The First Example of Mughal Garden Art in India: Aram Bagh

Fadime Özler Kaya

Makale detayları

The First Example of Mughal Garden Art in India: Aram Bagh

Yazarlar:

Fadime Özler Kaya

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Sanat Tarihi

Dergi:

İSTEM Issue 45, pp.79-104

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001353655

pISSN:

1304-0618

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The earliest Mughal Gardens in India are located in Agra city. The first Mughal Garden built by Babur Shah is Aram Bagh. The Persian word Aram means resting in Turkish, and Aram Bagh is called Ram Bagh today. Babur Shah saw the gardens especially in the in the cities ruled by his grandfather Timur, particularly in Samarkand, Fergana, Kabul and Andijan, spent his childhood and youth in these places and he built gardens in the areas he possessed in order to fulfill his longing for the places he spent his childhood and youth. Aram Bagh did not stay only as an orchard but it also lapsed into an ethereal atmosphere with its channels, pools, water tanks, walkways and wooded areas and flowerbeds that had been persevered in their original style for many years. As well as it was the first example of the gardens with terrace and in char-bagh style, it became the fashion of the period including all its components. This first Mughal garden in India reflects Mughals concept of heaven not only with its water and environment arrangement but also through the way of symmetry and visual order. Later, this garden was renovated by Jahangir Shah, Babur Shahs second generation grandson, and used actively again between the years of 1615-1619. Aram Bagh protected its features almost completely until today, and this situation is somewhat because it was used by Nur Jahan, Jahangir Shahs wife in his reign. The mansions in the garden were renovated in this period, but no changes were made in the garden. In this study, the current literature of Aram Bagh was reviewed and the present condition was documented through the field study conducted in September-October 2023. The layout was charted, the architectural drawings of the mansions were made and the current photographs were taken. In addition, the debates about the name and the location Aram Bagh were discussed based on the period resources and the field study. This study aims to be an example for the historical importance of the construction and its applicability in todays urban landscape scale.

 The earliest Mughal Gardens in India are located in Agra city. The first Mughal Garden built by Babur Shah is Aram Bagh. The Persian word Aram means resting in Turkish, and Aram Bagh is called Ram Bagh today. Babur Shah saw the gardens especially in the in the cities ruled by his grandfather Timur, particularly in Samarkand, Fergana, Kabul and Andijan, spent his childhood and youth in these places and he built gardens in the areas he possessed in order to fulfill his longing for the places he spent his childhood and youth. Aram Bagh did not stay only as an orchard but it also lapsed into an ethereal atmosphere with its channels, pools, water tanks, walkways and wooded areas and flowerbeds that had been persevered in their original style for many years. As well as it was the first example of the gardens with terrace and in char-bagh style, it became the fashion of the period including all its components. This first Mughal garden in India reflects Mughals concept of heaven not only with its water and environment arrangement but also through the way of symmetry and visual order. Later, this garden was renovated by Jahangir Shah, Babur Shahs second generation grandson, and used actively again between the years of 1615-1619. Aram Bagh protected its features almost completely until today, and this situation is somewhat because it was used by Nur Jahan, Jahangir Shahs wife in his reign. The mansions in the garden were renovated in this period, but no changes were made in the garden. In this study, the current literature of Aram Bagh was reviewed and the present condition was documented through the field study conducted in September-October 2023. The layout was charted, the architectural drawings of the mansions were made and the current photographs were taken. In addition, the debates about the name and the location Aram Bagh were discussed based on the period resources and the field study. This study aims to be an example for the historical importance of the construction and its applicability in todays urban landscape scale.

 The earliest Mughal Gardens in India are located in Agra city. The first Mughal Garden built by Babur Shah is Aram Bagh. The Persian word Aram means resting in Turkish, and Aram Bagh is called Ram Bagh today. Babur Shah saw the gardens especially in the in the cities ruled by his grandfather Timur, particularly in Samarkand, Fergana, Kabul and Andijan, spent his childhood and youth in these places and he built gardens in the areas he possessed in order to fulfill his longing for the places he spent his childhood and youth. Aram Bagh did not stay only as an orchard but it also lapsed into an ethereal atmosphere with its channels, pools, water tanks, walkways and wooded areas and flowerbeds that had been persevered in their original style for many years. As well as it was the first example of the gardens with terrace and in char-bagh style, it became the fashion of the period including all its components. This first Mughal garden in India reflects Mughals concept of heaven not only with its water and environment arrangement but also through the way of symmetry and visual order. Later, this garden was renovated by Jahangir Shah, Babur Shahs second generation grandson, and used actively again between the years of 1615-1619. Aram Bagh protected its features almost completely until today, and this situation is somewhat because it was used by Nur Jahan, Jahangir Shahs wife in his reign. The mansions in the garden were renovated in this period, but no changes were made in the garden. In this study, the current literature of Aram Bagh was reviewed and the present condition was documented through the field study conducted in September-October 2023. The layout was charted, the architectural drawings of the mansions were made and the current photographs were taken. In addition, the debates about the name and the location Aram Bagh were discussed based on the period resources and the field study. This study aims to be an example for the historical importance of the construction and its applicability in todays urban landscape scale.

