SSC-231

Academic TASK-2
Topic: MODERN PERIOD ARCHITECTURE-

POST MUGHAL S TYLE AND COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE

Name: Amandeep Singh
Reg.no:12014541
Roll NO: RQ4E85B45
SECTION: Q4E85
Date of allotment: 29 March, 2022
Date of submission: 8 April, 2022
Faculty member: Dr. Munmun Mondal
 CONTENTS

1. Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3
2. Post - Mughal Style------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
3. Avadh (Oudh) Style------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
4. Location of Avadh (Oudh) Style---------------------------------------------------------------- 5
5. Punjab Style of Architecture-------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
6. The Harimandir Sahib (GOLDEN TEMPLE)------------------------------------------------ 5
7. Sikh Gurdwaras------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6
8. Colonial Indian Architecture--------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
9. British Colonial Era: 1757–1947 (Indo-Saracenic )---------------------------------------- 7
10. Romanesque-Italianate -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
11. Neoclassical ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
12. Art Deco ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
13. Assam-type ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
14. Other Colonial Powers --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
15. Gothic Revival architecture----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
16. Bibliography------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11
17. Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11
 INTRODUCTION

The architecture of India is rooted in its history, culture and religion. Among a number of architectural
styles and traditions, the Hindu temple architecture, Rajput architecture and Hindoo architecture
architecture are the best known historical styles. Both of these, but especially the former, have a
number of regional styles within them. An early example of town planning was the Harappan
architecture of the Indus Valley Civilisation, whose people lived in cities with baked brick houses, streets
in a grid layout, elaborate drainage systems, water supply systems, granaries, citadels, and some non-
residential buildings. Much other early Indian architecture was in wood, which has not survived.

Hindu temple architecture is mainly divided into the Dravidian style of the south and the Nagara style of
the north, with other regional styles. Housing styles also vary between regions, partly depending on the
different climates.

The first major Islamic kingdom in India was the Delhi Sultanate, which led to the development of Indo-
Islamic architecture, combining Indian and Islamic features. The rule of the Mughal Empire, when
Mughal architecture evolved, is regarded as the zenith of Indo-Islamic architecture, with the Taj Mahal
being the high point of their contribution. Indo-Islamic architecture influenced the Rajput and Sikh styles
as well.

During the British colonial period, European styles including neoclassical, gothic revival, and baroque
became prevalent across India. The amalgamation of Indo-Islamic and European styles led to a new
style, known as the Indo-Saracenic style. After independence, modernist ideas spread among Indian
architects as a way of progressing from the colonial culture. Le Corbusier, who designed the city of
Chandigarh influenced a generation of architects towards modernism in the 20th century. The economic
reforms of 1991 further bolstered the urban architecture of India as the country became more
integrated with the world's economy. Traditional Vastu Shastra remains influential in India's architecture
during the contemporary era.

Features

Mughal architecture incorporates Hindu elements with Persian and Islamic elements. Some features
common to many buildings are: Large bulbous onion domes, sometimes surrounded by four smaller
domes.

 Use of white marble and red sandstone.

 Use of delicate ornamentation work, including pachin kari decorative work and jali-latticed screens.
 Monumental buildings surrounded by gardens on all four sides.
 Mosques with large courtyards.
 Persian and Arabic calligraphic inscriptions, including verses from the Quran.
 Large gateways leading up to the main building.
 Iwans on two or four sides.
 Use of decorative chhatris.
 Use of jalis and jharokhas.
Mughal architecture has also influenced later Indian architectural styles, including the Indo-Saracenic
style of the British Raj, the Rajput style and the Sikh style.
 Post - Mughal Style

Mughal architecture, building style that flourished in northern and central India under the
patronage of the Mughal emperors from the mid-16th to the late 17th century. The Mughal
period marked a striking revival of Islamic architecture in northern India. Under the patronage of
the Mughal emperors, Persian, Indian, and various provincial styles were fused to produce
works of unusual quality and refinement.

The tomb of the emperor Humāyūn (begun 1564) at Delhi inaugurated the new style, though it
shows strong Persian influences. The first great period of building activity occurred under the
emperor Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) at Agra and at the new capital city of Fatehpur Sikri, which
was founded in 1569. The latter city‘s Great Mosque (1571; Jami Masjid), with its monumental
Victory Gate (Buland Darzawa), is one of the finest mosques of the Mughal period. The great
fort at Agra (1565–74) and the tomb of Akbar at Sikandra, near Agra, are other notable
structures dating from his reign. Most of these early Mughal buildings use arches only sparingly,
relying instead on post-and-lintel construction. They are built of red sandstone or white marble.

