Agra: A Unique Laboratory Of Architecture

Agra, 20 July: Ever since Sikandar Lodi set his foot on the soil of Agra and founded his capital here in 1504, the city of the Taj Mahal has been witness to a series of spectacular experiments in architectural designing and construction of structures that to this day remain unique and unparalleled.

These buildings in a way symbolized the climaxing of the 5000- year old Indian tradition of scholarship and knowledge gained through painstaking research and meditation, as also the result of the highly developed mathematical base and civil engineering skills of the people.

No other city in India can boast of architectural marvels of three distinct periods in Indian history: the Mughal, the British and the modern.

When the founder of the Mughal dynasty Babar came to Agra he was shocked and disgusted at the appalling conditions here. The terrain and the climate did not impress him. He therefore immediately got down to create his Aram Bagh called Bagh-I-Gul-Afshan, based on the Persian Char Bagh design with terraced garden which had a regular flow of water from canals, tanks, water chutes and fountains. The Persian layout of the garden was subsequently imitated by his descendents who transformed dusty Agra into a garden city.

To Babar goes the credit for integrating horticulture and water engineering with architecture.

Akbars contribution to evolving his own nationalistic or rather secular school of architecture found full expression in his new capital at Fatehpur Sikri, 32 kms from Agra which has an abundance of red sand stone quarries and skilled workers. Artisans from Gujarat and Rajasthan used their specialized craftsmanship to create ethnic designs and structures with chajjas, jharokhas, jali work, intricate stone carvings and patterns, the corbelled ceilings, cupolas or chaukhandi roofs. At Fatehpur Sikri Akbars intellectual genius flowered into Din-e-Ilahi, Sulahkul and was faithfully reflected in the numerous small structures with predominantly Hindu features. Some of the buildings of the period are definitely un-Islamic. Animal figures, Swastika, Chakra and ghata-pallava (vase and foliage), are the distinctive features of many buildings of the era. Renowned Mughal historian Prof R Nath says this is how Akbar founded his school of architecture. It drew its inspiration mainly from indigenous sources and was in close affinity with the esthetic norms of the Indian people. Akbar laid the foundations of his art deep into the soil of the country and his style was truly national in spirit and character. Some of his palaces like the Jehangiri Mahal in the Agra Fort looks like a Hindu temple rather than Muslim mansion.

A closer examination of the buildings of this period brings out the fact that there was a deliberate and conscious effort at evolving a synthesized composite and secular architectural perspective free from religious predilections.

Jehangir enriched this tradition further and helped rejuvenating the long forgotten ethnic art forms and architectural streams of the past. His chief contribution was the introduction of white marble as an important building material. Before him the locally available red sand stone was widely used for construction. The top storey of Akbars tomb at Sikandra, the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah (Mirza Ghiyath Beg, Nur Jehans father) was the first unique white marble marvel. Sheikh Salim Chistis memorial in Fatehpur Sikri was also done up in white marble. Deshi architects of the period changed the patterns of ornamentation, going in for the simple and elegant designs and placing stress on intricate inlay work rather on carving. Historians called this the Age of Color and Design.

Indian architectures Golden Age began with Shah Jehans reign. Stones appear to have fascinated him like a passion. Shah Jehan built dozens of white marble palaces, mosques, and of course the immortal Taj Mahal. Volumes can be written on many of these buildings which even today continue to dazzle and surprise us with their beauty, conceptualization, geometry and sheer scale of their grandeur. The Taj Mahal has inspired lyrical outbursts from poets like no other wonder in the world has. Shah Jehans poetry in architectural forms, to be appreciated and vividly inscribed as an experience on the mental hard disc, have to be viewed in their totality. Breathtaking landscape, azure blue sky as the backdrop extending to infinity, sparkling Yamuna water majestically touching the rear and a dominating structure of white marble overlooking acres of lush green lawns, stands the Taj Mahal in Agra, untouched and in soothing white, simply out of this world monument which is perfect in concept, planning, geometry and whatever other architectural parameters you can have. To better appreciate the uniqueness of the Taj, one has just to compare it with some of the earlier monuments like the Khajuraho temples for instance. Without the greenery and well laid out gardens, Khajuraho temples look like army camps in enemy territory, says Prof R Nath.

After Shah Jehan, the building activity lost its tempo. The focus of politics shifted to Delhi and Aurangzeb showed little or no interest in art or culture.

Came the British, Agra again became a center of hectic political activities, requiring demonstrative colonial presence here. The entry of Jesuit fathers led to renewed interest in construction. Over a dozen churches of all denominations came up, along with educational institutions. Agra College built more like a fort early 19th century was followed by the imposing structure of St Johns College, its design and concept in Mughal style was executed by the famous British architect Swinton Jacob who also designed the Albert Hall in Jaipur. Dr Amit Mukherjea, head of the history department of the college says the external view or the faade is definitely Mughal in style, but the college assembly hall has several features that are distinctively European. The Cross on the finial is also a feature to be noted.

Most churches in Agra as also the educational institutions followed the Gothic, Renaissance or the Baroque styles. Only the district headquarters at the Collectorate and the Civil Courts building followed a more functional colonial approach. The oldest Convent outside Europe at St Patricks Junior College or the 1846 building of St Peters College on Wazirpura road leave a mesmerizing effect and definitely leave a sense of pride in the students who pass out each year, says Sudhir Gupta.

