History of Decorative Art in Mughal Architecture - Paperback

by Ajay Nath (Author), Prof Ram Nath (Author)

The Present work is an intensive study of the origin and development of the ornament in Mughal Architecture. It is the 'beautiful' which is most distinctive characteristic and the dominating theme of this style and it is this which primarily occupied contemplation of Mughal Builders. This 'beautiful' has not appeared in the Mughal Monuments unconsciously or by chance; this has been brought about with greatest amount of thought and planning through various means and methods.The Mughal Architects from Akbar to Shah Jehan worked out the minutest details of the structure and the surface which he intended to adorn. Mughals adopted almost all the decorative schemes, designs and motifs which were then known in the Orient. They used arch and dome, and also pillars, strut, chhatri and kalasa; inscriptions in Naskhi and Nastaliq characters, arabesque, stalactite and geometricals and also animate designs composed of hastin, makara, hansa, and mayura and symbolic motifs of the ancient Hindus such as kalasa, padma, gavaksa, kirttimukha, svastika, cakra and satkona - to quote some examples of his choice of ornament - is representative of lucid skill and amazing capacity to accept, adopt and assimilate.This book explains scores of obscure and controversial points and corrects the popular misnomers; it brings to light facts which were not known, e.g. the use by the Mughals of fabulous animals, Tantric symbols and Chinese Cloud forms to quote only a few examples. Study of this aspect of Mughal Architecture would help us to present the History of our Medieval culture in its true spirit and correct perspective.This title was published in 1980 and it is its updated second edition. Ajay Nath