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Situated in Birjand, the Akbariyeh Garden consists of two ancient mansions belonging to high-ranking officials from the Qajar period in Persia. The garden was created in steep, straight lines, with the buildings situated at the top-most part of the garden. Today, the mansions have been converted into museums.

This building benefits from nice view and excellent decorations including wooden decorations, lattice and sash with colored glass, plaster decorations with arabesques and geometric designs.

Due to a lot of reasons Akbariyeh Garden has been put on the World Heritage List. Among all it should be named, the garden has been created in the steep, straight lines have been used in garden design, the building has been constructed on the highest part of the garden, many pomegranate, berry and palm trees and etcetera.

Today, different parts of the complex are used as library, archaeology and anthropology museum, traditional teahouse and also college of art in Birjand.

 

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Located near Mahan, Iran, this garden was built for Mohammad Hassan Khan Sardari Iravani in 1850. Rectangular in shape with a wall around, the garden has a lower end, while a two-storeyed residential structure adorns the upper end. Between these are ornamented water fountains engineered according to the natural incline.

Garden also consists of a two-storied building for which the second floor was used as living quarters and for receiving guests. Other smaller utility rooms are situated along the sides of the Garden. Amongst them a few side entrances also connect the Garden to the outside.

Water fountains can be seen over the land flowing from the upper ends toward lower ends on a water cascade style at Shazdeh Garden. These fountains look very beautiful and have been provided impetus by the natural incline of the place. The garden itself consists of a variety of pine, cedar, elm, buttonwood and fruit trees which benefit from the appropriate soil, light breezes and qanat water enable such an environment in contrast to its dry surroundings. The water enters the Garden at the upper end and while irrigating the trees and plants along its way, flows down through a series of steps and falls.

The vital resource of Shahzadeh garden is streams originating from adjacent mountains. Tigran qanat, originating from Joupar altitudes, is the water supply of this garden. This stream flows into the garden from the highest level and constitutes the garden’s designed irrigation system.

 

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Situated in Kashan, this historical Persian garden was completed in 1590. It is the oldest surviving garden in Iran. It contains a main yard surrounded by four circular towers, and, like other Persian gardens, has several water features.

The garden expresses a series of accentuared contrasts between the arid, inhospitable landscape outside the walls and the lush foliage within. Outside, water is scarce and precious; here it flows with superabundance to produce a dense jubgle of growth. The monotone of the landscape is replaced by the colors of foliage, of flowers, of blue tiles, of fountains, and of painted plaster and woodwork, Axial symmetry contrasts with areas of almost impenetrable growth. The plan of Fin calls sharply to mind the Persian garden carpet, for all elements of multiple channels, orchards, flowers, and pavilions are present in similar relationship. At Fin, all the channels are lined, sides and bottom, with blue faience tiles so that the very water seems bright and gay until it flows into one of the larger pools, lined with great trees. The largest pool mirrors the remains of the central pavilion, ascribed to Fath Ali Shah' The garden was repaired in 1935 and Wilber called for restoration of the central pavilion, which has seen been effected.

 

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Built under the order of Shah Abbas I of Persia in the middle of a jungle, this garden is Iran’s most prominent non-desert garden. The Abbas Abad Garden comprises a palace, towers and a lake with a mansion at its centre, making it a big tourist draw.

Several years ago, archaeologists discovered the wonderful waterworks of the park which had been connected to the water supply system of the city as well as bathhouses, and recreational centers. Built on the top of a slope beside the Abbasabad Dam, the excellent water system had three terraced floors, each used by a specific social class.

The garden has a number of spectacular waterfalls and a stream flowing into the western side of the lake, which gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy walking and even swimming.

The art of garden design in Iran dates back to at least 500 B.C. and was developed in the Safavid era (1501-1722). Iranian gardens were built in desert regions before the Safavid era, but the Abbasabad Garden is one of the rare examples of a garden constructed in a forested region.

 

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Located in Mehriz, the Pahlavanpour Garden is one of Iran’s historical orchads. The orchard consists of a summerhouse, a winter quarter, a kitchen, a janitor’s unit and a public bathroom. The waters of the orchard are fed by the Hassan-Abad aqueduct. Next to the summerhouse, the kitchen, the bathroom, and the warehouse were situated, which have been recently unearthed throughout excavations which were carried out in this orchard.

