Indo-Saracenic Architectural Heritage
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International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Volume 118 No. 22 2018, 1737-1742 ISSN: 1314-3395 (on-line version) url: http://acadpubl.eu/hub Special Issue ijpam.eu A STUDY ON INDO-SARACENIC ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE J. Sheeba 1, John T. Mesiah Dhas 2 Associate Professor Mohamed Sathak A.J Academy of Architecture 1, RVS Padmavathi College of Engineering &Technology 2, Chennai [email protected] 1, [email protected] 2 Abstract: Indo-Saracenic (from Saracen, an archaic with its Arches and Beams, which flourished under name for Muslims used by the British), also known as Mughal patronage and by incorporating elements of Indo- Gothic was a style of Architecture used by British Indian architecture especially Rajasthan Temple Architects in the late 19th century in India. Indo- architecture ( chattris ). Saracenic Architecture was an effort to merge British Indian touch gave rise to new architecture of Indo- and Indian aspirations after 1858 and to show that how Saracenic style of Architecture. The hybrid combined despite being an Imperial power, the British in India diverse architectural elements of Hindu and Mughal were part of the Indian milieu. It also aroused Indian’s with cusped arches, domes, spires, tracery, minarets interest in their own history. The Indo-Saracenic and stained glass, in a wonderful manner. movement began in the 1870’s. An attempt at creating The buildings built in India by Indo- Saracenic style of authority through classical prototypes and the latter architecture were built according to advanced British phase moving towards the Colonial Architecture. It is structural engineering standards of the 1800's including more classical than Gothic. The Indo-Saracenic is a infrastructures of iron, steel and poured concrete. These mixture of Indian and Islamic Architecture but type of buildings were employed with domes, pointed remained British in spatial Organization and arch, vaulted roofs, pinnacles, minarets, pierced open composition. Buildings built in this style were usually arcade and open pavilions.It is an indispensable grand public buildings such as clock towers, court overview to one of civilizations most resplendent houses, civic and municipal buildings, Government artistic traditions. colleges, Town halls, Railway stations, Museums and Art galleries. Few Architects of this style were: Robert 3. A Tradition Created: Indo-Saracenic Fellowes Chisholm, Henry Irwin, Edwin Lutyens and Architecture Under the Raj Charles Mant. A distinctive style of Indian architecture commonly Keywords: Indo-Saracenic, Indo-Gothic, Colonial, known as the 'Indo-Saracenic' – came of age. It has Gothic, Spatial Organization. been fashionable for British attempts to imitate in their buildings the traditional architectural styles of India. 1. Introduction Yet these British buildings still tell us much about how the British shaped India's conception of its past, and “Indigenous ethnic Architecture” The Indo-Saracenic how they turned India's architectural heritage to the Revival (also known as Indo-Gothic, Mughal-Gothic, service of the Raj. Neo-Mughal, Hindu-Gothic) was an Architectural style Much British building in India harked back to movement by British Architects in the late 19 th century Western classical models, for the 'eternal principles' in British India. It drew elements from native Indo- and ordered beauty' of these buildings embodied, as Islamic and Indian Architecture and combined it with Herbert Baker argued, 'eminently the qualities of law, the Gothic revival and Neo-Classical styles favored in order, and good government' which the British held out Victorian Britain. Saracenic was a term used by the to their Indian subjects. But the British sought as well Ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert to place themselves in the line of the great Indian areas in and around the Roman Province of Arabia and empires of the past, and so, during the later decades of who were distinguished as Arabs. the 19 th century, set about creating a style of building Indian in appearance, but Western in function. 2. The Emergence of Indo-Saracenic Style This study and analysis of British emerged a composite architectural style fitted for modern building. The prevailing style of Architecture was Trabeate As precedent and justification for this 'reconstruction' employing pillars, beams and lintels. The Turkic of Indian architecture, the British looked back to the invaders brought in the Arcuate style of Construction work of the Mughal and other medieval Indian builders. 1737 International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue The architecture of those centuries they saw as a blend 16 th century- ThirmalaiNayakar Palace built of of Hindu and of Muslim elements; hence most Indo-Saracenic style with Arcaded Octagon wholly appropriately called 'Indo-Saracenic'. constructed of bricks and mortar supported by giant 12m tall round pillars. 