Indian antiquity
We know about 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 have no monuments to Aryan art. This absence opens the door to all manner of speculation about these famous invaders, who are thought to have arrived in the north-west of the peninsula from the 17th century BC onwards. As the Vedic religion was limited to sacrifices, the Aryans probably built only simple altars, perhaps housed in wooden or earthen temples. With the rise of Buddhism came stone constructions, stupas and columns erected by the emperor Ashoka to publish his edicts (3rd century BC). The great stūpa of Sanchi, 50 km from Bhopal, is India's oldest stone Buddhist sanctuary. Built 3 millennia ago, it is still standing and bears witness to the origins of Buddhist architecture. However, the first statues of the Buddha only saw the light of day at the beginning of our era, in Afghanistan near Kandahar ("Greco-Buddhist" Gandhara school) and at Mathura in the present-day Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, under the Kushan dynasty (1st-3rd century). Afghan artists, distant descendants of the sculptors who arrived with Alexander the Great, preserved a finesse of execution that would influence later Hindu art, particularly in Rajasthan.
The Mughal Age
The establishment 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 rich ornamentation of the first buildings. Koranic verses engraved in stone replaced 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 new dynasty's power. The minaret is built of red sandstone, the result of the destruction of Jain and Hindu temples. Richly decorated with geometric motifs and Koranic 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 a must-see. It is the oldest mosque in the country. Gradually, the Iranian influence began to make itself felt, especially after the arrival of the Mughals in the 16th century. The powerful dynasty brought numerous artists from Iran. The city is remarkable for the splendour of its tombs. Despite the Koranic ban on depictions of living beings, the emperors Humayum and above all Akbar, the lover of letters and the arts, encouraged the development of miniatures, also inspired by Iran. The Mughal school mainly featured court scenes evoking a lifestyle far removed from Islamic rigor. Shah Jahan's reign saw the construction of the Lal Qila (Red Fort), a flamboyant citadel named after its imposing red sandstone walls, and the Jama Masjid (Delhi's great mosque). India's largest mosque, covered in red sandstone and marble, and the Red Fort (a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2007), reveal the splendor of the Mughal dynasty. But the pinnacle of Mughal architecture came with the construction of the Taj Mahal in Agra.
The Taj Mahal, a masterpiece of Mughal art. Listed as one of the 7 Wonders of the World and a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Taj Mahal is the country's most emblematic monument, known the world over. 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 on 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 build the greatest masterpiece of Mughal art, at the crossroads of Islamic, Iranian, Ottoman and Indian architecture. While the mausoleum, completed in 1648, remains the most famous element, the Taj Mahal is a complex of buildings, gardens, water features and fountains, divided into 3 perfectly symmetrical sections oriented on a south-north axis, offering visitors a natural and spiritual progression. The first part, to the south, is the inner courtyard. Known as the Jilaukhana, this Mughal architectural element represents a transitional space. It is the antechamber of purification between the outside world, embodied by the city, and the second section, made up of gardens that symbolize paradise, the spiritual life. Surrounded by lawns, 4 pavilions stand at the corners, including the mausoleums of Shah Jahan's first two wives 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 marks this passageway to paradise. 11 domes framed by two masts surmount this iwan (doorway found in Persian architecture) with its magnificently crafted marquetry. The building is surrounded by two octagonal towers, giving it a military appearance. The second part consists of the Taj Mahal's gardens, known as Chahar bagh. In these Persian gardens with their strong Muslim influence, everything is as perfect as in paradise: the lawns, the symmetry and the layout of the various elements. The Taj Mahal is reflected in the 4 water features. Finally, the3rd and last section to the north is the most sacred. On this large 10,000m2 marble platform, known as the Chameli Farsh, at a height of 7 metres, you'll find the mosque on the right and Jawab, the guest pavilion, on the left. The famous mausoleum, finely chiselled in white marble and inlaid with precious stones, is set on another perfectly square terrace, and is so sumptuous that it resembles a palace. Surmounted by an immense bulbous central dome, and despite its impressive proportions, it is harmonious and extremely light thanks to the finesse of its facades carved by the iwans, giant ogive-shaped porches. A high, protective rectangular rampart encircles the whole. The northern part of the enclosure, facing the river, is inlaid with very fine decorations, also in white marble.
The Rajput period
The Rajput rulers were soon 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 halls and women's quarters(zenana).
One of the hallmarks of Rajput architecture, this time borrowed from the Mughals, is the use of curved-roof pavilions(chhatri), found in palaces as well as cenotaphs and funerary monuments. The local bourgeoisie also embarked on the construction of magnificent family homes(haveli), sometimes rivalling the splendour of royal palaces. Featuring numerous windows and openwork partitions like moucharabiehs, these opulent homes benefit from natural ventilation. The finest facades disappear behind jharokhās (loggias), themselves adorned with fine jalis (openwork stone screens serving as windows). Even wells were enriched with chhatri and sometimes cleverly arranged staircases (known as baori). From the 17th century onwards, wealthy merchants from 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 advances introduced by the West (automobiles, phonographs, sewing machines).
The Palace of the Winds, a splendor of Rajput architecture. Its silhouette is the most famous in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. In 1799, maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of the city's founder, ordered the construction of this edifice based on plans by architect Lal Chand Ustad. Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) is dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna, and its architecture is based on the model of Lord Krishna's crown. Matching the colors of the pink buildings in Jaipur, nicknamed the "Pink City", the red and pink sandstone lends great charm to its facade, whose shades change with the sun. The Palace of the Winds owes its name to its numerous openings, which allow air to circulate using the venturi effect. The fountains in the inner courtyard also keep it cool. It was the summer residence of the maharajas. This 15-metre-high pyramidal palace is adorned with 61 delicately sculpted oriels (relief windows). Resembling a beehive with its 953 small honeycombed windows, each window called a jharokhā is fitted with a lattice allowing the women of the harem to look out unseen as they strictly observe the purdah (curtain) rules of covering their faces.
