Description
Royal Tombs of India is the first book of its kind dedicated exclusively to the magnificent Islamic royal tombs of the Indian subcontinent. Exploring the architectural grandeur of the Tughluq, Lodi, Qutb Shahi, and Mughal dynasties, this volume covers iconic structures including the tombs of Humayun, Akbar, Aurangzeb, Jahangir, Nur Jahan, the Bibi-ka-Maqbara, and the universally celebrated Taj Mahal. It also sheds light on the fascinating historical controversy surrounding the actual location of Babur’s tomb.
A central theme of the book is the harmonious blending of Hindu and Persian Safavid influences found in both pre-Mughal and Mughal tomb architecture. By analyzing the different characteristics and evolutions of these styles, the author places these breathtaking monuments within the broader historical and socio-cultural context of their respective reigns.
Going beyond the Indian subcontinent, the book provides a rare and comprehensive history of royal tombs globally—tracing their evolution from the ancient Egyptian pyramids and Greco-Roman mausoleums to Chinese royal tombs, and finally to the Islamic tombs of Central Asia, Pakistan, and India. It is a treasure trove of lesser-known facts about the evolution of monumental architecture.
Table of Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgements
History of Royal Tombs
From Pre-Mughal to Mughal Architecture
Slave, Khalji and Tughluq Tombs
Sayyid and Lodi Tombs
Qutb Shahi Tombs
Mughal Tombs
About the Author:
A.S. Bhalla is a Visiting Professor at the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies, University of Nottingham (UK). He was formerly a Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (UK), and Special Adviser to the President of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada. Following a long and distinguished career in the United Nations Civil Service in Geneva, he has held academic positions at Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, and Manchester. He is the author and editor of 18 books, including In Search of Roots, Globalization, Growth and Marginalization, Uneven Development in the Third World, and Poverty and Exclusion in a Global World.
Royal Tombs of India: 13th to 18th Century
By A.S. Bhalla
Book Specifications:
Category: Architecture / Heritage & History
Pages: 152 pages
Illustrations: 87 colour photographs and 10 drawings
Dimensions: 8.5 x 11″ (216 x 280 mm), Hardcover (HC)
ISBN: 978-81-89995-10-2
Date of Publishing: 2009
Language: English
Co-publisher: Mapin