Avadh (Oudh) Style:

During the later half of the 18th century and

the first half of the 19th century, a distinct
form of architecture flourished under the
Nawabs of Avadh (Oudh), whose first
manifestation was noticed in the form of
Safdar Jung‟s Tomb, built in 1753 A.D. by
Mirza Mansoor Khan in the honour of Safdar
Jung (1739-1753), who was a nephew of the
first Nawab of Oudh. The city of Lucknow
witnessed large building enterprises under
Nawab Asif-ud-Daula (1775-1795 A.D.), most
aptly represented by the „Bara Imambara‟
built in 1784 A.D. Absence of pillars in the main hall and simplicity of style and symmetry
are its unique features. On the western side of the Bara Imambara is the „Rumi Darwaza‟ in
which ornamental designs radiate from the base to the top on both sides in a most
expressive manner. The „Chota Imambara‟ or „Husainabad Imambara‟ built by Muhammad
Ali Shah as his tomb, and the „Shahnajaf Imambara‟, housing the tomb of Nawab
Ghaziuddin Haidar are other note-worthy buildings following this style of architecture.

Towards the middle of the 19th century, the architectural style of Avadh began to be
impregnated with elements from European sources. Major General Claude Martin (1735-
1800 A.D.) built a large and pretentious building at Lucknow, known as “Constantia”, which
was one of the first large buildings of the European style built in North India. This building
set the tone for the development of a hybrid style of architecture in Lucknow depicting a
degenerative combination of the Mughal and Gothic styles. The best examples of this style
of architecture are the „Chattar Manzil‟ built by Nawab Naziruddin Haider and the „Kaiser
Bagh‟ built by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah between 1845 and 1850. The „Roshanwali Koti‟ and the
„Begum Koti‟ at Hazratgunj are other buildings where the Italian style is more prominent.

Location of Avadh (Oudh) Style

Awadh, also spelled Avadh, also called Oudh, historic region

of northern India, now constituting the northeastern portion of
Uttar Pradesh state.

Awadh is situated in the heavily populated heart of the Indo-

Gangetic Plain and is known for its rich alluvial soils. It
received its name from Ayodhya, the capital of the ancient
kingdom of Kosala, which was nearly coextensive with
present-day Awadh. It was taken by Muslim invaders in the
12th century and became part of the Mughal Empire in the
16th century. British interest in Awadh began in the 1760s,
and after 1800 they exercised increasing control there. It was annexed (as Oudh) by the British
in 1856, an action that greatly angered Indians and which has been cited as a cause of the
Indian Mutiny (1857–58), the largest Indian rebellion against British rule. Lucknow, the region‘s
most populous city, was the scene of much fighting during the unsuccessful revolt. In 1877 the
British-controlled Oudh region was joined with Agra to form the United Provinces of Agra and
Oudh. After India‘s independence in 1947 that territory became part of Uttar Pradesh.

PUNJAB STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE

In Punjab a distinct style of architecture developed under the influence of the Mughal style. It
was characterised by certain indigenous features like the multiplicity of ‗chattris‘ or kiosks, the
use of fluted dome generally covered with copper or brass-gilt and enrichment of arches by
numerous foliations. This architecture was best manifested in the ‗Golden Temple‘ at Amritsar,
built in 1764 by the fourth Sikh Guru Ramdas.

THE HARIMANDIR SAHIB (GOLDEN TEMPLE):