 Bâbürlü bahçe sanatının Hindistandaki en eski örnekleri Agra şehrinde bulunmaktadır. Bâbür Şah tarafından inşa ettirilen ilk Bâbürlü bahçesi Aram Bağdır. Türkçe dinlenme anlamında Farsça ârâm sözcüğünden gelen Aram Bağa günümüzde Ram Bağ denmektedir. Bâbür Şah, dedesi Timur idaresindeki şehirler başta olmak üzere özellikle Semerkant, Fergana, Kabil ve Andicandaki bahçeleri görmüş, buralarda çocukluk ve gençlik yıllarını geçirmiş, buralara duyduğu özlemi gidermek için de hakimiyeti altına aldığı bölgelere bahçeler inşa ettirmiştir. Agrada taraçalı ve çârbağ örneklerinin ilki olan Aram Bağ; su kanalları, su havuzları, su tankları, yürüyüş yolları ve uzun yıllar ilk hali korunan ağaçlık ve çiçeklik bölümleri ile yalnızca bir meyve bahçesi olma özelliği göstermeyip onun da ötesine geçerek adeta eterik bir atmosfere bürünmüş, tüm bileşenleriyle dönem modası haline gelmiştir. Hindistandaki bu ilk Bâbürlü bahçesi, Bâbürün cennet kavramını yalnızca su ve çevre düzenlemesiyle değil, aynı zamanda simetri ve görsel düzen yoluyla da yansıtmaktadır. Daha sonra bu bahçe, Bâbür Şahın ikinci kuşak torunu Cihangir Şah tarafından yenilenerek 1615-1619 yılları arasında yine aktif bir şekilde kullanılmıştır. Yapıldığı dönemdeki özelliklerini günümüze kadar neredeyse tamamıyla koruması açısından öne çıkan Aram Bağ, bu durumu biraz da Cihangir Şah döneminde eşi Nur Cihan Hatun tarafından kullanılmış olmasına borçludur. Bu dönemde bahçede yer alan köşkler yenilenmiş, ancak bahçede herhangi bir değişiklik yapılmamıştır. Bu araştırmada Aram Bağın güncel literatür taraması yapılarak mevcut hali 2023 Eylül-Ekim aylarında yapılan saha çalışması ile belgelenmiştir. Bahçenin vaziyet planı çıkarılmış, içerisinde bulunan köşklerin mimari çizimleri yapılmış, güncel fotoğrafları çekilmiştir. Ayrıca yapının adı ve yeri hususundaki bilim çevrelerince hala netlik kazanamayan durumu, dönem kaynaklarına dayandırılarak ve saha çalışması yapılarak tartışılmış, bu çalışma ile tarihi öneminin yanı sıra günümüz kent peyzajı ölçeğinde de uygulanabilirliği konusunda örnek olabileceği fikri amaçlanmıştır.

Makale detayları

The First Example of Mughal Garden Art in India: Aram Bagh

Yazarlar:

Fadime Özler Kaya

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Sanat Tarihi

Dergi:

İSTEM Issue 45, pp.79-104

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001353655

pISSN:

1304-0618

Mughal Gardens

Aram Bagh

Charbagh

Babur Shah

Nur JahanBâbürlü Bahçeleri

Aram Bağ

Çârbağ

Bâbür Şah

Nur Cihan Hatun.

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Fadime Özler Kaya

Yayıncı: Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar: Sanat Tarihi

Dergi: İSTEM Issue 45, pp.79-104

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001353655

pISSN: 1304-0618

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Fadime Özler Kaya

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Sanat Tarihi

Dergi:

İSTEM Issue 45, pp.79-104

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001353655

pISSN:

1304-0618