Moreover, it enables us to take a close look at moments and sitesĪt which certain entanglements take place so that we gain a better understanding of the fabric of public spheres. How a globalised – and seemingly universal – notion, that of romantic love, circulates, with the help of images and media,Īnd how it changes. The case study I have chosen to present here underlines this in two ways: it examines The flow of transcultural images and media in times of contemporary globalisation does not mean that we must anticipate symmetricalĪnd identical diffusion and reception. Although the river was the prime object of vision in both traditions, the Islamic mode of visuality was phenomenal presentation while the Hindu mode is iconic representation. Pavilions on riverfront terraces with gardens below framed views of the landscape, implying a separation between the viewer and the designated object. In contrast, at historic Agra, the interface was marked by walls enclosing royal gardens, palaces, and tombs, creating private enclaves and permitting the common residents only interstitial access to the river, if any at all. The land-water interface at Braj is marked by steps that allow access to the river for bathing, shrines and temples for worship, and a porous architecture that facilitates vision and movement in the public realm. The historic Yamuna riverfront at Agra, one-time capital of the Mughal empire, is compared with the riverfront at Braj, sacred to the Hindus for its association with the god Krishna. Islamic and Hindu ways of seeing are described in terms of their inscription upon the cultural landscape of India. © 2009 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.Ĭultural traditions encompass specific modes of visuality. View corridors proposed in this landscape will function as conservation easements and will engage the visitor in an extended visual experience of the Taj. By knitting together the public gardens, parks, and other landscapes in a continuous system of open spaces, a green belt can be created around the Taj to protect it from environmental pollution and provide recreational spaces. Landscape is understood to be not just the neo-colonial version of the Mughal garden that dominates the foreground of the Taj's ubiquitous imagery, but also the larger cultural landscape of the river Yamuna and its flood plain, rural hamlets and farmfields, and the streets and open spaces of urban Agra. This article proposes that ways of seeing the building should include perceiving it as a "figure in the landscape". Today, the Taj complex is a tourist enclave that is cut off from its surroundings, and limited movement patterns restrict visitor views and experiences of the monument. The post-colonial period has seen proliferations of its image for virtual consumption and commodification, making the Taj the most visited tourist destination in India. The Europeans painted, photographed, and made it an object of romantic gaze in a picturesque setting that fitted their notions of the exotic and mysterious East. The Mughal emperors saw it from across the river Yamuna, reflected in the river's waters and in the fountains of Mahtab Bagh, and framed by the balconies of the Red Fort. Since the Taj complex was built in the mid-17th century, the mausoleum has been an object of wonder and delight, yet viewed differently by each era.
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