4. Architecture as a Symbol of Power 17 th , 18 th centuries – British redesign of Fort St.George, Colonial Architecture spread by Nawabs Turbulent Islamic culture irrupting into the ancient exhibited institutional, civic and utilitarian buildings world of the Hindus and Jains was like an Earthquake. such as Post offices, railway stations, rest houses and The antagonism was fundamental: Hinduism venerates Government buildings. a thousand Gods; whereas the message of the Quran is 19 th century- Indo-Saracenic had become almost strictly monotheistic and the facades of Hindu temples universally accepted as the appropriate style for are covered with images celebrating the Gods of a substantial public building in India. Even in the far protean pantheon, while Muslims inspired the Ten south, in Madras, buildings as diverse in character as Commandments had established an iconic form of the Moore Market (1898) and the Victoria Memorial worship that rejected all images. Art Gallery (1906) conformed faithfully to its canons of HINDU ARCHITECTURE, with its temples taste. hollowed out of cliffs or built of worked stone, is based During the first decade of the 20 th century, on Traditional techniques derived from Timber however, architectural fashions were beginning to construction: piers and lintels are combined with change. So too was the political environment in which corbelling. MUSLIM ARCHITECTURE, on the other building took place. Curzon's vice-royalty (1898-1905) hand is based on arches, vaults built up of shaped foreshadowed the change. Despite his commitment to Voussoirs and domes on squinches. the preservation of India's architectural heritage, The introduction of these features into India Curzon never conceived that an Indian style could initiated a technological revolution. convey the spirit of British Imperialism. From the 12 th Century- INDO-MUSLIM ART outset he insisted that the soaring monument he PERSIAN BUILDERS- Masters in the Art of planned to commemorate Queen Victoria's reign must brickwork, made use of four-centered arches and of be in a European style. 'What I shall want', he wrote, domes. Persian influence is detectable between 12 th to 'will be a simple, severe, but noble Italian or Palladian 15 th centuries. The most characteristic element of building'. He brushed aside the objections of critics, Persian Architecture was the courtyard-plan mosque including the Governors of Madras and the United nor is the four-iwan scheme is nowhere seen. The iwan Provinces, and personally supervised the Architect (Sir with its pointed vault posed too many problems for William Emerson) he hired to design Calcutta's Hindu stone masons. Victoria Memorial Hall. In Europe too classical styles Brick was replaced by Ashlar, in the use of which were sweeping back into public favour. As Lutyens local builders excelled. Only the Arch and Vault which wrote in 1903, a decade before his appointment to New had initially defeated became widespread. After the Delhi throne of Akbar in the mid 15 th century, “A time of 'In architecture Palladio is the game!!... To the chaos” of rich creativity saw a profound revitalization average man it is dry bones, but under the hands of a of the form and aesthetic principles of Islamic Art Wren it glows and the stiff materials become as plastic This melded style reached its height in 17 th century clay.' Bijapur, if not even earlier, in the fifteenth-century New Delhi, the new capital constructed after 1912, Pathankindoms of Gaur and Mandu. The buildings of Indo-Saracenic architecture still left its mark on the this era, as contrasted with the ornate structures of later face of India. A vast array of buildings – government, rulers, were, in their view, 'more restrained and princely and commercial alike – remain to testify to its flexible’, simple yet dignified, eminently suited both to hold for nearly half a century over the Indian decorative elaboration and modern needs. subcontinent. In the process the Indo-Saracenic builders reshaped India's view of its architectural heritage. 5. Secular Style The Indo-Saracenic style gained further impetus from its close association with the Gothic. Though the India emerged in terms of scale and of its stylistic two had of course a wholly different origin, they shared features- SECULAR an exuberant surface decoration, arched gateways and Palace of JodhBai - Traditional Indian structural other features; and these provided sufficient superficial techniques are used with piers supporting lintels, similarity so that the taste for the one style reinforced braced by brackets and the carved decoration is similar the acceptability of the other. Indeed it was not to that of Hindu and Jain temples. All expresses uncommon to refer to the Indo-Saracenic as 'Eastern Akbar’s desire to marry the innovations of Islam with pointed or Gothic'. Nor were buildings which joined the ancestral customs of India. Gothic and 'Oriental' features at all rare. In Bombay and Madras especially, the predominant style for 1738 International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue government and commercial offices was, as one critic It was the official residence of the Nawab of described the Bombay Victoria Terminus, 'a free Arcot from 1768 to 1855.