Shahajanabad: The Only Planned City of Mughal Empire

 

Shahjahanabad was established in the year 1639 as it was a walled City. Today this Shahjahanabad is known as Purani Delhi or Old Delhi. 

The construction of the structure of the City took around 8 years and on 19th April 1648 Shahjahan stepped for the first time into the diwan-e-khaas in the newly completed Qila Mubarak. The Red fort or Lal Qila was the point of focus of shahjahanabad.

Planning of Shahjahanabad:

The emperors of Mughal Empire were ultimate masters of town planning. Especially Shah Jahan the fifth Mughal emperor had a very highly cultivated aesthetic sense. 

The town planning of shahjahanabad was the reflection of both Islamic and Hindu influence. Many of them were associated with associated with the construction activities of Shahjahanabad as it was the centre of kingdom.

The structured seem to have followed a design from Manasara treaties on architecture which is called as Karmuka . 

The selection of this design symbolically showcases the power of the king. The structure of the Shahjahanabad light between the two poles that is the men and the universe which reflect the traditional Islamic city plan.

The planning of shahjahanabad shows the dominating idea of Shahjahan. Due to the erosion the scope for the expansion of the imperial capital Agra became difficult so Shahjahan wanted to shift the capital to Delhi as the founding of shahjahanabad began. 

Shahjahan ordered his engineers, astrologers and architects to select a site for his new capital between Agra and Lahore.

For better understanding the founding of Shahjahanabad was taken into account considering the fact that the city would become the meeting place of heaven and earth. 

This concept was originated in accordance with the traditional theory of Islamic architecture where in the City lies between the two major poles of man and universe and incorporated the principle of both.

The palace fortress had followed the principles of the building was divided into two rectangles considering the interiors. When one was the haram and the second was the private apartments which were occupied by the eastward of the Bazaar. Rang Mahal (Diwan-e-khaas) in this group was the largest structure.

Shahjahanabad was much larger than any of the earliest cities of the earlier rulers on the subcontinent in context of area. 

The construction of Shahjahanabad was under the supervision of two renowned architects Ustad Ahmed and Ustad Hamid; even though Shahjahan kept an eye on the entire project including the location, building planning of the mansion of the nobleman of the Empire.

Features:

1. City walls and gates - the city was secured by three sided strong walls and forth side by 4 and partly by the walls the city of shahjahanabad the total length of the wall exceeded 4 km. 

Some of the major gateways our Kashmiri gate Ajmeri gate Akbar badi gate etc., Jamia masjid was one of the prominence within the area enclosed by the citadel.

2. The palaces and mansions - one of the common features of palaces and mansions included naqqar-khana means drummer's chamber. The palaces and mansions dominated by the cityscape of Shahjahan of the princes and great nobles but not as private property. 

These palaces and mansions had places for the soldiers and servants of the households and also contain several apartments for the cooks as they all had different rooms for different commodities. This is where separated from the public area by a high wall.

3. Garden - in Islamic tradition gardens occupy an important place which was marked by the Mughal ruler. These gardens were rectangular and surrounded by high walls. 

There were several gardens which were surrounded by the three sides of shahjahanabad as well as the mentions of the Mughal Princes and nobles. Some of the gardens are Mubarak Bagh, Roshanara Begum's Bagh etc.

4. Architecture- the architecture of the town was designed in a rectangular shape which was constructed on the banks of river Yamuna which today has changed the course. 

The Lal Quila is one of the excellent examples of the architecture because of its Red sandstones walls and the fourth approximately covers 125 acres of land. It is one of the World Heritage site in today's time. Rang Mahal, Mumtaz Mahal, Moti Masjid are some of the well known and most beautiful sections of the Red fort.

Decline of Shahjahanabad:

Shahjahanabad was not only the capital of Mughal Empire but centre for their culture for more than 30 years. When Aurangzeb left the north in 1681 and never came back. From the year 1716 to 1739 various natural calamities were experienced by Shahjahanabad which is the structure of the city.

The British Empire shifted the capital of India after the fall of Mughal Empire. Mainly based on security wise stable Kolkata which remained till 1911. 

After the stamp out of the 1857 revolt, the British shows in India constructed a military defense inside the Red fort and removed around 3000 people who were living and destroyed many of the presidential palaces Shahjahanabad.

Directly speaking Shahjahanabad which is known as purani Delhi today, never actually decline it just shifted the focus from administrative Capital city to be in an area for trade and commerce. 

Till today it has remains an area for trade and commerce. Today Asia's largest wholesale spice Market exists in Shahjahanabad being known as Khari Baoli.

Shahjahanabad was the reflection of the Mughal imperial power between 1639 and 1648. 

The reason behind selecting Delhi as a capital was the reputation as the imperial City and served as the capital of the Muslim rulers of about 300 years. It it had also acquired an aura of sanctity as a religious centre. 

In today's time it is a city full of chaos, traffics and unauthorized structure also the palaces which showcase the mastery of Shahjahan in planning this city.

Written by: Rakhi Sharma

Edited by: Gourav Chowdhury