Features and Developments of Architecture and Literature during

Mughal Period
Golden Period of Architecture:
Although all the Mughal rulers except Aurangzeb took great interest in
architecture, yet Shah Jahan surpasses all in the field of architecture.

There is no doubt that architecture reached the pinnacle of its glory during the
period of Shah Jahan.

The period of Shah Jahan (1627-1658) witnessed a glorious outburst of activity in

the development of architecture.

At the same time it must also be accepted that a period of 100 years (1556-1658)
covered by the reign of Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan has a special significance
for the promotion of architecture. Likewise there was some activity in this area in
the period of Babur and Humayun. Therefore, it is said that the Mughal period
was the golden period of Indian architecture.

Main features of Mughal Architecture:

1. Variety of buildings:
The Mughal rulers built magnificent gates, forts, mausoleums, mosques, palaces,
public buildings and tombs etc.

2. Synthesis of Persian and Indian style:

The specimens of architecture created under the Mughals have become the
common heritage of both the Hindus and the Muslims. It is a happy blend of
Hindu and Muslim architecture.

3. Specific characteristic:
A common characteristic of the Mughal buildings is “the pronounced domes, the
slender turrets at the corners, the palace halls supported on pillars and the
broad/gateways.”

4. Costly decorations:
The Mughal emperors in general but Shah Jahan in particular decorated his
buildings with costly articles. One of the important distinguishing features of the
Mughal buildings is their ornamentation as compared with the simple buildings of
the previous Muslim rulers of India.

5. Building material:
During the Mughal period, buildings were constructed mostly of red sandstone
and white marble.

Development of architecture under different Mughal rulers:

Babur and architecture:
Babur was not impressed by Indian architecture. At the same time he was busy in
waging wars. Nevertheless he sent for the pupils of Sinan the noted Albanian
architect to work with Indian craftsmen whose skills he had appreciated. But this
did not materialise. As Babur recorded in his ‘Memories’, he employed 680
workmen and 1491 stone cutters daily on his various buildings in India. He
constructed several buildings but only two mosques—one at Panipat and the
other at Sambhal have survived.

Humayun and architecture:

Humayun’s troubled reign did not allow him enough opportunity to give full play
to his artistic temperament. Even then he constructed the palace of ‘Din-i-Panah’
in Delhi which was probably destroyed by Sher Shah. Humayun constructed some
mosques at Agra and Hissar.

Akbar and architecture:

The history of Mughal architecture really starts with Akbar. Just as Akbar built up
an extensive empire on the goodwill of the Hindus, in the same way he utilised
local talent and took inspiration from Indian architecture. One of the earliest
buildings built is the Tomb of Humayun, in Delhi. It was built after Humayun’s
death by his first wife Hamida Banu Begam. This splendid tomb, designed by a
Persian Architect Malik Mirza Ghiyas and executed by Indian craftsmen and
masons, is a fine example of the synthesis of Indian-Persian traditions.
Important buildings built during Akbar’s time include the following:
(1) Red Fort at Agra.

(2) City of Fatehpur Sikri

(3) Lahore fort,

(4) Tomb at Sikandra.

During Akbar’s time, it is said that about 500 beautiful buildings were constructed
in the Red Fort at Agra but only a few of them now survive.

Main features of Akbar’s buildings are:

(i) Synthesis of Hindu- Muslim art tradition

(ii) Extensive use of red stone

(iii) Construction of buildings for civilian purposes.

Jahangir and architecture:

Jahangir had fine artistic sense but he was more fond of painting than
architecture. Two important buildings were raised. One was the completion of the
Tomb of Akbar at Sikandra and the other was the Tomb of Itmad-ul-Daula built by
Nur Jahan over the grave of her father. The most important feature of this tomb is
that it is decorated with ‘pietra dura’ i.e. in-laid with semi-precious stones of
different colours.

Shah Jahan and architecture:

Shah Jahan’s period is usually called the ‘Golden Age of Mughal Architecture’ and
he is given the titles of ‘Prince among the Builders’ and ‘Engineer King’. His most
important and impressive buildings are the Taj Mahal, Red Fort and Jama Masjid.
These buildings are extremely beautiful and soft.

Shah Jahan mostly made use of marble in place of red stone. With a view to
enhance the beauty and effect of the ceilings, he made full use of gold, silver,
precious and coloured stones. At several places, the pictures of trees, animal
scenes and other flora and fauna have been depicted. (See next question).

Aurangzeb and architecture:

Aurangzeb’s accession to the throne marks the end of rich harvest in building art.
His puritanism gave little encouragement to the development of art. He is usually
discredited with the destruction of two most important Hindu temples at Banaras
and Mathura and raising mosques upon them. He built the Shahi Masjid at
Lahore.

Literature during the Mughal Period

The Mughal period produced a vast literature. This was possible because the
Mughal emperors were great patrons of literature.

Apart from Persian and Hindi literature, Bengali and Punjabi literature also made
strides. Some of the important source books in history were written.

Babur and literary activities:

Babur whose mother-tongue was Turkish wrote his ‘Tuzak-i-Baburi’ (Memories of
Babur) in Turki. During the reign of Akbar, it was translated into Persian. He
patronized several scholars.

Humayun and literary activities:

During his time, his sister Gulabadan Begum wrote ‘Humayunnama’. Humayun
also constructed a big library. In fact his death took place on account of a fall from
the staircase of his library.

Akbar and literary activities:

Undoubtedly, the period saw the production of a lot of literature of a very high
standard. Most of his ‘Navratans’ (Nine Jewels) were great literary figures. Abul
Fazal was a great historian, philosopher and scholar of the period. He is famous
for two important works ‘Akbarnama’ and ‘Ain-i-Akbari’.
Badauni, a historian of fame wrote, ‘Muntakhab-ul-Tawarikh’. An other noted
historian Nizam- ud-Din wrote ‘Tabaqat-i-Akbari’ the Arthava Veda, the Ramayana
and the Mahabharat.

Sur, Das, a blind band of Agra wrote Sursagar’ in Brij Bhasha.

Sant Tulsi Das produced the immortal Ramcharitmanas’ in Awadhi, the eastern
Hindi dialect.

The period saw the production of a dictionary of Persian-Sanskrit, named Parsi

Parkash’.

Guru Granth Sahib’, the most sacred book of the Sikhs was compiled during this
period.

Malik Muhammad Jayasi wrote the famous Padmavat’.

Jahangir himself wrote his autobiography ‘Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri’. Other important

literary and historical works were ‘lqbalanam-i-Jahangir and ‘Masir-i-Jahangir’.

Shah Jahan and literacy activities:

Shah Jahan’s courtier Abul Hamid Lahori wrote ‘Padshanama’. Prince Dara Shikoh
was a great scholar of Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. On account of his patronage,
the ‘Upanishads’, the Bhagavad-Gita’, the ‘Yoga Vashista’ and the ‘Ramayana’
were translated in Persian.

Aurangzeb and literacy activities:

The most important work during the period was ‘Fatwa-i-Alamgiri’—a digest of
Muslim law. Other works were ‘Muntakhab-ul ‘-a famous history by Khafi Khan
and ‘Nuskho-i- Dilkusha’ by Bhimsen.