Asian Gardens -Mughal Garden

Introduction

• The founder of the Mughal empire, Babur described his favourite type of
garden as a CHARBAGH.
• This word developed a new meaning in India, because as Babur explains, India
lacked the fast-flowing streams required for the Central Asian Charbagh.
• The Agra garden, now known as the Ram Bagh, is thought to have been the first
Charbagh.
• India, Bangladesh and Pakistan have a number of Mughal gardens which differ from
their Central Asian predecessors with respect to 'the highly disciplined geometry'.
 Various examples in India

• Humayun's Tomb-Delhi (Nizamuddin)

• Taj Mahal-Agra
• Ram Bagh-Agra
• Mehtab Bagh-Agra
• Shalimar Gardens (Kashmir)-Kashmir
• Safdarjung's Tomb-Delhi
• Yadvindra Gardens-Pinjore
• Khusro Bagh, Allahabad
 Classification of Mughal garden

Mughal Gardens are generally divided into 4 sections –

• Rectangular Pearl garden
• Long Butterfly garden
• Circular garden
• Terraced garden
Features of Mughal garden
1. Significant use of rectilinear layouts are made within the walled enclosures.

2. Typical features include pools, fountains and canals inside the gardens.

3. Had handsome walls and great gateways more like forts than gardens.

4. Most important feature of Mughal garden is Char Bagh planning.

5. Include trees of various sorts, some to provide shade merely, and others to
produce fruits; flowers, colorful and sweet- smelling; grass, usually growing
wild under the trees; birds to fill the garden with song; the whole cooled by a
pleasant breeze.
 Tomb garden
• Universally planned in the midst of a CHAR BAGH, founded with architectural
elements such as STONE PATHWAYS, CANALS, LILY POND, LOTUS-TANKS, STAIRS ,
CASCADES and WATERFALLS.
• Example : Humayun’s Tomb
 Tomb garden

• While the main tomb took over eight years to build, it was also placed in centre of
a 30-acre (120,000 m2) Char Bagh Garden which was the first of its kind in the
South Asia in such a scale.
• The highly geometrical and enclosed Paradise Garden is divided into four squares
by paved walkways (khiyabans) and two bisecting central water channels,
reflecting the four rivers that flow in jannat, the Islamic concept of paradise.
• The central water channels appear to be disappearing beneath the tomb structure
and reappearing on the other side in a straight line, suggesting the Quranic verse,
which talks of rivers flowing beneath the 'Garden of Paradise'.
 Tomb garden

• Humayun's Tomb was the first garden tomb made in India.

• The garden is divided into 36 squares by a grid of water channels and paths.
• These channels of water also facilitates the
formation of Charbagh at Humayun’s Tomb.
• The laying down of the gardens in the Persian
style was introduced by Babur and continued till
the period of Shah Jahan.

Plan
 Palace garden - Ram Bagh, Agra

• The Ram Bagh is the oldest Mughal Garden in India, built by the Mughal Emperor
Babur in 1528 A.D.
• Planned following the char bagh pattern, four main divisions crisscrossed by paths
and waterways.
• Located about five kilometers northeast of the Taj Mahal.
 Palace garden - Ram Bagh, Agra

• Water represented life.

• The garden is a Paradise garden or Char bagh, where pathways and canals divide
the garden to represent the Islamic ideal of paradise, an abundant garden through
which rivers flow.
• The Ram Bagh provides an example of a variant of the char bagh in which water
cascades down three terraces in a sequence of cascades.
 Palace garden - Ram Bagh, Agra

• Water represented life.

• The garden is a Paradise garden or Char bagh, where pathways and canals divide
the garden to represent the Islamic ideal of paradise, an abundant garden through
which rivers flow.
• The Ram Bagh provides an example of a variant of the char bagh in which water
cascades down three terraces in a sequence of cascades.
 Mahtab Bagh - Taj Mahal, Agra

• It is situated on the sandy bank of Yamuna River just opposite the Taj Mahal
mausoleum.
• The name Mahtab Bagh means 'Moon Lit Garden' and the same is testified by the
beautiful reflection of Taj Mahal in the pool at night in Mahtab Bagh.
• The place has a history of its own. It is believed that the great emperor Shah Jahan
who built Taj Mahal for his queen wanted an identical one for himself at Mahtab
Bagh.
• However the archaeological findings have proved the existence of garden complex.
 Mahtab Bagh - Taj Mahal, Agra

• This place was once a heavenly garden with shaded pavilions, fountain jets,
fragrant flowers and fantastic pools.
• The garden has been renovated by the Archaeological Survey according to the
original plan.
• The place has been enriched with vegetation and at present more than 40 species
of plants bloom in the garden.
• The garden has been built in a typical Charbagh fashion.
 Terrace garden

• Laid out with all the basic elements of the plain garden in several terraces had a
central canal in the middle, descending from one terrace to the other, through
broad fish scaled cascades and relay-tanks each terrace generally having its own
independent CHAR BAGH plan.
 Shalimar bagh, Srinagar
•Includes all the features of a mughal garden and has 3 terraces.

•Along the axial canal slightly broader, has two shallow terraces.
 Shalimar bagh, Srinagar
•The carved stone bases and a fine platform surrounded by fountains are still
seen.
•Shalimar Bagh is well known for chini khanas, or arched niches, behind garden
waterfalls.
•The garden is considered to be very beautiful during the autumn and spring
seasons due to the colour change in leaves of the famed Chinar trees.
Rastrapathi bhavan garden
•The Mughal Gardens are situated at
the back of the Rashtrapati Bhavan,
incorporate both Mughal and English
landscaping styles and feature a great
variety of flowers.

•The Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens are

open to the public in February every
year.