About Architecture Of Rajasthan

Architecture of Rajasthan mainly encompasses the Rajput school of architecture which was a blend of the Hindu and the Mughal structural design. Rajasthan is the store house of some of the magnificent forts and palaces of the worlds. The splendid forts, intricately carved temples and ornamented havelis are part of the architectural heritage of Rajasthan. The Rajputs were creative builders and the major architectural creations are positioned in the cities like Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Jaipur. The renowned architectural specimens of Rajasthan include Dilwara Temples, Jantar Mantar, Lake Palace Hotel, Chittorgarh Fort, City Palaces, and Jaisalmer Havelis.

Rajasthan, the largest state in India is renowned for its historical monuments. Rajasthan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Traditionally the Rajputs, Bhils, Jats, Yadavs, Gujjars and other tribes made a great contribution in building the state of Rajasthan. It was formerly known as Rajputana and was a princely state ruled by the Rajputs. Modern Rajasthan comprises a number of Rajput kingdoms, Jat kingdoms and a Mughal kingdom. The forts and palaces of Rajasthan are enriched by Muslim and Jain architecture. The structural design of Rajasthan is basically secular and draws a lot of motivation from the Mughals, while the later day architecture also embraces European interiors.

The prominent Rajput architecture of Rajasthan is the Deeg palace. Deeg Palace is surrounded by wide gardens which are inspired by the garden architecture of the Mughals. The palaces of Jaipur reflect a heavy influence of Islam. The palace is designed in the Islamic style and the spaces have all been given Islamic names for example the Hawa Mahal. The palace is designed along the lines of a traditional Rajasthan mansion, but different from the residential part of Mughal palaces. Chambers for residential, administrative and courtly functions are all contained within these multi-storied walls. The Jantar Mantar of Jaipur is an awe inspiring architectural monument.It has been built on the basis of the requirements of natural sciences and as a result has given a unique architectural marvel that is more at home in the modern era. On the northern outskirts of Jaipur there are the Royal Tombs including that of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. Because of the Islamic influence, various Rajputs started building tombs, but since they were Hindus, they are all empty cenotaphs. The open umbrella type tombs are the specialty of this architecture.

Islamic influence in the architecture of Rajasthan is most prominent in the city of Ajmer. The important monuments of this city are the Dargah Sharif of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti which consists of a number of white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a huge gate donated by the Nizam of Hyderabad, a mosque given by Shah Jahan and the Akbari mosque. Hindu architecture can be witnessed in Pushkar where there are several Ghats and temples. The outstanding temples standing in an array, with their touches of the Islamic architectural style, are richly different in style.

During the British era, Rajputs became the vassals of the British and brought British influences into architecture, too. It is quite common to see buildings designed by British architects in Jaipur. The Rambag Palace for example, which is now a high class hotel is built in the Indo- Saracenic style. The Balsamad Lake palace of Jodhpur built in the 19th century is a summer palace built in the European style, with a garden in the Mughal style, facing a man-made lake.

Architecture of Rajasthan is a magnanimous array of Hindu, Islamic and colonial architecture. The rich architectural heritage of Rajasthan makes it one of the major tourist attractions of India.

Architecture of Rajasthan During Shah Jahan

The Mughal Empire inherited by Shah Jahan was, by early modern standards a stable one; however, unlike his father, Jahangir, Shah Jahan was interested in territorial expansion in an overzealous manner. As such, keeping aside the territorial incorporation and conquest, Shah Jahan was quite passionate and fervent with upholding the Mughal architectural status and prominence during his remaining lifetime. The result of which came about that the baadshah began looking towards various directions besides Delhi and Agra. As such, western India, with the eminence of Rajasthan began to come to proper surface area and illumination. Architecture of Rajasthan during Shah Jahan had begun to unfold its spearing wings, in spite of the already constructed Rajput edifices amidst desert lands. Rajasthan`s architecture under Shah Jahan, quite unlike Hindu structuring, was primarily dissimilar in attempts, being essentially Islamic and Persian in influence and vision.