When coming across the terms Sikh art and

architecture, there is one building which seems
unanimous in all minds- the Harimandir Sahib
(otherwise known as the Golden Temple), in Amritsar,
Punjab. And indeed, art according to the Sikh mind can
be seen as culminating through- this amazing structure.
Although some have interpreted the Golden Temple as
a later form imitating the Mughal style of architecture,
what it represents in fact, is both Muslim and Hindu
forms of art and architecture, as it truly is the most
striking example of the hybridity in terms of Sikhs bringing together the most significant aspects
of Muslim and Hindu styles of architecture. And what are these unique and amazing features?
 To begin with, the very crux of the temple itself arises
from the big tank, or ―waters of life‖ area which was
originally located by the first Sikh Guru, Guru
NankDevJi, as being a majestic site for reflection and
meditation. From this one spot, the shrine itself
sprouted, much like a lotus flower as it is often
described as, upon which its entire glorious reflection
can be seen in the crystal clear waters. The exterior of
the shrine itself is covered entirely with golden plates
and marble, whereas the inside is covered with fresco
paintings, detailed designs of art inlaid in marble, of
varying textures, colors, and hues. The two storied shrine is topped by a golden dome which is
also designed to resemble the lotus symbol. Once inside, and past the large hall, is where the
presence of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji emanates, resting under a fully and gorgeously decorated
canopy. And yet, although the golden aspect of the shrine itself is what amazes most, it is the
architectural layout of its surroundings which is just as impressive. The entrance gate to the
temple for example, which is comprised of the models of Rajput and Bengal Mughal Chhatri
style, is 10 feet by 8 feet piece embossed with panels in which the backside is decorated with
glorious ivory artwork consisting of images such as birds, lions, tigers, etc. The art itself which is
contained within the Golden Temple also reflects the diverse and open nature of Sikhism as it
consists of Hindu mythological themes, as well as including Rajput, Persian, and Mughal
influences. It is indeed no wonder that the Golden Temple incorporates such intrinsic
architecture and art, all the way down to the minutest details. As the key site for Sikh religious
spirituality, its historic beginnings and its gorgeous displays hold deep meaning and connections
to Sikhs and even non-Sikhs around the world.

SIKH GURDWARAS:

As can be seen with the architectural layout of the Harimandir Sahib, every gurdwara in the
world has its own specific qualities which are significant to Sikhism. One such quality seen in
any Sikh Gurdwara is that there are entrances on all four sides, which signify the Sikh belief that
all peoples of the world are welcome in any gurdwara in the world, regardless of their sex,
caste, creed, or religion. Just as there are four entrances in a gurdwara, so does each gurdwara
contain a ―deorhi,‖ or entrance gateway. The ―deorhi‖ itself is an impressive structure and large
in size as it often serves as an office or ―daftar.‖ In terms of the overall shapes of the gurdwara‘s
around the world, there are four basic shape types: the square, the rectangular, the octagonal,
and the cruciform. In terms of overall size in a storey, gurdwara‘s can range from one to nine
storeys in length. One significant quality which all gurdwara‘s have is the dome on the very top.
Most often white in colour, the domes sometimes may be outlined in brass or a copper-gilt
shielding. In any case, the dome may also sprout from a floral base, much like Mount Kailasa in
the Hindu tradition.
 COLONIAL INDIAN ARCHITECTURE

Indo-Islamic architecture influenced the Rajput and Sikh styles as well.During the British colonial
period, European styles including neoclassical, gothic revival, and baroque became prevalent
across India. The amalgamation of Indo-Islamic and European styles led to a new style, known
as the Indo-Saracenic style. After independence, modernist ideas spread among Indian
architects as a way of progressing from the colonial culture. Le Corbusier, who designed the city
of Chandigarh influenced a generation of architects towards modernism in the 20th century. The
economic reforms of 1991 further bolstered the urban architecture of India as the country
became more integrated with the world's economy. Traditional Vastu Shastra remains influential
in India's architecture during the contemporary era.

Prominent Features

The Indo-Saracenic features stand apart; they are : Minarets, Harem Windows, Open Pavilions,
Pierced Open Arcading, Domed Kiosks, Many Miniature Domes, or Domed Chhatris, Towers
impressive Onion (Bulbous) Domes Overhanging Eaves, Pointed Arches, Cusped Arches, or
Scalloped Arches Vaulted Roofs. colonnaded balcony, Chattris & Chajjas in red sandstone.

This style of architecture was particularly common for public buildings such as governmental
offices, courts, railway stations and museums. By appropriating elements from the local past
into these buildings of colonial authority and modernity, the British were positioning themselves
as the natural continuation of the line of Indian rulers.

