DECLINE OF MUGHUL ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

Lahore had remained a capital during the reigns of many Mughul emperors and it is the birth place of emperor Shahjahan. It preserves Mughul relics of grandeur, especially their architecture. Lahore touched the zenith of its glory during Mughul rule. Lahore Fort, Wazir Khan Masjid, Badshahi Masjid, Shalamar Gardens are world renowned specimens of Mughul culture that are found in Lahore. Begumpura, the important town in the suburb of Lahore is situated at Gernaili Sarak (Grand Trunk Road) between Shalimar Garden and Engineering University, Lahore. This town flourished under Abdus Samad (1713-1737); the governor of Lahore and Multan during the period of Mughul decline. He was a native of Samarkand 1 . An important reason for Abdus Samad’s to choose Begumpura for settling down was the person of Hadrat Ehsan who was the forefather of the followers of Hazrat Ya‘qoob Charkhi of a famous silsilah. In the reigns of Jahangir and Shahjahan the construction of monuments like tomb of Hazrat Eshan, Gulabi Bagh gateway and the tomb of Dai Anga shows the importance given to the town by the Mughuls. Before the arrival of Abdus Samad in Lahore this town was known as Mughulpura2 . Begumpura is named after Begum Jania, the mother of Nawab Zakariya Khan (1726-1745) and the wife of Nawab Abdus Samad3 in 1726 AD (1139 A.H). Existing structures in Begumpura are Gulabi Bagh (1066 A.H/1655 A.D) the Tomb of Dai Anga (wet nurse of Shahjahan) (1082 A.H/1671 A.D), Begum Shahi Masjid (1144 AH), Tomb of Khawand Mehmood known as Hazrat Eshan 1052 AH (1652 AD), tomb of Sharaf-un-Nisa famously known as Sarvwala Maqbara, and graveyards.