Bichitr, Shah Jahan Receives His Sons in 1628, 1630
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Lesson: Two Mughal Paintings Essential
Lesson: Two Mughal Paintings This lesson is accompanied by a handout, Visual Analysis: Four Steps toward Critically Thinking about Art. Essential Question: What role does the visual language of Mughal painting play in the expression of royal power and dynastic legitimacy? Learning Experience: Students will examine two paintings from the Mughal dynasty (1526-1828). One depicts an emperor watching an elephant fight. The second portrays another emperor seated with ten of his ancestors. Students will learn how painters of the Mughal royal workshops used art to express a vision of absolute power. Anticipatory Set: Do we encounter visual symbols or forms of architecture in our daily lives that not only tell us how to behave, but also that we must behave in certain ways? Context: At its height the Mughal Empire controlled most of the Indian subcontinent. Its founder, Babur (1483-1530), was from Central Asia, born in what is today Uzbekistan. He was a Turk, a member of one of the many Central Asian tribes speaking Turkic languages such as Uzbek, Kazakh, Turkish, etc. Babur was the great-great-great grandson of Timur (1336-1405, known as “Tamerlane” in the West). The Timurid dynasty (1370-1405) for a time ruled much of what is today Iran and Central Asia. On his mother’s side Babur claimed descent from Chinggis Khan, the great Mongol conqueror (“Mughal” derives from “Mongol”). The early Mughal rulers emphasized both their descent from Timur and their Chinggisid lineage through Babur’s mother; they were known equally as the Mughals and the Later Timurids. .Just as Timur’s descendants claimed that Timur had outdone Chinggis Khan, so Babur and his descendants recorded those aspects of Babur’s career which had surpassed the achievements of Timur (Manz 2002: 9). -
Mughal Paintings of Hunt with Their Aristocracy
Arts and Humanities Open Access Journal Research Article Open Access Mughal paintings of hunt with their aristocracy Abstract Volume 3 Issue 1 - 2019 Mughal emperor from Babur to Dara Shikoh there was a long period of animal hunting. Ashraful Kabir The founder of Mughal dynasty emperor Babur (1526-1530) killed one-horned Department of Biology, Saidpur Cantonment Public College, rhinoceros and wild ass. Then Akbar (1556-1605) in his period, he hunted wild ass Nilphamari, Bangladesh and tiger. He trained not less than 1000 Cheetah for other animal hunting especially bovid animals. Emperor Jahangir (1606-1627) killed total 17167 animals in his period. Correspondence: Ashraful Kabir, Department of Biology, He killed 1672 Antelope-Deer-Mountain Goats, 889 Bluebulls, 86 Lions, 64 Rhinos, Saidpur Cantonment Public College, Nilphamari, Bangladesh, 10348 Pigeons, 3473 Crows, and 10 Crocodiles. Shahjahan (1627-1658) who lived 74 Email years and Dara Shikoh (1657-1658) only killed Bluebull and Nur Jahan killed a tiger only. After study, the Mughal paintings there were Butterfly, Fish, Bird, and Mammal. Received: December 30, 2018 | Published: February 22, 2019 Out of 34 animal paintings, birds and mammals were each 16. In Mughal pastime there were some renowned artists who involved with these paintings. Abdus Samad, Mir Sayid Ali, Basawan, Lal, Miskin, Kesu Das, Daswanth, Govardhan, Mushfiq, Kamal, Fazl, Dalchand, Hindu community and some Mughal females all were habituated to draw paintings. In observed animals, 12 were found in hunting section (Rhino, Wild Ass, Tiger, Cheetah, Antelope, Spotted Deer, Mountain Goat, Bluebull, Lion, Pigeon, Crow, Crocodile), 35 in paintings (Butterfly, Fish, Falcon, Pigeon, Crane, Peacock, Fowl, Dodo, Duck, Bustard, Turkey, Parrot, Kingfisher, Finch, Oriole, Hornbill, Partridge, Vulture, Elephant, Lion, Cow, Horse, Squirrel, Jackal, Cheetah, Spotted Deer, Zebra, Buffalo, Bengal Tiger, Camel, Goat, Sheep, Antelope, Rabbit, Oryx) and 6 in aristocracy (Elephant, Horse, Cheetah, Falcon, Peacock, Parrot. -
The Taj: an Architectural Marvel Or an Epitome of Love?
Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 7(9): 367-374, 2013 ISSN 1991-8178 The Taj: An Architectural Marvel or an Epitome of Love? Arshad Islam Head, Department of History & Civilization, International Islamic University Malaysia Abstract: On Saturday 7th July 2007, the New Seven Wonders Foundation, Switzerland, in its new ranking, again declared the Taj Mahal to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Taj Mahal is not just an architectural feat and an icon of luminous splendour, but an epitome of enormous love as well. The Mughal Emperor Shahjahan (1592-1666) built the Taj Mahal, the fabulous mausoleum (rauza), in memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal (1593-1631). There is perhaps no better and grander monument built in the history of human civilization dedicated to love. The contemporary Mughal sources refer to this marvel as rauza-i-munavvara (‘the illumined tomb’); the Taj Mahal of Agra was originally called Taj Bibi-ka-Rauza. It is believed that the name ‘Taj Mahal’ has been derived from the name of Mumtaz Mahal (‘Crown Palace’). The pristine purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, use of precious gemstones and its picturesque location all make Taj Mahal a marvel of art. Standing majestically at the southern bank on the River Yamuna, it is synonymous with love and beauty. This paper highlights the architectural design and beauty of the Taj, and Shahjahan’s dedicated love for his beloved wife that led to its construction. Key words: INTRODUCTION It is universally acknowledged that the Taj Mahal is an architectural marvel; no one disputes it position as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and it is certainly the most fêted example of the considerable feats of Mughal architecture. -
The Mughal Audience Hall: a Solomonic Revival of Persepolis in the Form of a Mosque1
THE MUGHAL AUDIENCE HALL: A SOLOMONIC REVIVAL OF PERSEPOLIS IN THE FORM OF A MOSQUE1 Ebba Koch Shah Jahan’s Court After Shah Jahan (rul. 1628–58), the fifth emperor of the Mughal dynasty, was enthroned on 8th Jumada al-Thani of the Hijri year 1037, corresponding to 14 February 1628 CE, he issued an order that halls for his public audiences should be constructed in all the great fortress palaces of the capitals of the Mughal empire. The audience hall was a new building type in the Mughal palace, of central importance for the proceedings of the Mughal court and for the interaction of the emperor with his subjects. Under the rule of Shah Jahan, the Mughal empire entered its classi- cal phase of greatest prosperity and stability.2 The conquests of Babur (1526), enlarged and consolidated under Akbar (rul. 1556–1605) and Jahangir (rul. 1605–1627), had established the Empire of the Great Moghul (or Mughal) as one of the three leading powers of the Islamic world, the other two being the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Persia. The informal set up of Babur asprimus inter pares among his Central Asian followers, had—in particular through the efforts of Akbar— developed into the court of an absolute ruler who, as head of a cen- tralized state, personally and diligently oversaw the administration of 1 This paper is based on an earlier study of the audience halls of Shah Jahan with detailed references, see Ebba Koch, ‘Diwan-i ‘Amm and Chihil Sutun: The Audience Halls of Shah Jahan’, Muqarnas 11 (1994) pp. -
Module 3 Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb Who Was the Successor of Jahangir
Module 3 Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb Who was the successor of Jahangir? Who was the last most power full ruler in the Mughal dynasty? What was the administrative policy of Aurangzeb? The main causes of Downfall of Mughal Empire. Shah Jahan was the successor of Jahangir and became emperor of Delhi in 1627. He followed the policy of his ancestor and campaigns continued in the Deccan under his supervision. The Afghan noble Khan Jahan Lodi rebelled and was defeated. The campaigns were launched against Ahmadnagar, The Bundelas were defeated and Orchha seized. He also launched campaigns to seize Balkh from the Uzbegs was successful and Qandhar was lost to the Safavids. In 1632Ahmadnagar was finally annexed and the Bijapur forces sued for peace. Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal marks the apex of the Mughal Empire; it symbolizes stability, power and confidence. The building is a mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz and it has come to symbolize the love between two people. Jahan's selection of white marble and the overall concept and design of the mausoleum give the building great power and majesty. Shah Jahan brought together fresh ideas in the creation of the Taj. Many of the skilled craftsmen involved in the construction were drawn from the empire. Many also came from other parts of the Islamic world - calligraphers from Shiraz, finial makers from Samrkand, and stone and flower cutters from Bukhara. By Jahan's period the capital had moved to the Red Fort in Delhi. Shah Jahan had these lines inscribed there: "If there is Paradise on earth, it is here, it is here." Paradise it may have been, but it was a pricey paradise. -
Mumtaz Mahal - the Inspiration
Mumtaz Mahal - The Inspiration Taj Mahal – a symbol of true love built in the memory of beautiful Mumtaz Mahal or Arjumand Banu, still stands as the supreme unparalleled grand monument ever built in the history of human civilization. Arjumand Banu was the daughter of Asaf Khan, who was married to Shahjahan at an early age of 14 years. Imperial city of Agra was already agog with stories of her charm and beauty. She was the third wife of Shahjahan (Prince Khurram) and the most favourite one throughout his life. She was named Mumtaz Mahal in 1612 after her marriage and remained as an inseparable companion of her husband till death. As a symbol of her faith and love, she bore Shahjahan 14 children and died during the birth of their last child. For the love and affection she showed to her husband, Mumtaz Mahal received highest honour of the land – with Royal seal – ‘Mehr Uzaz’ from the Emperor - Shahjahan. The emperor and his empress moved towards Maharashtra or Deccan in the year 1630 to supress Lodi Empire that was gaining strength at that time. This was the last journey that Mumtaz Mahal ever took. She breathed her last after delivering their 14th child (a daughter) in the city of Burhanpur in June 17, 1631. It is said that Mumtaz Mahal on her deathbed asked Shahjahan to create a symbol of their Love for its posterity, and her loyal husband accepted it immediately. Though, many historians do not agree with this story, saying that it was the grief-stricken emperor himself who decided to build the most memorable symbol of love in the world. -
Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings
An example of this last category could be “Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings” (fig. 10).7 At the center is Jahangir enthroned, his physiognomy in the strict profile known from many paintings and even — quite unusually — from gold coins. His head is the only one to be surrounded by a halo, and he is slight- ly larger than the other figures, a phenomenon that is called hierarchical or significance perspective. He is extending a book to Shaykh Husayn of the Chishti order, which played an essential role in the life of the imperial family. Below is an imaginary depiction of an Ottoman sultan, presumably inspired by a Euro- pean model, and in front is a portrait of King James I, copied directly from a contemporary painting brought to India by the English ambassador, Thom- as Roe. At the lower left-hand corner, Bichitr placed a portrait of himself, a custom that became common in the ensuing years, though often with these artist portraits more modestly included in the imperial of the same event from the time of Bahadur Shah (r. made at the Muslim courts could be harrowing in albums as margin decorations.8 A painting like this 1707–1712).10 their realism if the patron wished, and similar hor- one can be viewed as a kind of sophisticated propa- Jahangir, whose character is also familiar from rifying depictions from battlefields are also found in ganda, and this was true to an even greater extent in his autobiography, Jahangirnama or Tuzuk-i Jahangiri, some of the historical manuscripts of the period (e.g. -