British Colonial Era: 1757–1947

Indo-Saracenic

 Britain's legacy and heritage in the Indian subcontinent remains among others in buildings
and infrastructure. The major cities during the period of British rule were Madras (Chennai),
Calcutta, Bombay (Mumbai), New Delhi, Agra, Bangalore, Bankipore, Karachi, Nagpore,
Bhopal& Hyderabad, which saw the rise of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture.
 Black Town described in 1855 as "the minor streets, occupied by the natives are numerous,
irregular and of various dimensions. Many of them are extremely narrow and ill-ventilated ...
a hallow square, the rooms opening into a courtyard in the centre." Garden houses were
originally used as weekend houses for recreational use by the upper class British.
Nonetheless, the garden house became ideal a full-time dwelling, deserting the fort in the
19th Century.
 Mumbai (Bombay) has some of the most prominent examples of British colonial architecture.
This included the gothic revival (Victoria terminus, University of Bombay, Rajabai Clock
Tower, Bombay High Court, BMC Building), Indo-Saracenic (Prince of Wales Museum,
Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel) and Art Deco (Eros Cinema, New India
Assurance Building).
 Madras and Calcutta were similarly bordered by water and division of Indian in the north and
British in the south. An Englishwoman noted in 1750 "the banks of the river are as one may
 say absolutely studded with elegant mansions called here as at Madras, garden houses."
Esplanade-row is fronts the fort with lined palaces.Indian villages in these areas consisted of
clay and straw houses which later transformed into the metropolis of brick and stone.The
Chepauk Palace in the city, designed by Paul Benfield, is said to be the first Indo-Saracenic
building in India. Since then, many of the colonial-era buildings in the city were designed in
this style of architecture, which is most apparent around the Fort St George built in 1640.
Most of these were designed by English architects Robert Fellowes Chisholm and Henry
Irwin. The best examples of this style include the Madras High Court (built in 1892),
Southern Railway headquarters, Ripon Building, Government Museum, Senate House of the
University of Madras, Amir Mahal, Bharat Insurance Building, Victoria Public Hall and the
College of Engineering. The Triumph of Labour, also known as the Labour statue, at the
Marina Beach is an important landmark of Madras.
 Indo-Saracenic architecture evolved by combining Indian architectural features with
European styles. Vincent Esch and George Wittet were pioneers in this style. The Victoria
Memorial in Calcutta is the most effective symbolism of British Empire, built as a monument
in tribute to Queen Victoria's reign. The plan of the building consists of one large central part
covered with a larger dome. Colonnades separate the two chambers. Each corner holds a
smaller dome and is floored with marble plinth. The memorial stands on 26 hectares of
garden surrounded by reflective pools.
 The period of British rule saw wealthy Bengali families (especially zamindar estates)
employing European firms to design houses and palaces. The Indo-Saracenic movement
was strongly prevalent in the region. While most rural estates featured an elegant country
house, the cities of Calcutta had widespread 19th and early 20th century urban architecture,
comparable to London, Sydney or Auckland. Art deco influences began in Calcutta in the
1930s

Romanesque-Italianate

The Italianate architectural style was popularised in early Victorian Britain and subsequently
became an attractive form adopted in India in the later parts of the 19th century. The main
characteristics of this style include imposing cornice structures, prominent cornice and
corbels, Roman arches, arch headed or pedimented windows, flat or ‗hip‘ roof, and windows
with distinctive moulded caps. The one outstanding building in this class was the East Indian
Railway Head Offices at Calcutta built in 1884.

Neoclassical

Neoclassical buildings are characterized by their magnificence of scale,

the prominent use of columns, the use of geometric forms and symmetry,
predominantly blank walls and the triangular pediment. Some large private
houses were built in and around Kolkata by wealthy merchants. Examples
of Neoclassical architecture in Indian public buildings include the British
Residency, Hyderabad (1798) and Falaknuma Palace (1893) in Hyderabad, St Andrews
Church in Madras (1821), Raj Bhawan (1803) and Metcalfe Hall (1844) in Kolkata, and
Bangalore Town Hall (1935) in Bangalore.
Art Deco

The Art Deco movement of the early 20th century quickly spread to
large parts of the world. The Indian Institute of Architects, founded in
Bombay in 1929, played a prominent role in propagating the movement.
Guided by their desire to emulate the west, the Indian architects were
fascinated by the industrial modernity that Art Deco offered. The
western elites were the first to experiment with the technologically
advanced facets of Art Deco, and architects began the process of
transformation by the early 1930s.

Mumbai has the world's second-largest collection of Art Deco structures, after Miami. The
New India Assurance Building, Eros Cinema and buildings along the Marine Drive in
Mumbai are prime examples.

In Kolkata, the sole example of the Art Nouveau style, which preceded Art Deco, is the
Esplanade Mansions opposite the Raj Bhavan, built in 1910.

Assam-type

Assam-type architecture is found in Assam and Sylhet region. The houses constructed
using this style are generally termed as Assam-type houses, consisting usually one or more
storeys. The houses are built to be earthquake proof, and are made from materials ranging
from wood and bamboo to steel and concrete.

Assam Type houses are a type of designs developed by the colonial British administration in
Assam after the massive earthquake of 1897. British engineers modified the traditional
Assamese houses made from mud-plastered bamboo walls and thatched roofs to make
Assam Type houses with wood, reed, mud plaster and hay after studying the climate and
topography of the entire region.

