added from time to time. There is the Diwan-i-Khass, or
private audience-room, a square building with a throne con-
sisting of an enormous flower-like bracket, supported on a
richly-carved pillar;2 a peristylar building, called his office
(Daftar-Khana), very similar to one he erected at Allahabad,
to be mentioned hereafter; a five-storeyed open pavilion, all the
pillars of which are most richly carved; and long colonnades and
walls connecting these with one another. The richest, the most
beautiful, as well as the most characteristic of all his buildings
here are three small pavilions, said to have been erected to
please and accommodate his three favourite sultanas: hence
called Birbal’s daughter’s Mahall;3 Maryam-zamani’s House,
appropriated to the daughter of Raja Bihari Mall and mother
of Jahangir, which was known as Sonahla Makan or “Golden
House” as having been entirely gilt; and the palace of the Rumi
or Turkish Sultana — Akbar’s first wife — Sultana Ruqayyah
Begam, a daughter of Mirza Hindal, the emperor’s uncle : it is
1 There is a plan of this palace, in
General Cunningham’s ‘ Reports,’ vol.
iv., plate 13.
2 A cast of this throne is in the South
Kensington Museum.
3 Birbal was a favourite wit and court
bard, but no mention is found of his
having a daughter, and the house is usually
spoken of simply as Birbal’s palace.
MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE.
293
feature around this court is indeed of pure Hindu architecture.
No arches appear anywhere, but the horizontal style of con-
struction everywhere. The ornamentation, too, which is carved
on all the flat surfaces, is of a class used by Akbar, but not
found in the buildings of others. Indeed, throughout this
palace arches are used so sparingly, and Hindu forms and
Hindu construction prevail to such an extent, that it would
hardly be out of place at Chitor or Gwaliar, though it still
bears that impress of vigour and originality that he and he
only knew how to impress on all his works.1
It is, however, at Fathpur-Sikri, 22-| miles south-west from
Agra, that Akbar must be judged of as a builder. During the
whole of his reign it was his favourite residence. He apparently
was the first to occupy the spot, and apparently the last, at
least, to build there, no single building being identified as
having been erected by any of his successors.
Akbar seems to have had no settled plan when he com-
menced building there. The original part of the building seems
to be the Mahall-i-Khass, a block of building measuring about
270 ft. by 390 ft. and therefore of larger dimensions than the
Red Palace in the fort of Agra. It has two large courtyards,
however, and the buildings that surround it are very inferior in
richness of design and ornamentation. This, however, is far
more than compensated for by the courts and pavilions that
he added from time to time. There is the Diwan-i-Khass, or
private audience-room, a square building with a throne con-
sisting of an enormous flower-like bracket, supported on a
richly-carved pillar;2 a peristylar building, called his office
(Daftar-Khana), very similar to one he erected at Allahabad,
to be mentioned hereafter; a five-storeyed open pavilion, all the
pillars of which are most richly carved; and long colonnades and
walls connecting these with one another. The richest, the most
beautiful, as well as the most characteristic of all his buildings
here are three small pavilions, said to have been erected to
please and accommodate his three favourite sultanas: hence
called Birbal’s daughter’s Mahall;3 Maryam-zamani’s House,
appropriated to the daughter of Raja Bihari Mall and mother
of Jahangir, which was known as Sonahla Makan or “Golden
House” as having been entirely gilt; and the palace of the Rumi
or Turkish Sultana — Akbar’s first wife — Sultana Ruqayyah
Begam, a daughter of Mirza Hindal, the emperor’s uncle : it is
1 There is a plan of this palace, in
General Cunningham’s ‘ Reports,’ vol.
iv., plate 13.
2 A cast of this throne is in the South
Kensington Museum.
3 Birbal was a favourite wit and court
bard, but no mention is found of his
having a daughter, and the house is usually
spoken of simply as Birbal’s palace.