Medieval India
Mughal Culture & Architecture Explained
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- Mughal Culture & Architecture Explained
- Introduction - Indian History
- Historical Sources (Literary & Archaeological Source)
- Human Evolution Pre-Historic Period
- The Stone Age/Lithic Age 30,00,000 BC to 1,000 BC
- 7 Highlights of India's Prehistoric Ages
- Origin & Culture of Aryans in Vedic India
- Mahajanapada Period (600 BC- 325 BC)
- Religious Movements (600 BC - 400 BC) – Jainism, Buddhism
- Maurya Period (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Post-Maurya/Pre-Gupta Period (185BC-319 AD)
- The Sangam Period (1st-3rd Century AD)
- The Gupta Period (319 AD - 540 AD)
- The Post-Gupta Period/Vardhana Dynasty (550 AD - 647 AD)
- Early Medieval Period: Rajputs to Cholas Overview
- History of Delhi Sultanate
- Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1565 AD)
- Religious Movements in 15th -16th Centuries
- Timeline of Mughal Period (1526-1857)
- Maratha State (1674-1720) and Maratha Confederacy (1720-1818)
- The Advent of the Europeans From (1498-1763)
- Expansion of British Power in India
- India’s Exploitation by the British Rule
- Socio-Religious Movements in 19th-20th Centuries
- Lower Caste/Caste Movements and Organisations
- Moderate Phase (1885-1905) - Indian National Congress
- Extremist Phase (1905-1917)
- The Gandhian Era: 1869–1948
- Miscellaneous - Indian History
- Brahmanic (Hindu) Texts
- Buddhist Texts and Jain Texts
- Historical and Semi-Historical Texts
- Biographical Texts - Indigenous Sources
- Greek Writers - Foreign Sources
- Chinese and Tibetan Writers
- Arabian & Arabic Writers
- Origin & Development of Indian Archaeology
- Inscriptions of Archaeological Sources
- Mauryan Inscriptions
- Post-Mauryan Inscriptions
- Gupta and Later Inscriptions in India
- South Indian Inscriptions
- Mesolithic Age in India (9,000 BC - 4,000 BC)
- Neolithic Age (7,000 BC - 1,000 BC)
- Neolithic Sites in India
- Chalco-Lithic Age (3,500 BC - 1,000 BC)
- Iron Age (1,000 BC–500 BC)
- Iron Using Cultures - Iron Age
- Harappan / Indus Civilization (2500 BC - 1750 BC)
- Vedic Culture (1500 BC – 600 BC)
- Rig Vedic/Early Vedic Period (1500 BC - 1000 BC)
- Later Vedic Period (1000 BC - 600 BC)
- Haryanka Dynasty (544 BC – 412 BC)
- Religious Movements of Jainism (600 BC - 400 BC)
- Religious Movements of Buddhism (600 BC - 400 BC)
- Maurya Period Sources (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Origin of the Maurya Dynasty (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Mauryan Administration & Art (322 BC - 155 BC)
- Gupta Administration: Society, Economy & Culture
- The Khilji Dynasty : 1290-1320 AD
- The Tughlaq Dynasty: 1320-1414 AD
- The Sayyed and Lodhi Dynasty
- Rise of Babur & Humayun in Mughal Period
- Sher Shah Suri Empire (1540–55): Second Afghan Empire
- The Mughal Empire Under Akbar (1556–1605)
- Jahangir to Aurangzeb (1605–1707)
- Later Mughal Empire and Its Administration
- Rise of Maratha Power (1674–1720): Shivaji to Shahu
- Maratha Confederacy (1720–1818)
Mughal Culture & Architecture Explained
Mughal Culture
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Babur built two mosques:
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One at Kabulibagh in Panipat
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Another at Sambhal in Rohilkhand
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Humayun's tomb was built by his widow Bega Begum (alias Haji Begum)
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An unusual building at Fatehpur Sikri is the Panch Mahal
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Panch Mahal has the plan of a Buddhist Viharā
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The Mariam's Palace, Diwan-i-Aam, and Diwan-i-Khas at Sikri
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Are they Indian in their plan
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Buland Darwaza (built after the Gujarat victory)
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Formed the main entrance to Fatehpur Sikri
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Salim Chisti's tomb
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Redone in marble by Jahangir
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It is the first Mughal building in pure marble
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Palace of Birbal and Palace of Tansen
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They are also inside Fatehpur Sikri
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Akbar also began to build his tomb at Sikandara
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Which was later completed by Jahangir
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The architecture of Fatehpur Sikri is known as
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Epic in red sandstone
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Architecture by Jahangir & Nurjahan
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Nurjahan built Itimad-ud-daula / Mirza Ghiyas Beg’s marble tomb at Agra
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Notable for the first use of pietra dura
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(Floral designs made up of semiprecious stones)
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Jahangir:
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Introduced vigorous use of marble instead of red sandstone
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Used pietra dura for decorative purposes
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Built Moti Masjid in Lahore
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Built his mausoleum at Shahdara (Lahore)
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Architecture by Shahjahan
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The tomb or Mausoleum building reached its climax in the Taj Mahal
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Shahjahan also built the Jama Masjid
Important buildings by Shahjahan at Agra:
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Moti Masjid (the only mosque made of marble)
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Khaasa Mahal
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Musamman Burz (Jasmine Palace)
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Where he spent his last year in captivity
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Shahjahan founded Shahjahanabad in 1637
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Built the Red Fort
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Built Takht-i-Taus (Peacock Throne)
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Aurangzeb's Contributions
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The only building built by Aurangzeb in the Red Fort:
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Moti Masjid
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The only monument associated with Aurangzeb:
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Bibi ka Maqbara
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Tomb of his wife Rabbia-ud-daura
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Located in Aurangabad
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Aurangzeb also built:
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Badshahi Masjid in Lahore
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Mughal Painting
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Humayun employed two master painters:
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Mir Syed Ali
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Abdus Samad
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Famous painters in Akbar’s court:
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Daswant
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Basawan
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Famous painters in Jahangir’s court:
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Abdul Hassan
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Ustad Mansur
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Bishandas
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Jahangir claimed:
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He could distinguish the work of each artist in a picture
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Introduction & Ban on Tobacco
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Tobacco smoking was introduced in India during the last years of Akbar's reign.
