Indian antiquity
We know the Indus civilization (extinct around 1700 BC) thanks to archaeological discoveries made at the sites of Mohenjodaro and Harappa (Pakistan), Lothal (Gujarat) and Ganganagar (northern Rajasthan). Pottery, jewelry, seals and statuettes suggest the existence of an elaborate civilization. On the other hand, we do not possess any monument testifying to an Aryan art. This absence opens the door to all sorts of speculations about these famous invaders who would have arrived in the north-west of the peninsula from the 17th century BC. The Vedic religion being limited to sacrifices, the Aryans probably built only simple altars, perhaps sheltered by wooden or earthen temples. With the rise of Buddhism, stone constructions appeared, stupa and columns erected by the emperor Ashoka to publish his edicts (3rd century B.C.). Thus, the great stūpa of Sanchi, 50 km from Bhopal, is the oldest stone Buddhist shrine in India. Built 3 millennia ago, it is still standing and bears witness to the origin of Buddhist architecture. However, the first statues of Buddha were only created at the beginning of our era, in Afghanistan near Kandahar (the "Greco-Buddhist" school of Gandhara) and in Mathura in the present-day Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, under the Kushan dynasty (1st-3rd century). The Afghan artists, distant descendants of the sculptors who arrived with Alexander the Great, then preserved a finesse of execution that would influence later Hindu art, particularly in Rajasthan.
The Mughal Age
The installation of the Delhi Sultanate at the end of the 12th century was accompanied by the systematic destruction of Hindu temples, which were replaced by mosques. To build them, the sultans employed local craftsmen, which explains a certain continuity, particularly in the very rich ornamentation of the first buildings. The Koranic verses engraved in stone replaced the images of the gods. In Delhi, in early 1200, Qutb-ut-Din-Aibak, the general who established the sultanate, ordered the construction of the Qutub Minar complex as a symbol of the power of the new dynasty. This minaret is built of red sandstone that came from the destruction of Jain and Hindu temples. Richly decorated with geometric patterns and Quranic inscriptions, it is the tallest stone tower in India. The minaret rises to 73 meters and serves as a marker for new Muslim populations. To the northeast of the Minar, the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1198 AD is worth seeing. It is the oldest mosque in the country. Little by little, the Iranian influence is more and more felt, especially after the arrival of the Mughals in the 16th century. The powerful dynasty brought many artists from Iran. It is remarkable by the splendor of its tombs. In spite of the Koranic prohibition to represent living beings, the emperors Humayum and especially Akbar, the lover of letters and arts, favored the development of miniatures, also inspired by Iran. The Mughal school mainly used court scenes evoking a lifestyle far removed from Islamic rigor. During the reign of Shah Jahan, the Lal Qila (Red Fort), a flamboyant citadel named after its imposing red sandstone walls and the Jama Masjid (the great mosque of Delhi) were built. The largest mosque in India covered with red sandstone and marble, as well as the Red Fort (listed since 2007 as a Unesco World Heritage Site), reveal the splendor of the Mughal dynasty. But what will mark the apogee of Mughal architecture is the construction of the Taj Mahal in Agra
The Taj Mahal, masterpiece of Mughal art. Classified as one of the 7 wonders of the world as well as a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Taj Mahal is an emblematic monument of the country, known worldwide. It is located near Agra, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, 200 km south of New Delhi. Work on this immense funerary edifice, a marvel of Mughal architecture, began around 1630 under the orders of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, to honor the memory of his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. It took 20 years and 20,000 craftsmen to complete the construction of the greatest masterpiece of Mughal art at the crossroads of Islamic, Iranian, Ottoman and Indian architecture. If the mausoleum completed in 1648 remains the most famous element, the Taj Mahal is a set of buildings, gardens, water features and fountains that are divided into 3 parts oriented along the south-north axis with perfectly organized symmetry, which allow the visitor a natural and spiritual progression. First, the first part to the south is the inner court. Named Jilaukhana, it is a Mughal architectural element that represents a transitional space. It is the antechamber of purification between the outside world, embodied by the city, and the second section composed of gardens that symbolize paradise, the spiritual life. Surrounded by lawns, 4 pavilions are located at the corners including the mausoleums of the first two wives of Shah Jahan and two other buildings including the tourist office. To the north, the imposing Darwaza-i-rauza, a marvel of Mughal architecture, is the great gateway to the garden and materializes this passage to paradise. 11 domes framed by two masts surmount this iwan (door found in Persian architecture) with beautifully worked marquetry. The construction is surrounded by two octagonal towers which give it a military aspect. The second part is the gardens of the Taj Mahal called Chahar bagh. In these Persian gardens with a strong Muslim influence, everything is perfect as in paradise: the lawns, the symmetry and the arrangement of the different elements. The Taj Mahal is reflected in the four water features. Finally, the3rd and last part in the north is the most sacred. On this large marble platform of 10,000m2 called Chameli Farsh, 7 meters high, are, on the right, the mosque and on the left, Jawab, the guest house. Placed on another terrace, perfectly square, the famous mausoleum finely chiseled in white marble and encrusted with precious stones looks like a palace as it is so sumptuous. Surmounted by a huge central dome in the shape of a bulb, and despite its impressive proportions, it is harmonious and very light thanks to the thinness of its facades hollowed out by the iwans, these giant ogive-shaped porches. A rectangular, high and protective rampart surrounds the whole. The northern part of the enclosure, facing the river, is inlaid with very fine decorations also in white marble.