The hill forts of Rajasthan. Unesco listed 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 centers of court culture and patronage of the arts. These 6 forts are architectural manifestations of Rajput valor, bravery, feudalism and cultural traditions. Originally built in strategic locations to protect garrisons, these forts also housed palaces and urban centers.
- Amber Fort: located 11 km from Jaipur, its construction in pink sandstone and white marble began in 1592, under Raja Man Singh I, and was completed 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, this is one of the oldest forts in Rajasthan. Its 76 m-high ramparts stretch for over 5 km, and 99 bastions were built to defend the fortress and keep an eye on comings and goings in the Thar desert.
- Chittorgarh Fort: one of the largest in India, it could accommodate an army of 50,000 men. Very few of the 130 temples that once stood here remain. The 37-metre-high Stambha Vijay (Victory Tower) still stands proudly as a symbol of the city of Chittor.
- Kumbhalgarh Fort: 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 between 1443 and 1458 on several hilltops, the fort offers magnificent views of the Aravalli range.
- Ranthambore Fort: located within the Ranthambore National Park, more popular with foreign visitors for its tigers than for its fort. Nevertheless, it attracts many Indian pilgrims, particularly at Ganesh Chaturthi time (early September), as the fort houses the only temple dedicated to the elephant god in Rajasthan.
- Gagron Fort: the least well known and least visited of all, it's no less interesting for all that. It took 700 years to build, between the 7th and 14th centuries. Built at the confluence of two rivers, it is protected by a natural moat on three of its sides.
The British influence
The arrival of the British in Rajasthan in the early 19th century gave rise to new aspirations among the wealthy classes and, of course, the maharajas. Taking advantage of the Pax Britannica, they were able to forget their military worries and concentrate on designing new palaces. This was Indo-Saracenic (or Anglo-Indian) architecture, boldly blending Victorian and Gothic styles from Europe with Rajput and Mughal influences: poly-lobed arches, chhatri (pavilion- or dome-shaped Indian structures) as well as Gothic windows and clock towers seeming to escape from the London fog. The English architect Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob (1841-1917) was responsible for many of the 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", Rambagh Palace is the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. The first building, constructed 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 become a true palace of 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 Jaipur's oldest museum. You can even see an Egyptian mummy here. In Bikaner, the Lalgarh Palace, built between 1902 and 1926 for Ganga Singh, the maharaja of Bikaner, is splendid. Built from red sandstone, its stones come from the great Thar Desert, and its shades change with the passing of the day. During the British India period, East India Company officials stayed in this palace, which blends Mughal art, a Rajput structure and European models. Part of the palace still belongs to the princely family of maharaja Ganga Singh, while the other part 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, Ajmer's Mayo College is modelled on British boarding schools, in particular the prestigious Eton College, one of Britain's most prestigious public schools. Major Mant, a military architect, was in charge of the work, using the same marble as that used to build the Taj Mahal. 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 in the Indo-Saracenic style, incorporating Hindu, Islamic and European architectural elements to symbolize the harmony between the different communities.
Delhi
From 1927, the colonial administration commissioned British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker to draw up 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 are built in beige and pink sandstone. The gardens are of Mughal inspiration. New Delhi was inaugurated on February 13, 1931. It was built on a radial plan around a central rotunda, Connaught Place, and surrounded by parks. The Viceroy's Palace (now the Rashtrapati Bhawan, or Palace of the President of the Republic) is inspired by Anglo-Indian architecture, but with a slightly more classic and majestic style. Some elements of the architecture of the ancient Buddhist era can be seen on the column capitals and the screen around the drum under the main dome. The period was also marked by the popularity of Art Deco, a style found on New Delhi's grand avenues as well as in hunting lodges lost in the Rajput countryside. The last great achievement of the colonial era, the superb Umaid Bhawan palace, in yellow Chittar sandstone, is nestled in the heart of a vast 10-hectare garden in Jodhpur. Visible from all over the city thanks to its impressive dome, the Umaid Bhawan Palace symbolizes the triumph of Art Deco, under the signature of architect H. V. Lanchester. In 1929, maharaja Umaid Singh laid the foundation stone for this 347-room palace, one wing of which is still inhabited by the royal family.
The great architects of Delhi
Shah Jahan (1592-1666). The Mughal emperor left an indelible imprint on the city, with the Old Delhi district being named after him. He also built the Red Fort and the great Jama Masjid mosque, two of Delhi's most important and emblematic monuments.
Edwin Lutyens (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 lost their lives in the First World War.
Baldeodas Birla (1863-1956). From one of India's most influential families, this Indian entrepreneur designed the Laxmi Narayan Mandir between 1933 and 1939.
Joseph Allen Stein (1912-2001). From 1955 onwards, this American architect was head of the architecture department at the Bengal Engineering College in Calcutta. He contributed to Delhi's architectural boom in the second half of the 20th century. He is notably credited with the India Habitat Center and the India International Center.
Fariborz Sahba (b. 1948). An Iranian architect of the Baha'i faith, he designed the Lotus Temple in 1986. Also known as the Bahá'í House of Worship, this Baha'i temple is open to all religions.