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The use of tobacco was prohibited by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.
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According to Alexander Rogers and H. Beveridge (the translator duo of Jahangirnama),
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Since smoking has bad effects on the health and the minds of many,
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Jahangir ordered that no one should practice the habit of tobacco smoking.
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Titles given by the Mughal Ruler
Title |
Person |
Field |
Ruler |
Jagat Guru |
Harivijay Suri |
Jain Religion |
Akbar |
Zari Kalam |
Mohammad Husain |
Literature |
Akbar |
Sirin Kalam |
Abdus Samad |
Literature |
Akbar |
Raj Kavi |
Faizi |
Literature |
Akbar |
Kavi Priya |
Birbal |
Literature |
Akbar |
Nadir-ul-Asra |
Ustad Mansur |
Painting |
Jahangir |
Nadir-uz-Zaman |
Abdul Hassan |
Painting |
Jahangir |
Guna Samudra |
Lai khan |
Music |
Shahjahan |
Raj Kavi |
Kalim |
Literature |
Shahjahan |
Mahakaviray |
Sundardas |
Literature |
Shahjahan |
Literature of the Mughal Period
Book |
Author |
Contents |
Tuzuk-i-Baburi |
Babur |
Describes military tactics and administrative organisation during Babur's reign |
Qanun-i-Humayun |
Khwand Amair |
Describes Humayun's administration, festivities, and buildings of that period |
Humayun Nama |
Gulbadan Begum |
Biography of Humayun |
Akbarnama |
Abul Fazl |
Gives a history of Akbar's reign |
Tobaqat-i-Akbari |
Khwajah Nizamuddin Ahmad Baksh |
—do— |
Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri |
Jahangir |
Memoirs of his reign |
Iqbalnama-i-Jahangiri |
Muhammad Khan |
History of Jahangir's reign |
Chahar Chaman |
Chandra Bhan Brahman |
History of Shahjahan's rule |
Alamgir-nama |
Munshi Mirza Muhammad Kazin |
Gives an account of Aurangzeb's first 10 years of rule |
Massir-i-Alamgiri |
Saqi Mustaid Khan |
The official history of Aurangzeb's reign was written after his death |
Ain-i-Akbari |
Abul Fazl |
History of Akbar's reign |
Muntakhab-ul-Tawarikh |
Badauni |
History of Akbar's rule |
Tawarikh-i-Alfi |
Mulla Daud |
—do— |
Nuriyya-i-Sultaniyya |
Abdul Haq |
Theory of Kinship during the Mughal Period |
Waqt-i-Hyderabad |
Nimat Khan Ali |
Aurangzeb's Golconda conquest |
Futuhat-i-Alamgiri |
Ishwar Das |
Aurangzeb's history |
Nuskha-i-Dilkusha |
Bhimsen Saxena |
Analysis of Aurangzeb's rule and character |
Khulasat-ul-Tawarikh |
Sujan Raj Khatri |
History of Aurangzeb's rule |
Padshah Namah |
Abdul Hamid Lahori |
History of Shah Jahan's reign |
Padshah Namah |
Mumahad Waris |
—do— |
Shahjahan Namah |
Muhammad Salih |
—do— |
Shahjahan Namah |
Inyat Khan |
—do— |
Hamlai-Haidri |
Muhammad Rafi Khan |
History of Aurangzeb's rule |
Namah-e-Alamgiri |
Aquil Khan Zafar |
-do- |
Sirr-i-Akbar |
Dara Shikoh |
Urdu translation of the Upanishad |
Safinat-ul-Auliya |
—do— |
Biographies of Sufi Saints |
Majma-ul-Bahrain (i.e., The Mingling of Two Oceans) |
—do— |
Philosophical ideas discussed |
Raqqat-e-Alamgiri |
Aurangzeb |
A compendium of his letters |
Hasmat-ul-Arifin |
Dara Shikoh |
Religious ideas discussed |
Final Thoughts
The Mughal Empire left a lasting legacy in Indian history through its remarkable contributions to architecture, art, and administration.
From Babur’s mosques to Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal and Aurangzeb’s Bibi ka Maqbara, each emperor added unique architectural marvels reflecting both Islamic and indigenous styles. The refined Mughal painting tradition, encouraged by emperors like Akbar and Jahangir, showcased immense artistic talent and patronage.
Administrative innovations like the Mansabdari and Jagirdari systems, along with organized revenue collection methods, were crucial for maintaining such a vast empire. Moreover, their awareness of public health is reflected in Jahangir’s decision to ban tobacco use.
In all, the Mughals created a cultural and administrative framework that deeply influenced India’s social, political, and aesthetic identity—a heritage still admired and studied today.
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