The Rajput period
Very quickly, the rajput sovereigns let themselves be influenced by Mughal architecture. The austere fortresses gave way to much more sophisticated creations, with public(diwan-i-am) or private(diwan-i-khas) reception rooms and quarters reserved for women(zenana).
One of the characteristics of rajput architecture, this time borrowed by the Mughals, is the use of pavilions with curved roofs(chhatri), which can be found in palaces as well as in cenotaphs, funeral monuments. The local bourgeoisie also started building magnificent family homes(haveli), sometimes rivaling the royal palaces in splendor. Equipped with numerous windows and openwork partitions like moucharabieh, these opulent residences benefit from natural ventilation. The most beautiful facades disappear behind the jharokhā (loggias), themselves decorated with fine jali, (openwork stone screens serving as windows). Even the wells are enriched with chhatri and sometimes with cleverly arranged staircases (called baori). From the 17th century onwards, the rich merchants of Shekhawati (on the Silk Road) had new havelis built. These residences are remarkable for their murals evoking the life of Krishna or the Rāmāyana, as well as the technical progress introduced by the West (automobiles, phonographs, sewing machines)
The Palace of the Winds, a splendor of Rajput architecture. Recognizable among thousands, its silhouette is the most famous of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. In 1799, the maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of the founder of the city, ordered the construction of this building based on the plans of the architect Lal Chand Ustad. Hawa Mahal (the Palace of Winds) is dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna, and its architecture is based on the model of the crown of Lord Krishna. Matching the colors of the pink buildings of Jaipur nicknamed the "Pink City", the red and pink sandstone gives a crazy charm to its facade whose shades change with the sun. The Palace of the Winds owes its name to its numerous openings that allow air to circulate by using the venturi effect. The fountains of the inner courtyard also bring a lot of freshness to it. It was the summer residence of the maharajas. This pyramidal palace of 15 meters height is decorated with 61 oriels (windows in relief) delicately carved. Resembling a beehive with its 953 small honeycomb windows, each window called a jharokhā is equipped with a lattice allowing the women of the harem to look out without being seen as they strictly observe the purdah (curtain) rules of covering their faces.
The forts of the hills of Rajasthan. Unesco inscribed 6 forts as world heritage sites in 2013. Perfect illustrations of the fortified centers of the princely states of the Raj between the 8th and 18th centuries, they also reflect their role as a center of court culture and patronage of the arts. These 6 forts are architectural manifestations of Rajput valor, bravery, feudalism and cultural traditions. Originally, these forts were built at strategic locations to protect garrisons, but they also housed palaces and urban centers.
Amber Fort: Located 11 km from Jaipur, its construction in pink sandstone and white marble was begun in 1592, under Raja Man Singh I, to take its final form in 1727. Strategically placed on the road between Delhi and Ajmer, the fort was the capital of many dynasties.
Jaisalmer Fort: built in 1156 by Raja Rawal Jaisal, it is one of the oldest forts in Rajasthan. Its ramparts, 76 m high, run for more than 5 km and 99 bastions have been built to defend the fortress and monitor the comings and goings in the Thar desert.
The fort of Chittorgarh: one of the most imposing of all India, it could accommodate an army of 50 000 men. Of the 130 temples of the past, very few remain. The Stambha Vijay (Victory Tower) still stands proudly at 37 meters high and symbolizes the city of Chittor.
The fort of Kumbhalgarh: its 36 km of wall make it the third largest fortified enclosure in the world after the Great Wall of China and Gorgan in Iran. Built from 1443 to 1458 on top of several hills, the fort offers a magnificent view of the Aravalli range.
Ranthambore Fort: inside the Ranthambore National Park, more appreciated by foreign visitors for its tigers than for its fort. It nevertheless attracts many Indian pilgrims, especially at the time of Ganesh Chaturthi (early September) because the fort houses the only temple dedicated to the elephant god in Rajasthan.
The Gagron fort: the least known and the least visited of all, it is nonetheless interesting. Its construction lasted 700 years, between the 7th and the 14th century. Built at the confluence of two rivers, it is protected by natural moats on three of its sides.
