Islamic Gardens Sakshi

8/3/2019 Islamic Gardens Sakshi

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ISLAMIC GARDENS


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IntroductionKey elements of the Islamic outdoor: Water - fountains, ponds, water channels moving Green, dense, fresh planting of cypress and fruit-bearing

plants that produce shadow Walls or fences that enclose the outdoor area and a

mysterious and private character An outdoor harmony in symmetry, using geometric forms of

water, trails, pavilions or planting

In time Islamic gardens became more complex and their formwas reflected in city planning


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The typical Islamic garden is a representation of heaven onearth. It developed on the Persian plain, which was an ariddesert. The environment was harsh a paradise garden wasits opposite.

The Islamic notion of paradise included water, shade, flowersand fruit trees. It was an enclosed garden, shutting out theharshness of the surrounding landscape.

The most important element was water, which was channeled in

geometric quadrants symbolizing the rivers of paradisementioned in the Koran.

Characteristics of an Islamic garden


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The basic form of an Islamic garden is based upon intersectingcanals forming four quadrants. This was based on anancient cosmological idea that the universe was made of fourquarters divided by two great rivers.Shade was provided by canopies (baldaquin) and pavilions.There were no representational sculptures. The mostcommon shade trees were sycamore, poplars, elms, maples,willows, myrtles.

As in earlier gardens, Scented flowers, in formal symmetrical beds, were

important.

Avenues of trees often included cypress trees, with theirtall, narrow habit, fruit trees, and shade trees such as theplane tree.

On forts and hillsides, elaborate terraces were constructed.

Paths were usually raised above ground level.


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Mughal GardensThe Mughals were known for four major types of garden: Palace gardens Terraced gardens Waterfront gardens; and Tomb gardensThe founder of the Mughal empire, Babur described his

favoured type of garden as a charbagh. This worddeveloped a new meaning in India because, as Baburexplains, India lacked the fast-flowing streams required forthe Central Asian charbagh.

The Agra garden, now known as the Ram Bagh, is thought tohave been the first charbagh.


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Soon after his conquest of hindustan, he had built gardenswith running water at Agra, Dholpur, and Sikri.

Babur, describing the building of his first garden near Agra,mentions the formal layout and the water bodies andsummarises: thus, in unpleasant and inharmonious India,marvellously regular and geometric gardens wereintroduced


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Jahangirs love for gardens It is said that Jahangir had shifted his capital city to the

north west city of Lahore only because it was closer to thevalley of Kashmir.

In the abundantly watered and tree laden valley of Kashmir,

the indefatigable nature loving spirit of Babur sprang onceagain to life through his great grandson, Jahangir. The environment of the lush valley, too was far more

conducive than the desert like tracts of Dholpur wherebabur had laid out his first garden.

Jahangir proceeded to carve out terraced formal gardens atall his famous spots in Kashmir, e.g., the foothillssurrounding the Dal Lake, Srinagar; and Achabal andVerinag.


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At strategic points of change of levels, minimum stonepavilions- sometimes in black stone- were erected. These

wee perched on short columns over cascades of fallingwater. Be it Shalimar, Nishat, Achabal, or Verinag, Jahangir

ordered the same geometric pattern of the mughal garden-

evolved from the square, the rectangle or the octagon- to besuperimposed on the natural landscape to create anenvironment seemingly more comprehensible to humanparameters of appreciation. But that was the closest

Jahangir could come to architecture.


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Prominent examples of

mughal gardensShalimar gardens, LahoreShalimar gardens, Kashmir

Begumbad garden, Achabal, SrinagarYadvindra gardens, PinjoreNishat gardens, KashmirTaj mahal, AgraRam bagh, AgraMehtab bagh, AgraHumayuns tomb, Delhi


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Nishat Bagh, Kashmir

Yadavindra Gardens, Pinjore

Shalimar Bagh, Lahore

Mehtab Bagh, Agra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mughal_Gardens_Pinjore.jpg


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The Shalimar Gardens, KashmirAn inscription on the Shalimar Bagh in Kashmir reads 'Ifthere be a Paradise on earth, it is here, it is here'. Thisgarden was built by Jahangir on a sloping site betweenmountains and Dal Lake.


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Shalimar Garden, developed byJehangir and later by his son Shahjahan,

is the epitome of Islamic garden designbrought to India by Babur. The linear water channel, formed by

diverting the water from the mountain tothe lake, is the central axis in thissymmetrical garden.

The row of square gardens areconnected by canals with pavilions builtover them. Seated in these pavilions,surrounded by lush greenery, lulled bythe sound of flowing water, chaddars orwaterfalls and fountains, it is easy toimagine that this is the 'Paradise inHeaven described in the Koran.

A zenana (segregated area for women) atthe far end of the garden built by

Shahjahan, has a pavilion of blackmarble.layout plan


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This pavilion also doubles as theDiwan-i-Khas where Mughalemperors gave private audience

Entrance to the ShalimarGardens

Waterfalls have been created usingsteps.Flowers and candles were kept inthe niche behind the waterfalls.


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Nila Nag Bagh, Srinagar

Nila Nag Bagh was built byJehangir in 1620, and later byhis son Shah Jahan.

A large water source is enclosedby an octagonal, pillaredstructure and water channelsflow into a mountain rivulet inthe valley.

This small square garden issurrounded by mountains.Sycamores, poplars, lawnsand flower beds, make this a

pleasant and serene garden.

Colonade surrounding the water source


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Nishat Bagh, SrinagarNishat Bagh, built by Asaf Khan, elder

brother of Empress Nur Jahan, in1632, is a symmetrical garden where thecentral axis is emphasized more than insquare gardens.

The step incorporated on either side ofthe central axis is reminiscent of theterraced gardens of the ItalianRenaissance period.

While Italian gardens were built asdescending gardens, this garden hasbeen built as an ascending garden.

Earlier, this fairly large garden could onlybe approached by boat from the lake.Today unfortunately the pavilions are

broken and weeds cover the waterways.


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Gardens of the Taj Mahal

The gardens of the Taj Mahal are typical of Mughal gardens,with a formal, symmetrical design and abundant water flowing

through channels and pools. Typically, two water channelscross each other, dividing the garden into four quarters. Acentral pool or pavilion marks the centre of the garden. As wellas flowing in channels, water is also used in cascades and

fountains, and is appreciated for its air-cooling properties.


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Plan of the taj mahal with the garden in between the gatewayand the tomb, unlike the humayun tomb which is placed in the

centre of the 16 squares


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Ram Bagh, Agra

The first emperor of the Mughal dynasty, Babur, was aneducated man. He loved the huge gardens he left behind incentral Asia and wanted to build a geometrical, Islamicgarden in India.

This style was later developed on a grand scale in Kashmir.

Babur built Ram Garden (originally Aram Garden) whichwas the resting place for his body before it was interred inKabul.

The pavilion facing the

yamuna river


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Gardens at Humayun's TombThe Humayun Tomb is located in the centre of a hugegarden, occupying the central four squares in a grid of 36,the divisions being marked by raised walkways, each of whichhas narrow water channels leading to pools at most of theintersections.


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Gardens at Agra FortThe gardens at agra fort have varying characteristics as thegarden in the courtyard of the zenana had a simple gardenwhereas the gardens at the khas mahal area had beautifulcharbagh with a central high platform connecting the other 4

parts of the garden that have geometric partitions.

Islamic Gardens Sakshi

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