Buildings are constructed on both flat and sloped terrains. On flat grounds, the buildings are
typically rectangular or L or C layout. On other surfaces, such as highlands, they are usually
rectangular in shape, accessed via the hillside. The roof is typically erected by high gables
to overcome heavy rainfall in the region, where walls are usually timber-framed, plastered
with cement. With high ceilings and well-ventilated rooms, the floorings are either wooden or
concrete with tiled, mosaic or stone surfacing with stilts.
Other Colonial Powers

 Among the other European colonies were Portuguese

Goa and Damaon and Portuguese Bombay and Bassein. The
Madh Fort, St. John the Baptist Church & Castella de Aguada in
Bombay are remnants of Portuguese colonial rule. The
Churches and convents of Goa, an ensemble of seven churches
built by the Portuguese in Goa are a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
 The Portuguese were among the first European traders to discover the sea route to India as
early as 1498. The first Portuguese encounter with the subcontinent was on 20 May 1498
AD, when Vasco da Gama reached Calicut on the coast of the Malabar region.
 The settlements along the Hooghly river — a branch of the Ganges — attracted maritime
traders from as many European nations, turning that part of Bengal into a little Europe. The
Portuguese set up post at Bandel, the Danish at Serampore, the Dutch at Chinsurah and the
French at Chandernagore. A British military base came up in Barrackpore. Thus influencing
neighbouring regions' architecture to create a distinct indo-colonial architecture.

 The history of Pondicherry is recorded only after the arrival of Dutch, Portuguese, British and
French traders. In 1674 the French East India Company set up a trading centre at
Pondicherry and this outpost eventually became the administrative centre of French
settlements in India. The city has many colonial buildings, churches, temples and statues
which, combined with the town planning and French style avenues in the old part of town,
still preserve much of the colonial ambiance.

Gothic Revival architecture

Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or

Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in
England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first
half of the 19th century, as increasingly serious and learned admirers of
the neo-Gothic styles sought to revive medieval Gothic architecture,
intending to complement or even supersede the neoclassical styles
prevalent at the time. Gothic Revival draws upon features of medieval
examples, including decorative patterns, finials, lancet windows, and
hood moulds. By the middle of the 19th century, Gothic had become the
preeminent architectural style in the Western world, only to fall out of fashion in the
1880s and early 1890s.
 Bibliography
WEBSITES:-

1. https://www.britannica.com/art/Mughal-architecture
2. https://www.caleidoscope.in/art-culture/a-look-at-british-colonial-architecture-in-
india-part-i
3. Wikipedia
4. Youtube Videos
5. culturopedia.com

BOOKS:-
6. Stories of the Colonial Architecture: (Kolkata –Colombo) Kindle Edition by
Lopamudra Maitra Bajpai

7. Majesty of Mughal Decoration: Art Architecture And Style Of Islamic

India Hardcover – 30 October 2007 by George Michell

CONCLUSION
This post mughal style discusses the final phase of the decline of the Mughal empire in
the eighteenth century. It argues that this decline was manifested in Awadh and Punjab
in a kind of political transformation, in the emergence and configuration of the elements
of the new subadari. The Mughal centre had transformed from a stabilizing force to a
destabilizing arena with the weakening of imperial authority, administration and
wrangling at the court. However, as the beginnings of the new subadari are to be seen
more in the context of the history of the region, the developments in and around Awadh
and the Punjab provide explanation for its stability or weakness in these provinces. The
alliances forged, between the Mughal state and the nobles on the one hand and the old
zamindars and local elements had always been uneasy. Now with the weakening of the
Mughal power, the provincial governors tried to strike alliances with the local elements.
Now with the weakening of the Mughal power, the provincial governors tried to strike
alliances with the local elements. While the alliance with the local elements was
successful in Awadh, it failed in Punjab primarily because of the growing consolidation
of the Sikh movement, which considered the Mughal system as such to be tyrannical.
The genesis for the emergence of ‗the successor state‘ was present in both provinces,
but in the Punjab it ended in chaos while Awadh saw a stable, dynastic rule.
The India of today is also a product of the decade of colonialism in some ways. And
although colonial architecture might be just one piece of the puzzle it remains
undeniable that its influence is by no means trivial since the output changed Indian
landscape. It is fair to say that India has struggled with the colonial heritage in order to
find its post-colonial identity. While political experts agree that India has developed
dynamically, architecture critics point out architectural development did not quite so - at
least not at the same pace. Whilst early bungalows used to have stretched, low classical lines
all over them, the later ones featured pitched roofs and richly carpentered details including due
to the Gothic background of the Victorian age. Ever since, fusion has been a consistent
feature of both modern Indian architecture and very classic European architecture.