Shah Jahan's Lal Mahal at Bari and the Tradition of Mughal Hunting Palaces

The vast Lal-Mahal hunting palace near the village of Bari in Rajasthan was built between 1634-1636 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1627-58). The palace reflects Shah Jahan's lavish architectural taste and his love of hunting. As it is the most complete surviving example of a Mughal hunting palace, the Lal-Mahal is an important monument for documenting the architectural and cultural history of Mughal India. The Lal-Mahal has never been published, nor is there a systematic study of Mughal hunting palaces, despite their inherent importance as artistic monuments and the evidence they provide for a greater understanding of Mughal architectural patronage. Even the standard works by Percy Brown and others on Indian Islamic architecture have not addressed this major architectural type. This dissertation attempts to fill this lacuna in our knowledge with a monographic study of the previously unpublished Lal-Mahal at Bari. The study is a detailed description and analysis of this important Mughal palace. The historical background of Bari and the significance of the institution of the Mughal court hunt is discussed, as well as the formal characteristics of early seventeenth century Mughal palace architecture. Although the court histories do not mention the name of the architect of the Lal-Mahal, this study suggests an attribution to Ustad Ahmad Lahori (c. 1580-1649), who was serving as imperial architect during the period when the palace was constructed. The Lal-Mahal is compared to similar structures, particularly the approximately contemporary, and previously unpublished hunting palace at Rupbas. The Mughals created palaces in rural settings to experience the tranquility of nature, as strategic outposts, and especially for the pursuit of the imperial pastime, hunting. The Mughal court histories mention over sixty hunting locations, a substantial number of which were sanctioned as royal hunting grounds. The erection of buildings are recorded at several of these sites. Shah Jahan's hunting palace at Bari testifies to a building tradition that had been established by his predecessors, the emperors Babur and Akbar.