ARCHITECTURE UNDER

SHAHJAHAN

Ar. Hena Tiwari

JAMA MASJID

One of the notable structure built by Shah Jahan in Delhi.

This is a congregational mosque occupying a large site outside

Delhi fort in southwest side of the fort.

It is one of the largest mosque in the country.

LAYOUT

The mosque is raised on a high plinth.

Three notable gateways approached by flights of steps added a

dignity and height to the structure.

North and south gateways were made for entry to public and east

side was reserved as royal entrance.

Within these are cloisters and the quadrangle measuring 99

meters side.

The quadrangle is an open place with square tank in the middle

for ablutions.

SANCTUARY INTERIOR

It is a great hall divided into bays by massive piers supporting

engrailed arches.

There are elegant arched Mihrabs sunk in each bay in the

western wall.

The architectural decoration was set in matching with its large

dimensions

SANCTUARY EXTERIOR

The sanctuary on the west side is an exposing structure in red

sandstone.

It measures 61meters by 27 meters.

In its exterior is a wide central archway flanked by an arcade of

ten engrailed arches, five on each side of wing.

Over the sanctuary rise three bulbous domes of white marble,

central one is bigger than the other on the wings.

TAJ MAHAL, AGRA

Taj Mahal stands on the bank of river Yamuna in Agra.

This is the mausoleum of Shah Jahan beloved wife, Arjumand

Banu Begum called as Mumtaz Mahal.

Ustad Isa Khan of Turkey was the main architect of this

building.

It is now a UNESCO world heritage site.

SITE LAYOUT

The main structure occupies a relatively small portion of whole

architectural layout.

The site is rectangular measuring 579 meters by 305 meters.

A high boundary wall encloses the site having broad octagonal bastions

at each corner.

A monumental entrance gateway is placed in the centre of southern side.

In front of southern court, stables, out houses and other edifices were

added.

ENTRANCE AND PASSAGES

The southern entrance structure is imposing containing chamfered

angles, arches, parapet and vaulted roof.

Access is provided into the garden of the main enclosure through the

gates.

The front perspective view of the building and its garden is seen from

this point.

The garden is laid on the principle of charbagh.

It is totally symmetrical containing paved pathways, lawns fountains

and elevated lotus pools all arranged in a manner to reflect the images.

A straight pathway leads to the structure.

MAIN ENCLOSURE

Significant structure are placed on the northern end of the

enclosure consisting of the tomb building in the centre.

The two subsidiary edifices are placed on each side

symmetrically.

On the west side is the mosque and on other side is a guest

house.

MAIN TOMB BUILDING

The main white marble tomb building stands in the middle of

elevated large terraces measuring 57 metres square in plan and 6.7

meters high.

This is entered by symmetrical stairs built in the centre of south

side of terrace.

The main building over the terrace is square in plan with

chamfered corners.

The interior consists of main octagonal central hall with

subsidiary chambers also octagonal in plan placed at each

corner connected by radiating passages.

The main hall is two storeys with a cenotaph chamber built

under with descending steps.

The main hall is roofed by hemispherical vault forming the

inner shell of the double dome.

Above this the main dome was built leaving a void between the

two.

Perforated marbles screens filled the arched window in two levels.

There are some carvings on the dados inside the corner rooms.

Every part of the monument shows fineness, beauty, curves,

decoration which attributes to a royal female to whom the

monument was dedicated.

This was carried to a height of 33 meters, having cupolas

above each corner while over the centre there is a huge dome

reaching to a top height of 57 meters.

The façade is same and alike on all the four sides.

EXTERIOR

The fine marble building has its façade same and alike on all its four

sides.

The façade has its large central arch and two arched windows one at

the bottom and the other at the top on each side.

Perforated screens filled the arched openings except the front

entrance.

A graceful and finely curved dome take place over a circular drum in

the centre rising to a height of 57 meters.

PROPORTIONS

The factors responsible for the beauty of Taj Mahal is not only the

fine material of white marble but it mainly lies in its proportion, the

grouping of its parts, their sizes, simple curves, rhythmic disposals.

Its proportions are simple as its shape.

The entire width is equal to the height of the building.

The height of the main vertical lower building body is equal to

height of the dome.

The crowning glory of the façade lies in its volume and shape of the

dome supported on a lofty drum.