Women at the Mughal Court Perception & Reality
Women at the Mughal Court Perception & Reality What assumptions or questions do you have about the women depicted in the following nine paintings? What was life like in the zenana or women’s quarters? How much freedom did they have? With our new online catalogue we are drawing attention to this under-explored area. We look at the fascinating lives and achievements of these women, and how they have been represented, or misrepresented. Women at the Mughal Court Perception & Reality When we look at cat. 1, ‘A Princess is attended by her Women’, one can imagine how such an image could be misinterpreted. For centuries, the women of the Mughal court and the space of the zenana (the women’s quarters of a household) in particular have often been neglected by art historians and represented by European visitors and later writers and artists in Orientalist terms. This is the idea of the ‘exotic’ harem as a place of purely sensuous languor, where thousands of nubile young women are imprisoned and lead restricted lives as sex objects, full of jealousy and frustration. As we might expect, the truth is far more complex, rich, and surprising. Certainly, as the wonderful details of cat. 1 attest, the highest-ranking women of this society enjoyed an extremely sophisticated luxury and beauty culture. Our princess’ every need is being attended to: women on the left bring her fruit and a covered cup with a drink; one woman shampoos her feet to cool them while others hold a peacock, a morchhal, attend the incense burner, and sing and play on the tambura as musical accompaniment. -
City Overview
Agra, India April 2018 City Overview Welcome to the amazing tourism city of the Taj Mahal - Agra, India. The seat of the great Mughal rulers for ages Agra, India offers its treasure trove for all the tourists from India and abroad. Even though Agra, India is synonymous with the Taj, the city stands in testimony to the great amount of architectural activity of the Mughals. TajMahal is the epitome of love, poem in white marble, one of the Seven Wonders of the World besides being the pride of India. In fact all the monuments of Agra, India have contributed to Agra Tourism. Terrific Agra Packages from us will ensure you plan your Agra Travel soon. Delhi to Agra to Jaipur make the famous Golden Triangle tour of India. 2 Your Trip: Your travel just pulled into the romantic city of Agra. Check out some of the things you saw while you were riding the train into the city. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMpV94vzSHA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5aw8DzYUa0 The first thing you want to do once you get to this amazing city is go check out the Taj Mahal! Make sure to spend plenty of time at this incredible building. Taj Mahal, "the epitome of love", is "a monument of immeasurable beauty". https://www.airpano.ru/files/Taj-Mahal-India/2-2 Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal of Agra is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, for reasons more than just looking magnificent. It's the history of Taj Mahal that adds a soul to its magnificence: a soul that is filled with love, loss, remorse, and love again. -
June 2019 Question Paper 01 (PDF, 3MB)
Cambridge Assessment International Education Cambridge Ordinary Level BANGLADESH STUDIES 7094/01 Paper 1 History and Culture of Bangladesh May/June 2019 1 hour 30 minutes Additional Materials: Answer Booklet/Paper *0690022029* READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST An answer booklet is provided inside this question paper. You should follow the instructions on the front cover of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet. Answer three questions. Answer Question 1 and two other questions. You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on each question. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question. This document consists of 9 printed pages and 3 blank pages. 06_7094_01_2019_1.2 © UCLES 2019 [Turn over 2 You must answer all parts of Question 1. 