The most valuable section of the orchard is the three-storey summerhouse, which covers an area of 1500 square meters. The interior section of the summerhouse includes a hall and a pond. The Kolah Farangi building within the summerhouse has been beautifully decorated and is considered as one of the most valuable sections of the summerhouse.

The other important building is the winter quarter. It is a one-storey building which includes the common room, and kitchen. The janitor’s unit which has been the place of residence and the workshop of the related workers is located in the northern corner of the orchard.

 

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Built in 1647, Chehel Sotoun is a pavilion in the middle of a garden covering 67,000 Sq. meters at the far end of a long rectangle shaped pool, in Isfahan, Iran, built by Shah Abbas II to be used for the Shah's entertainment and receptions. It was used by Shah Abbas II and his successors to host receptions and entertain dignitaries. Literally meaning Forty Columns, Chehel Sotoun gets its name from the 20 wooden columns supporting the entrance to the pavilion, which when reflected in the waters of the pool in front look like 40 columns.

 Each column is made of a plain tree with a thin layer of colored board fitted on the skin. The layer was formerly covered with colored pieces of glass and mirror. The wooden pillars support an elegant terrace with a light wooden ceiling of wide fretwork louvers. The terrace is only a few steps high and opens the pavilion onto the gardens and an elegant pool. The ceiling still keeps its beams, covering, painted wood louvers, and carefully lay-work-rosettes and suns, stars, stylized fruit and foliage.

The palace is now a museum of Safavid paintings and ceramics, which attracts millions of domestic and foreign visitors. In 2005 safe guarding plans were to be implemented to include the installation of early fire prevention systems.

 

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Located in Shiraz, Iran, this historic Persian garden was built during the mid-13th Century by the paramount chief of the Qashqai tribes of Pars. Following the Chahar Bagh style, the original layout of the garden was most likely laid in the 11th Century by another tribe. The garden and the building belonged to the leaders of the Qashqai tribe before being confiscated by the government. Today, the Eram Garden and the building are within the Shiraz Botanical Garden of the Shiraz University.

Mohammad Qoli Khan ordered the construction of the original mansion that stood on the grounds in the early 18th century, and planted various trees and plants in the garden including pine, orange, cypress and persimmon trees. Later on, during the rule of King Nasser ed-din of the Qajar Dynasty (1785-1925) Mirza Hassan Ali Khan Nasir-al Mulk bought the gardens from the Qashgai tribes and began construction on the present pavilion that now stands in the gardens.

 

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Built around 1750, this garden, situated in Yazd, Iran, was meant to be a residence of Persian regent Karim Khan Zand. The pavilion is set amidst the Persian garden lined with evergreen trees. The pavilion boasts Iran’s tallest badger (wind tower) standing at 33 metres.

The tallest wind tower of the pavilion inside the garden is conceivable from miles away. This traditional air-conditioning system of local houses around the desert in Iran is the essential elements at the residential structures. However, the exaggerated grand size of this wind catcher functioned perfectly well. Actually the Dolat Abad garden is also renowned for having Iran’s tallest badgir (the wind tower), that is standing over 33 meters; though this one was rebuilt after it collapsed in the 1960s.

The most significant characteristics of the design of Dolat Abad Garden is believed to be the attempt of the architect in selecting tactful angles for providing the best views and landscape internally.

 

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Established in the 6th Century BC, along with the city of Pasargadae by Cyrus the Great, the garden of Pasargadae are the oldest among the nine gardens and the earliest-known example of the Chahar Bagh design. They consisted of several palaces in the four quadrants and were divided by pathways and waterways.

Pasargadae has in fact one really superb piece of architecture: it is the tomb of Cyrus, situated right on the edge of the main palace complex. According to Arrian, it was restored by Alexander the Great and has a quiet simplicity that ensures its place in every book on world architecture. Indeed, today it holds a special place at the heart of modern Iran, and it is splendidly displayed at the end of a flower-lined avenue.

