Bibi ka Maqbara in Aurangabad

Rana Safvi — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:00:23 +0000

Bibi ka Maqbara built for Rabia Durrani, wife of Aurangzeb Alamgir in Aurangabad is always compared to Taj Mahal and has suffered for the comparison
Recently, I came across an essay by Laura Parodi and looked at it as again
Catherine Asher was the first to note and diffrenciate that the Bibi-ka Maqbara “is different in notable ways’;in particular, ‘there is an emphasis on the building’s verticality, not the harmonious balance of proportions as at the Taj. This rapid shift in spatial arrangement triggers innovative directions for eighteenth- and nineteenth-century architecture.”
Rabia Durrani died in 1657, a year before the War of Succession
This could also be the reason for the building to be attributed to Prince Azam his son.
Aurangabad was the capital from where Aurangzeb acted as governor of the Deccan and this tomb was meant to signal his powers
According to Parodi, “The ‘compact verticality’ and ‘spatial tension’ displayed by the Bibi-ka Maqbara when compared to its supposed prototype, the Taj Mahal appear clearly reminiscent of Bijapuri architecture, in which crowning elements are often emphasized to the virtual dwarfing of the buildings below, as may be seen in the Ibrahim Rawza. Bibi-ka Maqbara seems to follow Deccani practice both in the use of tall minarets (at the Taj, they are not higher than the central building) and in the crowded arrangement of superstructures, though here Mughal chatris replace the typical Bijapuri guldasta finials.
A Bijapuri influence is moreover evident in the engaged corner turrets : these seem meant to counterbalance the vertically expressed by the central pishtaq-and-dome combination with an equally vertical accent, whereas in the Taj Mahal’s mausoleum, a balance was achieved by means of a broader base, tempered by chamfered corners, here rejected in favour of a more traditional square structure.”
Another difference is the mortuary chamber which is viewed from above & contains only the actual grave. In that it resembles Aurangzeb ‘s own simple grave.
The locals consider it blessed and shower offerings over it.
The architect Ataullah Rashid, by the way was the eldest son of Ustad Ahmed Lahori the architect of Taj Mahal.

“Dervish Leading a Bear”, by Govardhan Folio from the Shah Jahan Album,recto: ca. 1630–40; verso: ca. 1530–40_ Met Museum

ranasafvi — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 01:04:12 +0000

Gallery Text :

This painting of a dervish reflects the Mughal interest in holy men. Prince Dara-Shikoh, Shah Jahan’s eldest son, became a serious student of these spiritual beliefs and this painting was most likely executed under his patronage.
A dervish wearing a brown animal fur covering, earrings, bangles, an anklet leads a dark brown bear by a leash. The red earing and iron bangles are customary accessories worn by dervishes of the Qalandar and Haydari orders. His forearms and chest are dotted with markings, caused by self-inflicted burns. These marks, known as dagh (hot) in Persian, demonstrate faithfulness and love for God.
The scene suggests an allegory familiar to Sufis in which the higher self (here perhaps symbolized by the dervish) struggles to overcome his baser instincts (the bear). His burns, ragged garb, fasting, and wandering give him strength in this struggle.
The Shah Jahan Album, also known as the Emperor’s Album, features fifty illustrated and calligraphic folios, forty-one of which belong to the Metropolitan Museum, and nine of which reside in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art.
In lower part of second border around the portrait, Shah Jahan’s handwriting identifies this as “Work of Govardhan.”

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/451258

#aurangabad #bibikamaqbara #mughal #mughalarchitecture #mausoleum – Rana Safvi

Bibi ka Maqbara in Aurangabad

“Dervish Leading a Bear”, by Govardhan Folio from the Shah Jahan Album,recto: ca. 1630–40; verso: ca. 1530–40_ Met Museum