The British influence
The arrival of the British in Rajasthan, at the beginning of the 19th century, aroused new aspirations in the wealthy classes and, of course, in the maharajas. Taking advantage of the Pax Britannica, the latter could forget their military worries and concentrate on the plans of new palaces. This was an Indo-Saracenic (or Anglo-Indian) architecture, boldly mixing Victorian and Gothic styles from Europe with Rajput and Mughal influences: multi-lobed arches, chhatri (Indian structures in the form of pavilions or domes) but also Gothic windows and clock towers seeming to escape the London fog. The English architect Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob (1841-1917) was responsible for many buildings in the service of the sovereigns, including the superb St John's College in Agra, adorned in pink sandstone with its slender chhatri crowning the roof, and the luxurious Rambagh Palace. Known as the "Jewel of Jaipur", the Rambagh Palace is the former residence of the maharaja of Jaipur. The first building built in 1835 was converted into a hunting lodge in 1887 during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh. Then at the beginning of the 20th century, it was enlarged to constitute a true palace with an extremely refined imperial architecture. The royal family transformed it into a luxury hotel in 1957. Near the Hawa Mahal, the Albert Hall, designed by Samuel Swinton Jacob during the reign of Maharaja Ram Singh, is an excellent example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. Opened as a museum in 1887, Albert Hall Museum remains the oldest museum in Jaipur. One can even see an Egyptian mummy there. Located in Bikaner, the Lalgarh Palace built between 1902 and 1926 for Ganga Singh, the Maharaja of Bikaner, is splendid. Built with red sandstone, its stones come from the great Thar desert and its shades change with the day. During the British India period, the East India Company officials stayed in this palace, mixing Mughal art, a rajput structure and European models. One part of the palace still belongs to the princely family of Maharaja Ganga Singh while the other was converted into a luxury hotel in 1972. Its latticework, colonnades and filigree are inspired by traditional Italian architecture. Inside, the luxurious halls and royal salons are richly decorated with wood, ceramics, marble and majestic sandstone pillars. Finally, Mayo College in Ajmer is modeled after the British boarding schools, especially the prestigious Eton College, one of the most prestigious British public schools. Major Mant, a military architect, was in charge of the work and used the same marble that was used to build the Taj Mahal. The work was completed in 1885 after 8 years. From 1875, the Victorian-style establishment welcomed the sons of maharajas who were divided into different houses according to their age. The main building is of Indo-Saracenic style, it incorporates Hindu, Islamic and European architectural elements symbolizing the harmony between the different communities.
Delhi
From 1927, the colonial administration entrusted British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker with the task of drawing up the plans for the new capital, New Delhi, south of the old city. Symbolizing the influence of the British Empire, the architects mixed British and indigenous influences. The new official buildings were built in beige and pink sandstone. The gardens are of Mughal inspiration. New Delhi was inaugurated on February 13, 1931. It is built on a radial plan around a central rotunda, Connaught Place, and is surrounded by parks. The Viceroy's Palace (now Rashtrapati Bhawan, or the President's Palace) is inspired by the Anglo-Indian style, with a little more classicism and majesty. Some elements of the architecture of the ancient Buddhist era can be seen in the capitals of the columns and the screen around the drum under the main dome. The period was also marked by the popularity of Art Deco, a style that can be seen on the grand avenues of New Delhi as well as in hunting lodges lost in the Rajput countryside. The last great achievement of the colonial era, the superb Umaid Bhawan Palace, made of yellow Chittar sandstone, is nestled in a vast 10-hectare garden in Jodhpur. Visible throughout the city thanks to its impressive dome, the Umaid Bhawan Palace symbolizes the triumph of Art Deco, under the signature of the architect H. V. Lanchester. It is the maharaja Umaid Singh who laid the foundation stone in 1829 of this palace which has 347 rooms, one wing of which is still inhabited by the royal family.
The great architects of Delhi
Shah Jahan (1592-1666). The Mughal emperor left a clear imprint on the city since he built the Old Delhi district. He also built the Red Fort and the great Jama Masjid mosque, two of the most important and emblematic monuments of Delhi.
Edwin Luytens (1869-1944). This British architect designed the city of New Delhi in 1931. He also designed the India Gate as a tribute to the Indian soldiers who died in the First World War.
Baldeodas Birla (1863-1956). Coming from one of the most influential families in India, the Indian entrepreneur designed the Laxmi Narayan Mandir, between 1933 and 1939.
Joseph Allen Stein (1912-2001). This American architect was, from 1955, the head of the architecture department at the Bengal Engineering College in Calcutta. He contributed to the architectural development of Delhi during the second half of the 20th century. He was responsible for the India Habitat Center and the India International Center.
Fariborz Sahba (born 1948). An Iranian architect of the Baha'i faith, he designed the Lotus Temple in 1986. This Baha'i temple, also called the Bahá'í House of Worship, is a place open to all religions.