Cyrus deserves his special place in the history of modern Persia. He began as a ruler of a petty kingdom in the southwestern corner of the habitable part of modern Iran. He started by conquering the Medes who were then top dogs in that area. He then went west and conquered Croesus, king of the Lydians, and the young Greek city states in what is now the western coast of Turkey. And he then went on to conquer Babylon, thereby establishing the Persians as the main power in the Near East.

 

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The Persian garden design evolved around the 6th Century BC during the time of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Archaemenid Empire. It finds its roots in the idea of an earthly paradise made popular by Persian literature and is conceived to symbolize Eden and the four Zoroastrian elements of sky, earth, water and plants. Gardens following the Persian design reflect the flexibility of the Chahar Bagh, which is the originating principle of the Persian garden. Meaning ‘four gardens’, the Chahar Bagh follows a quadrilateral garden layout based on four gardens of paradise mentioned in the Qur’an. Hence, the Persian garden is always divided into four sectors with water playing an important part in the design, especially for irrigation and ornamentation.

The Persian garden design combines manmade components with nature and incorporates concepts of art, philosophy, symbolism and religion. Designed with the ability to withstand drastic climatic conditions, the Persian garden is inspired by the application of different fields of knowledge such as technology, water management and engineering, agriculture, botany and architecture.

Apart from plant or flower beds, one can find architectural elements such as buildings, walls and pavilions in the Persian garden.

Having found references in poetry, literature, music, calligraphy and carpet design, the Persian garden design has influenced the art of garden design in places as far as India and Spain.

 

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The glory of Awadh can be seen in the present day cities of Uttar Pradesh such as Lucknow, Kanpur, and Faizabad. Lucknow, in particular, owes a lot of its present day charm and infrastructure which includes fine arts and cuisine to the former rulers of Awadh, who later made Lucknow their capital.

Awadh was earlier called by the name Lakshmanpur Awadh and is termed as an ancient Hindu state that has roots dating back to the popular mythological legend of Lord Rama of Ayodhya who had gifted Awadh to his brother Lakshman. Therefore, the original name of Awadh was Lakshmanpur which was located in the outskirts of Ayodhya. Hence, the name Awadh comes from the name Ayodhya which was the capital of the Hindu Kosal province.

The Nawabs of Awadh were very lavish and opulent. They were connoisseurs of fine fabrics and jewellery which can be seen in their portraits. From the usage of finest makhmal or velvet, to mulmul or cotton- the royal robes of the royalty exuded grandeur. There attire had a very dexterous embellishment of zardozi or chikankari work. The Nawabs of Awadh were very lavish and opulent. They were connoisseurs of fine fabrics and jewellery which can be seen in their portraits. From the usage of finest makhmal or velvet, to mulmul or cotton- the royal robes of the royalty exuded grandeur. There attire had a very dexterous embellishment of zardozi or chikankari work. 

The turban of the Nawab was white in colour, having an embellished sarpech adorning it. However, the Nawabs were extremely influenced by the regal finery of the British and even indulged in wearing the Imperial Crown themselves. The crown of Oudh was a huge piece of headgear that had 12 pointed diadems all covered with diamonds with a huge centerpiece ruby.

The Nawabs of Awadh were great patrons of music, poetry, dance and drama. From the popular ‘thumri’ to the revival of kathak, Lucknow had become a flourishing cultural center under the patronage of the Awadh rulers.

 

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Nizam-ul-Mulk’s greatest achievement was the foundation of the princely state of Hyderabad. As the Viceroy of the Deccan, the Nizam was the head of the executive and judicial departments and the source of all civil and military authority of the Mughal Empire in the Deccan. All officials were appointed by him directly or in his name. He drafted his own laws, raised his own armies, flew his own flag and formed his own government.

He divided his kingdom into three parts – one part became his own private estate known as the Sarf-i-Khas; another was allotted for the expenses of the government and was known as the Diwan’s territory; and the remainder was distributed amongst Muslim nobles (jagirdars, zamindars and deshmukhs), who in return paid nazars (gifts) to the Nizam for the privilege of collecting revenue from the villages under them. The most important of these nobles were the Paigahs (see p128). The properties were usually split into numerous pieces in order to prevent the most powerful of the nobles from entertaining any thought of carving out an empire for themselves. The system, which continued relatively unchanged until 1950, ensured a steady source of income for the state treasury and the Nizam.

