Tag: architecture as power: forts and sacred places

The ceremonial halls of public and private audience were referred to as the diwan-i-khas and the diwan-i-aam respectfully. 
The proportions of this hall, of its columns, and of the engraved arches show high aesthetics and fine craftsmanship. With an impressive faade of nine engraved arch openings, the hall was ornamented with gilded and white shell lime chunam plasterwork.
These courts were also described as chihil sutun or forty-pillared halls, placed within a large courtyard.

Akbar's architects turned to the tombs of his Central Asian ancestor, Timur. The central towering dome and the tall gateway (pishtaq) became important aspects of Mughal architecture, first visible in Humayun's tomb. The tomb was placed in the centre of a huge formal Chahar Bagh and built in the tradition known as eight paradises or hasht bihisht a central hall surrounded by eight rooms. The building was constructed with red sandstone, edged with white marble.

The ceremonial hall private audience was referred to as the diwan-i-khaas. It was the hall in the Red Fort of Delhi where the Mughal emperor received courtiers and state guests. It was also known as the Shah Mahal.

The ceiling was originally inlaid with silver and gold but was stripped bare by successive financial crises of the empire by the Jats or Marathas.

Through the centre of the hall flowed the Stream of Paradise (Nahar-i-Bihish). The building used to have red awnings, or shamianas. Over the corner-arches of the northern and southern walls below the cornice is inscribed the verse of Amir Khusrou: "If there be a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this."

Charbagh or Chahar Bagh is a Persian and Islamic quadrilateral garden layout based on the four gardens of Paradise mentioned in the Quran. The quadrilateral garden is divided by walkways or flowing water into four smaller parts. In Persian, "Chahar" means four, which corresponds to "Char", which means four in Urdu, while "bagh" means 'garden' in both Persian and Urdu.
Shah Jahan adapted the river-front garden in the layout of the Taj Mahal, the grandest architectural accomplishment of his reign. Here, the white marble mausoleum was placed on a terrace by the edge of the river and the garden was to its south. 

The Elephant Stable in Hampi displays an Indo-Islamic style of architecture.
This is one of the few structures that have not suffered much damage during the attack of Mughals on Hampi.