1 The Culture and Heritage of Bangladesh You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this question. (a) This question tests your knowledge. (i) Alaol was able to find work in the royal court of Arakan because: A he was well known as a poet B his father was well known by the court of Arakan C he was introduced to the people there by pirates D he had won a literary award [1] (ii) Scholars criticised Rabindranath Tagore because: A he wrote under a pen name B he did not focus on one subject C his poems were simple D he used colloquial language in his writing [1] (iii) Which of the following was not among Kazi Nazrul Islam’s accomplishments? A recording songs B painting pictures C creating stories D writing poems [1] (iv) Which of the following was written by Jasimuddin while he was a student? A Kabar (The Grave) B Rakhali (Shepherd) C Nakshi Kanthar Math D Bagalir Hashir Golpo [1] (v) Zainul Abedin’s paintings are known because of his use of which of the following characteristics? A Pastel colours B Circles C The black line D Symmetry [1] © UCLES 2019 06_7094_01_2019_1.2 3 (b) This question tests your knowledge and understanding. -
The Great Mughal Empire (1526-1707)
THE GREAT MUGHAL EMPIRE (152 6-1707) THE GREAT MUGHAL EMPERORS EMPEROR REIGN START REIGN END BABUR 1526 1530 HUMAYUN 1530 1556 AKBAR 1556 1605 JAHANGIR 1605 1627 SHAH JAHAN 1627 1658 AURANGZEB 1658 1707 BABUR Birth name:Zāhir ud-Dīn Maham Begum Mohammad Masumeh Begum Family name:Timurid Nargul Agacheh Title:Emperor of Mughal Sayyida Afaq Empire Zainab Sultan Begum Birth:February 14, 1483 Death:December 26, 1530 Children: Succeeded by:Humayun Humayun, son Marriage: Kamran Mirza, son Ayisheh Sultan Begum Askari Mirza, son Bibi Mubarika Yusufzay Hindal Mirza, son Dildar Begum Gulbadan Begum, daughter Gulnar Agacheh Fakhr-un-nisa, daughter Gulrukh Begum HUMANYUN Birth name: Nasiruddin Children: Akbar, son Humayun Muhammad Hakim, son Family name: Timurid Title: Emperor of Mughal Empire Birth: March 6, 1508 Place of birth: Kabul, Afghanistan Death: February 22, 1556 Succeeded by: Akbar Marriage: Hamida Banu Begum AKBAR Birth name: Jalaluddin Ruqayya Sultan Begum Muhammad Akbar Sakina Banu Begum Family name: Timurid Salima Sultan Begum Title: Emperor of Mughal Empire Children: Jahangir, son Shah Murad, son Birth: October 15, 1542 Danyal, son Place of birth: Umarkot, Shahzada Khanim, Sindh daughter Death: October 27, 1605 Shakarunnisa Begum, Succeeded by: Jahangir daughter Marriage: Jodhabai (?) or Aram Banu Begum, Jodhi Bibi daughter Mariam-uz-Zamani Ximini Begum, daughter JAHANGIR Birth name: Nuruddin Children: Nisar Begum, Jahangir daughter Family name: Timurid Khurasw, son Title: Emperor -
India Guidebook: Delhi, Agra & Taj Mahal
PREVIEWCOPY Introduction Previewing this book? Please check out our enhanced preview, which offers a deeper look at this guidebook. Delhi and Agra are the former capitals of Islamic dynasties that controlled much of the In- dian subcontinent from the 13th-19th centuries. Together, the cities hold an unrivaled col- lection of art and architecture: mosques with towering minarets that call the faithful to prayer; gardens with designs that recreate Quranic paradise; and tombs with inlaid stone decoration that spark contemplation of the divine. Not to mention the culmination of it all: the Mughal dynasty’s famed Taj Mahal, an “equal to it the eye of the Age has not seen under these nine vaults of the enamel-blue sky.” It is yours to discover. What’s in this guidebook • Art and architecture review. We provide an overview of Indian Islamic art and architec- ture, isolating trademark features that you will see again and again while touring Delhi and Agra. To make things come alive, we have packed our review with high-resolution images. • Tour of the highlights. Following our tradition of being the most valuable resource for culture-focused travelers, we offer a tour of Delhi and Agra’s greatest Islamic monuments (see itinerary below). For each, we reveal its most important architectural and decorative features and offer a discussion that ties it all together. • Advice for getting the best cultural experience. To help you plan your visit, this guide- book supplies logistical advice, maps and links to online resources. Plus, we give our personal tips for getting the most from your experience while on location.