Land Scape Seminar

7/27/2019 Land Scape Seminar

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Landscape architecture

Pleasure garden shalimar bagh, kashmir

Presented by,C.Visalakshi

R.Dhevatharani

M.Kameshwari


2/13

Extent of shalimar

bagh, kashmir


3/13

Arial photo of Shalimar Bagh in Kashmir

1 Public Garden

2 Emperors Garden

3 Zenana Garden 4 Black Pavilion


4/13


5/13

Genius Loci

History Place of annual summer pilgrimage

of Mughal emperors

Conquered by Akbar in 1586, who

relaxed here after 6 weeks journey

from Agra, went water-fowling on

Lake Dal, watched shaffron harvest in

autumn, called it his private garden

His son Salim (Jahangir) inherited an

obsessive love for Kashmir and built

no less than 700 superlative gardens

around Lake Dal, made his permanent

summer homes

Mountains of Himalayas form a stunning,

dramatic backdrop (Mahadeo with snowcap)

Height of 1,730 metres above sea level creates

ideal climate to elevated Jahangirs asthma in

summer

Lake Dal is shallow, edged with thick beds of

reeds, lotusesfloating gardens

Constant torrent of water from hills supplieschannel, pools and powers fountain jets

Lush meadows, sound of water, rivers,

springs, lakes and rice paddies dominated in the

valley of KashmirJahangir calls it a garden of

eternal spring

Abundance of water inspired the layout of

local gardens - narrow watercourses were

widened to shallow canals and central axis

elongated, the heart of garden shifted to the

uphill end


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Zenana garden (Bagh-I-FaizBakhsh):

Upper terrace built by Jahangirin 1619-20

Emperors garden(Bagh-I-Farah Bakhsh):

Middle terrace built by ShahJahan around 1630

Black marble

pavilion (built by

Shah Jahan)

Entrance to

Zenana

(ladies)

garden

Hall of

Private

Audiance

(Diwan- i-Khas)

destroyed

Public Garden:

The lowest terrace; now

cut by road and shortened

Hall of Public

Audience

(Diwan-i-Am)

Canal leads

to Lake Dal


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Central channel: Central axis of the garden

6 meters wide

Polished stone

Cross-axial channel on the

uppermost terrace take on

classical Persian chahar bagh

form Water from mountain stream

dammed up

Square pools below pavilions

recall the broadening of rivers

into lakes

Water jets and cascades:

GravitationJets used to have solid plumes of

water

Cascades of smooth sheet of water

falling from retaining walls

Black pavilion is sourrounded by 3

cascades

Now water runs only in spring

(deforestation lowered water table)

Elements of water
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anaranar/235812103/


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Pathways:

Slightly offset from channel on

both sides

Stepping stones to reach Diwan-I-

Am with a shaded marble throne

of emperor in the center of canal

above cascade

Causeways to reach Diwan-I-Khas

Narrow stones bridges among

fountains reach Black Pavilion

Pleasure garden
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nabeela/2537343332/http://www.flickr.com/photos/32167352@N00/1620406873/http://www.flickr.com/photos/anaranar/235793130/


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Now:

Regular avenues of chinar trees

(Platanus orientalis) 25 meters tallshading the walks and 19th centurybedding plants

Irrigated meadows in charbaghsgrass, flowers, fruit trees in moreinformal way

Pleasure gardenPlanting design:Originally:

1665 Francois Bernier describes fruittrees, regular trellised walks,surrounded by the large-leafed aspen(Populus tremuloides) in interval of 2feet

Cherry, apricot, apple, plum

Meadows were geometrical
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nurjahan.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/anaranar/235793130/


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Pleasure garden

Pavilions: Stone, marble, mortar

Used the talarand ivan (arched talar)

Originally flat-roofed

Native wooden Kashmiri roofs wereadded in later centuries

Recesses (chini kanas) under

cascades are filled with flowers on

special occasions or oil lamps at night
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/325677http://www.flickr.com/photos/shahbasharat/2776603526/


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Abode of Lovegift toJahangirs wife Nur-Jahan

One of many paradise or

pleasure gardens

Ideal background for self-indulgent Jahangir suffering from

alcoholism and opium

dependancy

Pleasure garden

Place forcontemplation, perfectpeace, sitting cross-legged oncarpets by the waterside or on alow stone bench astride one of

cascades
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12587954@N02/2052806296/


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Pleasure garden - significance

Function of each section of garden changes with ascending level from 1) publicthrough 2) courtly to 3) private zone

The Zenana Garden could be accessed only by Emperor and used by his court ladies


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Pleasure garden

Shalimar Bagh recalls Mughalsannual pilgrimage to Kashmir:

approached from outside worldby boat shikara from Lake Dalfull of pink lotuses

the crossing into an encloseddomain of fields and flowers,

fruit trees

the ascent to a cool refuge bythe water and the eventualreturn to the lowlands of theircapitals

Documents

Land Scape Seminar