However, architecture of Rajasthan under Shah Jahan was not free form troubles and qualms. Indeed, the prolonged reign of peace since the times of Akbar in the Mughal ruling, was gradually beginning to give way to incursions and weakened forms of trust amongst the royal household itself. However, Shah Jahan`s godlike and unprecedented prowess in consolidating his home as well as his country, was perhaps only matched by his constructions of continuous edifices all through the major portions of the country, some of which was patronaged and championed by him from behind. Hence, internal rebellions, largely headed by vassal chieftains who wished to assert their independence from the Mughal Empire, also disrupted, but could not debilitate Shah Jahan`s empire. Among the rebels was the successor of Bir Singh Deo, the raja of Bundelkhand. He was adequately a subversive, so much so that Prince Aurangzeb was forced to intervene. Aurangzeb wrote to his father about the palaces of Datia and Orchha, built during Akbar`s and Jahangir`s reign and inspired him to visit them. En route, Shah Jahan stopped at Bari, a hunting resort that he came to love and there had constructed a palace.

Indeed, architecture of Rajasthan during Shah Jahan, following in the line of his regal predecessors, was verily in-line with Indo-Islamic architecture, slightly influenced by Timurid and Persian influence. Shah Jahan already was a declared master of architectural brilliance and genius. As such, Rajasthan and its architecture was begun firstly from the Chisthi city if Ajmer. In Ajmer during earlier Mughal reigns, building activity was largely concentrated within the dargah of Muin ud-Din Chishti or in its vicinity. It is known that, during Shah Jahan`s reign, only the emperor and his family provided buildings within the shrine. On the other hand, structures erected in close proximity, was provided by the religious or courtly elite, emulating the imperially patronised buildings.

Architecture of Rajasthan during Shah Jahan from the prime of Mughal times, however could not only terminate in Khwaja Salim Chisthi`s dargah itself; much more did lie in store for admirers to admire and for the faithful to pray. As such, Shah Jahan`s patronising to the royals, has had an intense effect upon an architecturally manicured Rajasthan and its exquisite mosques. Two mosques were hence erected during Shah Jahan`s reign on the main street leading to the Salim Chisthi`s dargah`s entrance in Ajmer. Each was built by a woman - one the daughter of a renowned musician and the other by Miyan Bai, to whom Jahan Ara (the most prized and eldest daughter to Shah Jahan) had given a garden in Lahore. The more impressive though is Miyan Bai`s mosque, constructed in 1643-44 and closely modelled on Shah Jahan`s mosque, completed approximately four years earlier within the nearby illustrious cousin shrine. Five entrance arches supported on slender piers, almost identical in appearance to those on the nearby imperial mosque, form the east facade of Miyan Bai`s mosque; the central mihrab closely relates to those on Shah Jahan`s larger mosque.

Architecture of Rajasthan during Shah Jahan, as had been concentrated in Ajmer, was unique and debonaire from every angle, as his supported nobles or sub-nobles, would never dare to disrespect their royal patronaging and respect. Noted amongst such patronaged acts, was the house of Muin ud-Din Chisthi himself. Muin ud-Din`s house of meditation (chilla khana), where the saint had resided until his expiry, was also a site of veneration. Located on a hill overlooking the Ana Sagar tank, this small dwelling was restored in 1628 by Daulat Khan, the revenue collector under Mahabat Khan, one of Shah Jahan`s very highest-ranking nobles. The chilla khana`s inscription suggests that Daulat Khan had rebuilt it as a thanksgiving for the advancement he had obtained when Mahabat Khan was appointed governor of Ajmer and lent the new title Khan-i Khanan. It has been restored so frequently that its 17th century appearance cannot be determined indeed in contemporary times.

Notable also in Rajasthan`s architecture in times of Shah Jahan was the smooth passageway between the zealous Hindu Rajputs and the Islam fervent Mughal court, perfectly mirrored over and over in Muslim builds. This was thus a period when the relationship between Rajput princes and the Mughal court was generally harmonious. For instance, the patrons of an Idgah, built between December 1655 and January 1656 in Merta (Nagaur District), state that they had benefited from the kindness of the Marwar maharaja, Jaswant Singh. These patrons, Farahat Khan and Misri, son of Bahadur Khan, were probably also Mughal agents. Their Idgah reflects an interaction of Mughal and Rajput forms.

