EXPLORING ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENTATION OF MUGHAL ERA BUILDINGS OF LAHORE IN THE ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES

Abstract

The adornment of the structures serves a central purpose of making the unforgettable image more pronounced. To identify and analyze the architectural embellishments of the Mughal Era and their present context, development and position. Cultural imagery during the Mughal Era in Lahore (16th-18th century) was flourishing illuminating modern architectural styles that accentuated beauty in structures. This ornamentation is a combination of Islamic Persian and Indian art, which specializes the Mughal architecture. This research centres on Mughal ornamentation techniques, structure and decorative materials in particular used for the Buildings of Lahore. This particular study used the qualitative research design, incorporating archival research, site observation and visual material evaluation to assess the architectural decoration of the Mughal Era buildings found in Lahore. For this study, 3 building samples were picked out for study. The researcher used photographs, sketches and field notes to collect data and thematic analysis was conducted to analyze that data. The findings of the study highlighted the unique and beautiful features of the buildings in Lahore that belong in the Mughal Era, from detailed marble inlay, profusely carved sandstone and marble, decorative tileworks to gaudy gold works. Further, the findings brought out the implied meanings and relevance of these decorative elements which showcase the artistic and cultural level of the Mughal Empire. Further, this study has focused on the preservation as well as restoration of the Mughal Era buildings in Lahore, mostly concentrating on enhancing and recovering the decorative elements of the structures. Additionally, it can be deduced from the findings that there is a need to formulate and implement culture-based tourism programs that seek to create awareness and appreciation of Mughal architecture and its relevance to the historical narrative of the city of Lahore. Lastly, the study also proposes additional investigations on how Mughal ornamentation can be utilized in detail, particularly with regard to the built environment, and what its cultural and artistic values are.