Mughal has left so much for us during their reign. And there is a great example of the Indian monument Taj Mahal, Bibi ka Maqbara, and dozens are others. There is a most common thing among all the great Mughal emperors, the gardens. A long time before the Mughal era, gardens were very important even they are in the modern world also. The existence of Persian gardens can be dated back to around 4000 years BC. All the gardens are inspired by Persian Gardens.
In all the Muslim world, there is the creation of gardens, as it is proved by the Agdal Garden in Marrakech. It is the oldest garden in the Muslim Era and is still in existence. It was created in the 12th century. This garden is inspired by Persian gardens. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, an amazing garden. Even if some archaeologists cannot accept the existence of such gardens, this gives us a sign of the importance of gardens in the impressive imagination and for the writers of that time.
Let’s talk about the first Mughal gardens, The Mughal empire started with the victory of Babur over Ibrahim Lodi, sultan of Delhi during the first Panipat battle in 1526. From his victory, as King of Agra, Babur never stops building the gardens. The first garden that Babur built on our land was the Aram Bagh, in Agra. It was the beginning of a long series of gardens that became the mark of the great Mughal emperors.
The one who brought the Mughal Garden to its peak was Shah Jahan. He was very passionate about architecture and botany, so he introduced jasmine into all Mughal gardens along with the white marble. In the gardens that are constructed by him, monuments carry the same importance as plants, canals, and trees. His most famous work was the Taj Mahal, but he also had the Mahtab Bagh built in the red fort of Delhi. It is a nocturnal garden that is just filled with flowers that shine at dusk.
Let’s take you on a tour of one of the Mughal Gardens that is Himayat Bagh, the Mughal Garden of Aurangabad. Let’s explore the History of the Mughal Garden. Aurangzeb was appointed as Governor of Deccan by his father, Shah Jahan and then he settled in Aurangabad in 1682. He started began the construction of a palace and gardens in Hyderabad. As a part of the new construction, The Himayat Bagh became famous across the empire. They were the cause of an argument between Aurangzeb and his father.
He therefore made the city, and completed the part of the construction, the de facto capital of the empire. He expanded the citadel and the imperial garden that is Himayat Bagh. Today, it is very difficult to imagine how they have made, as well as the splendor of the 17th-century city, as the city has grown, changed, and much more civilized.
There are still many places where you can explore this historic past. One of these is the Himayat Bagh. The dense green lush area in the middle of Aurangabad was the personal garden Aurangzeb or private space where he would walk around and listen to the birds chirping sound.
In Himayat Bagh Garden, it is the home of many species of birds. The most emblematic is the peacock which was the symbol of Mughal power, this bird has become the national bird of India. The entrance door, which is constructed at the end of a small road, used to be a beauty of this place, but it remained as a shadow only and can give you an idea that how was this in the 17th century. The Shakkar bawdi is another attraction because Aurangabad was quite a drought region during the summer season, and for that, the construction of bawdi means artificial reservoirs have been built. A person needed to irrigate all the plants planted in Himayat bagh. So Shakkar Bawdi has been made for supporting that. The water tanks get filled up automatically during the rainy season. But during the summertime, this water was used for irrigation. Shakkar means sugar, so the name actually means a lake of fresh water.
Like any Mughal Garden, the Himayat Bagh also has an irrigation system and hydraulic canals. If you visit the garden, can see the two of its canals that are arranged on each side of the summer palace. This arrangement made it possible to pass water through the summer palace, which actually refreshed the building.
Moving a little further from the nursery, you will reach a small mosque that is on top of a small mountain, it allows access to a superb view of the Bibi ka Maqbara and the caves of Aurangabad.