Rajasthan`s bounteous architecture during Shah Jahan indeed could not that much impress upon the Hindu-dominated households, verily courting dark messages all through and also standing unsuccessful at times in terms of `Mughal` price and honour. Not everything erected during Mughal times, even some works constructed in response to imperial order, reflects recent building trends. For instance, the Kachehri mosque in Didwana (Nagaur District), built in 1638 by Muhammad Sharif Quraishi following royal command, reveals no awareness of contemporary trends elsewhere. In plan, this structure consists of three aisles of seven bays each. Slender faceted, but wholly unembellished pillars, similar to those on Jahangiri-period structures, support a flat roof. Generally the mosque`s plan and overall appearance adhere to earlier regional types such as Nagaur`s Sur-period Chowk-ki Masjid dated 1553.

Architecture of Rajasthan During Later Mughals

During the Mughal reign, India had witnessed its most flourishing, most thriving, most generous, most well-judged, most supreme, most stupendous and most magnificent a time, which could never have been replaced and refurbished under the later Mughals. Architectural enormity and stupefying gravity-defying structures and edifices, was authentically the insignia of the earlier, establishing Mughals, which stood in huge opposition as the later Mughals arrived onto the ruling scenario. Indeed, each day brought in a fresh worry for these Mughals, who had to consolidate and apply intelligence to their gigantic Empire, a primary reason which had set them back from grounding any memorable structures, which can be reminisced and admired to this day. Besides Agra and Delhi, the later Mughals had to worry a lot about strengthening the peripheries of other princely regions, which always had to remain in wary of Persian invasions from Nadir Shah. As such places like Rajasthan, serving as a decisive border to Turkey or Persia was given attention, both in terms of architecture as well as the governmental ruling. Thus, in a rather tangential manner, architecture of Rajasthan during the later Mughals demanded attention and time, which still can be witnessed in the current Indian scenario. However, a not much uncommon point that can be shared is that, just like with any other Mughal constructive endeavour to architecture, Rajasthan`s architecture under later Mughals also focussed some parts onto the Jami mosques, acknowledged as Jama masjids in several parts of India.

For generations the Mughals had patronised the dargah of Khwaja Muin ud-Din Chishti in Ajmer, but due to political difficulties by the beginning of the 18th century it was left neglected. And, not much later, the later Mughals lost Ajmer to Hindu authorities, who held it until 1818, when the British had taken absolute control. All the same, the importance of Ajmer`s Chishti shrines attracted support from Hindus and Muslims alike. Moreover Mughal authority had remained symbolically significant. For instance, in fulfillment of a vow made during an illness, Alf Jah, the nawab of Karnataka, had constructed a white marble pavilion at the dargah of Muin ud-Din in 1793. Indeed, architecture of Rajasthan under later Mughals was very much dependant and sort of a variable, which was directly proportional to a ruler`s prowess upon consolidating an empire. Such was very much visible with the Chishti dargah in Ajmer - a perfect amalgamation of religious construction, which had elevated Rajasthan`s construction somewhat under the later Mughals. The flat-roofed rectangular pavilion by Alf Jah, had been largely modelled on Shah Jahan`s Jami mosque in the dargah, including even details such as the inscription inlaid in black marble lettering. The inscription evokes the Mughal emperor`s name, even though he had no political authority in Ajmer, reflecting his continuing role as a figure-head of Indian Persianate culture.

Muin ud-Din is known to have inspired patronage even outside the dargah. Architecture of Rajasthan during the later Mughals had very much pivoted around the dargah of Muin ud-Din Chisthi and an endeavour to strive towards further excellence, leaving the earlier Mughals behind. A huge Idgah was constructed some distance from the shrine to honour the saint according to the inscription embedded in its qibla wall. Only on the city outskirts was there adequate open space for this large structure. It was provided in 1773-74 by Nawab Mirza Chaman Beg, the governor of Malwa under the Sindhia rajas, then the masters of Ajmer. An impressive interpretation of a bangala-inspired roof forms the upper portion of this vast wall mosque`s upper central bay. Beneath this curved form is a pavilion depicted in stucco relief that resembles Shah Jahan`s balcony from which he used to present himself to the public. Subsequent variations on this pavilion type were utilised frequently in the palace architecture of the Rajasthan princes, but in all cases this pavilion-type maintained a royal or religious connotation. Its use here serves as a reference to Muin ud-Din, who in the Idgah`s inscription is referred to as "king of the dominion."