The Nizam is remembered for having laid the foundation for what would become one of the most important Muslim states outside the Middle East by the first half of the 20th century. The kingdom he ruled over was said to have been close to the size of France.

 

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The great poet-composers and creative musicians or Vaggeyakar’s Sadarang and Adarang are credited with the emergence and popularity of the ‘khayal’ style of Hindustani classical music. The story goes back to the court of Mohammed Shah ‘Rangila’ in the mid eighteenth century. There, a Dhrupad singer and a been (flute) player Niyamat Khan –“Been Nawaz” as he was called was apparently asked to accompany a Dhrupad singer. He took affront at this insult and left in a huff. But he could not resist the temptations of courtly life and returned adopting the nick-name Sadarang. The musical wars between the been-players and the dhrupad singers led to the evolution of the khayal which broke away from the abstract patterns of the Dhrupad. Sadarang’s disciple, nephew and son-in-law Adarang added his own compositions to further popularize and enrich this style of music.

Although this musical tradition is more than 300 years old and many new composers have added to the field, Sadarang and Adarang’s compositions in praise of nature, god, love etc. continue to resonate even for contemporary audiences. Their vocal and instrumental compositions are not bound either by language or gharanas; both of them composed in various languages - Punjabi, Braj, Arbi , Farsi and Rajasthani and vocalists from all gharanas sing their compositions, some of which were transmitted in written form while others have been passed down through the vocal tradition.

 

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Baji Rao I (18 August 1700 – 28 April 1740) was a general of the Maratha Empire in India. He served as the Peshwa to the 4th Maratha Chhatrapati (Emperor) Shahu from 1720 until his death. Bajirao was Peshwa in the Ashta Pradhan (8-minister council) of Shahu. He is also known by the name Bajirao Ballal.

Bajirao I is credited with expanding the Maratha Empire in India. Maratha Empire reached its zenith later on under reign of Chhatrapati Shahu and Bajirao. He was one of the major contributors in expansion over the Indian subcontinent. In his military career spanning 20 years, Bajirao I never lost a single battle.

By the time of Baji Rao's appointment, Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah had in 1719 recognized Marathas' rights over the territories possessed by Shivaji at his death. The treaty also included the Maratha rights to collect taxes (chauth or chauthai and sardeshmukhi) in the six provinces of Deccan. Bajirao succeeded in convincing Chatrapati Shahu that if we want to defend the Maratha Empire then we have to be offensive on our enemy. Bajirao believed that the Mughal Empire was in decline and wanted to take advantage of this situation with aggressive expansion in North India. 

 

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It was in the year 1739, Nadir Shar, the Shah of Iran and the founder of the Afsharid dynasty, invaded India and brought about a boisterous and damaging mark on the history of Mughal India. The invasion of India by Nadir Shah—one of the most mammoth calamities that had taken place during that period—brought about a complete destruction of the already weakened Mughal Empire.

He captured the western frontiers of Mughal Empire such as Kabul, Ghazni, Lahore in 1739. When Nadir Shah crossed Khyber Pass, the Governor of Punjab requested for the strengthening of the army force in Punjab to the Mughal emperor. But, Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor of Delhi, did not pay heed to his request. Soon Nadir Shah entered Punjab with great force and then Muhammad Shah sent the Mughal forces, led by Khan Dauran and Nizam-ul-Mulk, to fight against Nadir Shah. However, the two declined, and so Muhammad Shah led the forces himself. The two forces of Nadir Shah and Muhammad Shah met at Karnal. At the battle of Karnal on 13 February 1739, Nadir Shah easily outnumbered the Mughal forces. The battle lasted for less than three hours and the Mughal emperor, Muhammad Shah surrendered. Both the rulers now entered Delhi on 12 March 1739 and Delhi was handed over to Nadir Shah, along with all its treasures. He occupied Shah Jahan's royal suite in the Red Fort and held a great durbar in the capital the next day.

 

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