Looking fram Agra Fort to The Taj Mahal: Musamman Burj and Palace

Baburids (Mughals) reigned in India for about three centuries, and they revealed unique buildings because of the mixture of their own culture and background and the local culture. In this period, “Jharokha-i Darshan,” meanly “Shah Bastions,” which had not been seen in Turkish – Islamic architecture...

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Main Author: Fadime Özler Kaya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Istanbul University Press 2022-07-01
Series:Art-Sanat
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Online Access:https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/6CACEC362C604C6FA2759231DABFC691
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author Fadime Özler Kaya
author_facet Fadime Özler Kaya
author_sort Fadime Özler Kaya
collection DOAJ
description Baburids (Mughals) reigned in India for about three centuries, and they revealed unique buildings because of the mixture of their own culture and background and the local culture. In this period, “Jharokha-i Darshan,” meanly “Shah Bastions,” which had not been seen in Turkish – Islamic architecture before, were built. When these buildings are examined, it is understood that there is an influence of Hindu tradition. Firstly, the Shah Burj in Agra Fort, Musamman Burj, which is known commonly, was built, and it became an example for the Shah Bastions in other Mughal forts with its architecture and decorative features. Shah bastions were built for the rulers due to their strategic locations. Shah Jahan built a palace for his wife Mumtaz Mahal attached to Musamman Burj, and he expressed this in Padshahnama clearly. However, the intertwining of the palace and the Burj made it inevitable the spread of the mistake that not Musamman Palace, but Musamman Burj was built for Mumtaz Mahal. In addition, another important point of Musamman Burj and Palace is that Shah Jahan was held captive here by his son Aurangzeb. Contrary to general belief, it was not a prison but the harem room where Shah Jahan lived with Mumtaz Mahal in his reign and the place from where he could see the Taj Mahal even on his deathbed. This research was conducted through the period’s resources (travels and miniatures), especially through Akbarnama and Padshahnama, current research studies and literature review field study. Thus,the place and importance of the construction period, intended purpose, and architectural and decorative features of Musamman Burj and Musamman Palace in Mughal period architecture have been presented in this study, which has an original theme.
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spelling doaj-art-1fef2f4af20c4a4db3d9781943892edc2025-08-20T03:09:31ZengIstanbul University PressArt-Sanat2148-35822022-07-011821924110.26650/artsanat.2022.18.983211123456Looking fram Agra Fort to The Taj Mahal: Musamman Burj and PalaceFadime Özler Kaya0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9241-9874Erciyes Üniversitesi, Kayseri, TurkiyeBaburids (Mughals) reigned in India for about three centuries, and they revealed unique buildings because of the mixture of their own culture and background and the local culture. In this period, “Jharokha-i Darshan,” meanly “Shah Bastions,” which had not been seen in Turkish – Islamic architecture before, were built. When these buildings are examined, it is understood that there is an influence of Hindu tradition. Firstly, the Shah Burj in Agra Fort, Musamman Burj, which is known commonly, was built, and it became an example for the Shah Bastions in other Mughal forts with its architecture and decorative features. Shah bastions were built for the rulers due to their strategic locations. Shah Jahan built a palace for his wife Mumtaz Mahal attached to Musamman Burj, and he expressed this in Padshahnama clearly. However, the intertwining of the palace and the Burj made it inevitable the spread of the mistake that not Musamman Palace, but Musamman Burj was built for Mumtaz Mahal. In addition, another important point of Musamman Burj and Palace is that Shah Jahan was held captive here by his son Aurangzeb. Contrary to general belief, it was not a prison but the harem room where Shah Jahan lived with Mumtaz Mahal in his reign and the place from where he could see the Taj Mahal even on his deathbed. This research was conducted through the period’s resources (travels and miniatures), especially through Akbarnama and Padshahnama, current research studies and literature review field study. Thus,the place and importance of the construction period, intended purpose, and architectural and decorative features of Musamman Burj and Musamman Palace in Mughal period architecture have been presented in this study, which has an original theme.https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/6CACEC362C604C6FA2759231DABFC691mughal empiremughal architectureagrashah jahanmusamman burj
spellingShingle Fadime Özler Kaya
Looking fram Agra Fort to The Taj Mahal: Musamman Burj and Palace
Art-Sanat
mughal empire
mughal architecture
agra
shah jahan
musamman burj
title Looking fram Agra Fort to The Taj Mahal: Musamman Burj and Palace
title_full Looking fram Agra Fort to The Taj Mahal: Musamman Burj and Palace
title_fullStr Looking fram Agra Fort to The Taj Mahal: Musamman Burj and Palace
title_full_unstemmed Looking fram Agra Fort to The Taj Mahal: Musamman Burj and Palace
title_short Looking fram Agra Fort to The Taj Mahal: Musamman Burj and Palace
title_sort looking fram agra fort to the taj mahal musamman burj and palace
topic mughal empire
mughal architecture
agra
shah jahan
musamman burj
url https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/6CACEC362C604C6FA2759231DABFC691
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