Leaving behind the dargah construction, regarded an integral portion of architecture of Rajasthan during the later Mughals, other elements were also taken into concentrated notice. Although not as pompous or superlative as their predecessors, later Mughals and their architectural competency in Rajasthan deserves to be mentioned in Indian historical annals. As a result, tombs constructed earlier in Ajmer, were continued to be embellished during the later Mughal architectural improvement in the desert state of Rajasthan. Abd Allah Khan, father of the king-maker Sayyid brothers who were so very prominent during the first half of the 18th century, had constructed a garden, mosque and tomb for his wife in Ajmer at the end of Aurangzeb`s reign. Abd Allah Khan`s own tomb was appended to this garden complex in 1710 by his son, Sayyid Husain Ali Khan. Five years later, in 1715, Sayyid Husain Ali Khan added an enormous arched entrance to the compound. The tomb is loosely modelled in plan and elevation on the Aurangzeb-period Sola Khamba, or tomb of Shaikh Ala ud-Din, just outside the dargah of Muin ud-Din Chishti. A dome and four corner chattris, however, surmount the roof of Abd Allah Khan`s tomb, while the roof of the earlier tomb is flat. On Abd Allah`s tomb, the cusping of the arches is tighter, less exaggerated and the supporting pillars are rather less ornate. While architecture under the later Mughals in Rajasthan is generally considered a more exaggerated version of earlier Mughal material, here is one of several instances where the opposite pertains indeed.

Construction and architecture in the city areas of Rajasthan during later Mughal rule continued as well, the most notable instance being the mosque of Mir Saadat Ali, in contemporary times situated across from the railway station. This two-storeyed mosque, dated 1852-53, when Ajmer was part of the British-governed Rajputana Agency, is built in an 18th century Mughal stylistic expression with cusped arches and delicate stucco work. Its inscription, like that on its more experimental counterpart in Delhi, is also composed by the legendary and esteemed Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib.

While most cities grew indiscriminately and in a haphazard manner within and outside their confines, Jaipur, founded in 1727, was completely planned. Sawai Jai Singh (1688-1743), a remarkable statesman and head of the Kachhwaha house, had built it on the plain below Amber (now the illustrious and gigantic Amber Fort, on the outskirts of the capital city of Jaipur), this house`s older capital. The layout of Sawai Jai Singh`s new capital was praised widely in contemporary sources. Based on ancient Hindu texts, the resulting walled city, with broad regular streets dividing it into quadrants in a grid-like pattern, is indeed far more organised than the Mughal city of Shahjahanabad. Sawai Jai Singh`s interest in astronomy as indicated by his observatories also had made an imprint on the city`s plan. The necessity of Hindu and princely state rulers to have manicured places like Rajasthan and its architecture, was a kind of advantage or boon to the later Mughals, otherwise to which they could never have grounded such massive constructions in far off places from Agra or Delhi. As such, architecture of Rajasthan during later Mughals in places like Jaipur demanded a unified attention of both Islamic as well as Hindu architectural dexterity.

The focal point of Jaipur city is, however, the palace. The palace is designed along the lines of a traditional Rajasthan mansion, but different from the residential part of Mughal palaces. Chambers for residential, administrative and courtly functions are all contained within these multi-storied walls. Even more graceful than Mughal palaces, this Jaipur palace bears a unique `light appearance`. This was achieved through the use of numerous cusped arches on slender columns, screens containing very delicate carving and many pillared pavilions with curved roofs surmounting the roofline. These features underline the sense of height and also give birth to a graceful skyline. Indeed, architecture of Rajasthan during and under the later Mughals, as can be deduced, was very much dependant upon and assisted by the Rajasthani Hindu royal household, just as in the likes of benevolent men like Sawai Jai Singh or Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh.

Much of the city of Jaipur and its uniformly designed buildings were constructed under Sawai Jai Singh, but his successors continued to build there as well. In 1799, Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh had constructed the illustrious and gargantuan Hawa Mahal. This residential building, constructed to take advantage of the cooling breezes, was dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Krishna and his consort, Radha. Its six stories of clustered, articulated and projecting oriel windows, all surmounted by curved roofs, ornately resemble a honeycomb. The building`s top floor reflects each of the smaller roofs. This in essence utilises traditional Indian building concepts of reduplication of forms, yet maintains the characteristic late 18th century height, grace and lightness. Indeed, as a conclusive remark, it can be stated that architecture of Rajasthan during the later Mughals was not much of `Mughal-ish` contribution, but much under the patronage of Hindu rulers in the form of kingdoms. And these very architectures, demanding tremendous attention, is still in vogue in terms of admiration and wonder, irrespective of Mughal or Hindu resultants.