the Diwan-i-Khas
[1600 CE]
the Diwan-i-Khas stands alone as a singular building that measures 13.18 meters high as well as tall. the building was thought up by Akbar, who created a cult called the Din-i-Ilahi, or Devine Religion, that included practices of politeness, meditation, abstinence, and beneficence. he was considered a very modern thinker and surrounded himself with philosophers and aestheticians, although he was illiterate. at Fatehpur Sikri, in 1582, Akbar called a general council meeting at Diwan-i-Khas for members of all faiths to join and resolve their differences. the central idea for the meeting was sulh-i-kul, which is the "tolerance of all thoughts that benefit mankind." (Ching, 506) Akbar thought of himself as a unique ambassador of God and was the central figure for the meeting.
the beliefs of Din-i-Ilahi are shown in the Diwan-i-Khas, which means royal audience hall. it is a two story square box that is made completely out of red sandstone and has an overhanging chajja and four chattris at the corners. the most prominent feature of the Diwan-i-Khas is its interior. it is supported by a single pillar in the center of the building with a "mushroom top" that is made of sandstone brackets. the round platform seems to float in midair and only has four bridges attached to it. these bridges create a crucifix form, while the rest of the balcony runs the perimeter of the second floor interior. - the emperor sat at the center of the building that was supported by the center column
- other leaders sat at the edges of each bridge
- this put the emperor at the center of the cube, as well as the sphere the building creates
- the Diwan-i-Khas has no known precedent and has never been copied.
the idea of designing a space or building around a central area or object is used in many different time periods and architecture. cathedrals, like the Notre Dame, have four sections that meet at one central area, where the altar is. this puts emphasis on what is happening in that space, as well as the person in that space. this is also the same in the Diwan-i-Khas because the center column supports the central figure of the meeting and connects four other leading figures. that fact that it is heavily ornamented also puts more emphasis on the center of the space and the person who is at the center of the building. this also reminds me of uncg campus. during the first couple of weeks, we talked about circles on campus. we found the largest circle on college avenue and said that it is, for the most part, the center of campus. the center column and platform it creates in the Diwan-i-Khas is circular, and connects different parts of the building. the circle at the center of campus connects different parts of the university, including housing, academics, and dining.information and images:
-all information from Ching and Roth
-I chose this image to show what the exterior of the building looks like
http://www.tropicalisland.de/india/uttar_pradesh/agra/pages/AGR%20Fatehpur%20Sikri%20ghost%20city%20-%20Diwan-i-Khas%20or%20Hall%20of%20Private%20Audiences%20known%20as%20the%20Jewel%20House%203008x2000.html
-I chose this image to show the central column and how it influences the space around it
http://wwwfatehpursikri.blogspot.com/2010/12/fatehpur-sikri.html