The Agra Fort railway station overlooking the beautiful Juma Masjid, the majestic Agra Fort and the wonderful Taj Mahal is unique in the world, located close to two World heritage sites. The staircase leading to the over bridge, the pipelines that support the structure, the exquisitely carved wooden work, everything about this railway station bears a mark of British architectural genius, says station master Kishan Singh.

Modern or contemporary architecture in Agra, generally speaking is quite a let down, says Dr RC Sharma, a historian. Minus some of the big hotels, house building in Agra, does not have any distinctive features which could suggest that the tradition of yore was being followed with passion, Sharma adds.

A unique experiment in designing and architecture has however been going on for a century at the Soami Bagh samadh of the founder of the Radha Soami faith in the Dayalbagh area of Agra. The seven-storeyed structure began construction in 1904 and barring a brief interruption in the 1920s, work on the site has been going on to create what some people say another monumental wonder that would rival the Taj, when complete. The Samadh seeks to combine the best features of all schools of architecture from Gothic to Mughal, Rajput, and the southern temple features. But against the chaste, elegant and simple architectural style of the Taj Mahal, the Soami Bagh experiment appears too exuberant and therefore gaudy and lacking open spaces for the garden, it may never be able to create the magical aura that the Taj has.

The recent resurgence in construction activity with a dozen top builders vying for recognition as pioneers in design and conceptualization, both in town planning and creating new life style patterns has opened up immense opportunities for the architects to showcase their talents. Multi-storied buildings on the Khandari road, in Bagh Farzana, malls and plazas and a dozen new residential townships on Shamshabad and Fatehabad Roads, south of the Taj Mahal, have taken the local architects on a new flight of fancy and brought a lot of creative talent to the fore. They are using new material and new technology to provide both a comfortable life style as also impart a social status to the owners of the buildings.

Among the new buildings that have lately come up in Agra, hotel Mughal Sheraton created a new benchmark. When it received the prestigious Aga Khan award for best architectural design, the hotel attracted notice worldwide. Unlike other match box like structures of five star hotels, Mughal Sheraton had a unique layout pattern with thick green foliage virtually obscuring the view from outside. The hotel lobby has been used in several Bollywood films.

Hotel Jaypee Palace was the answer to Agra’s need for a conference venue. With acres and acres of open spaces, numerous big and small halls and several restaurants, in terms of facilities one could hardly ask for more.

But the 2001 Indo-Pak summit in Agra brought into focus a new hotel Oberoi Amar Vilas where Pakistani president Mussaraf stayed.

The architecture and interiors of The Oberoi Amarvils are a wonderful showcase for the rich artistic heritage and expertise of local craftsmen.

The hotel extensively uses the Florentine technique said to have been imported by the Mughal Emperor Jehangir and developed in Agra as pachikari.

Geometry is evident in architectural detailing throughout the resort and is seen in the design of the traditionally Indian floors. The patterns are eye-catching and a reminder that the style is as alive today as it was centuries ago. The unique combination of Greek Thassos marble and red sandstone on the floors was inspired by its use in Mughal forts and palaces. Delicate floral patterns in gold leaf embellish the walls. Gold leaf has also been used on the ceilings of the Bar, lounge and grand staircase. The technique involves the application of a natural resin on the surface to be decorated to secure the gold leaf, which is then painstakingly applied, section-by-section and polished. Pure white marble from Greece, called Thassos marble after the Greek island from where it originates, has been used extensively. Italian Satvario marble, which is a dark veined marble, has been used in the cloakrooms at the lobby and lower lobby levels. Other materials include red sandstone called Sarmathra and a beige stone called Karoli, both widely found in neighbouring Rajasthan. The different varieties of granite include Vizag Blue from Andhra Pradesh and Sindoori from Karnataka. All the stonework in the hotel has been hand-cut with careful precision and placed in perfectly laid geometric patterns. It took 600 skilled workmen over a year to complete the stonework and carvings at The Oberoi Amarvils, designed by Bensley Design Studios, Bangkok.

The forecourt of the resort is an apt precursor to the stunning view of the Taj Mahal from the lobby. A high, sandstone gateway flanked by marble elephants opens on to a courtyard of four illuminated pools with 64 fountains, laid out in a classic Mughal arrangement. An arched colonnade framing exquisite frescoes runs along one side. The materials used are Jaipur sandstone, lime plaster, and handmade mosaic tiles.

Borrowing from different styles of Islamic architecture, the main building has gently rising domes and arches that give it a dignified, stately look. The public spaces of the hotel flow smoothly into each other in an open plan with unexpected views of the Taj Mahal. The climax, however, is the magnificent view of the monument itself, palpably close and visible through large, arched windows.

Another building that has attracted notice and appreciation is that of the Life Insurance Corporation on the MG Road. The red sand stoned structure gives the impression of moving ship, seen from a distance. Its architect Jahangir from Mumbai introduced several unique features like air ducts in the walls for free circulation of air, open spaces, sunlight on all the floors, a view of the Taj Mahal from every turn of the staircase. With several new high rise buildings coming up in the vicinity, the view of the Taj is obscured. The babu’s working the building are hardly aware of the dream and vision the architect wanted to translate in reality. Today unfortunately it has been reduced to just another government building.

The city of the Taj Mahal and half a dozen other exquisite monuments is all set to usher in a new era of modern house building and town planning activity which will incorporate features from the past and respond creatively to the needs of contemporary urbanization pressures. Imitations and comparisons are inevitable, but we have to keep in mind is that times have changed and we have moved a long distance from feudalism, colonialism to democracy where ordinary people are as important as the royalty.