CONTEMPORARY

ARCHITECTURE

Lecture 02
 The Architecture of
Princely States
• The term ‘princely states’ applies to those regions of
India not under direct control of the British, but which
continued to be ruled by their traditional rulers.
• In that sense the term ‘princely’ is misleading, since
these rulers were kings in their own right.
• However for the British there was only one King, and
he was in London, and so the term ‘princely states’
came into being.
• The new princely towns of Jaipur, Bikaner and Mysore
showed themselves amongst the most successful in
negotiating this divide.
• Their towns were modeled along British examples –
clock towers, railway stations, public offices, assembly
halls, water systems and public hospitals were built.
• Buildings were European classical, or if constructed
later, Indo-Saracenic, or again an eclectic mix.
 Princely States of jaipur
PINK CITY
History
•Jaipur is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan.
•It was founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber,
after whom the city has been named.
•Jaipur is also known as Pink City and Paris of India.
•The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its
streets which are laid out into six sectors separated by broad streets 34 m (111 ft)
wide.
•The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets.
•Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a
sixth quarter immediately to the east.
•The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex, (Hawa Mahal), formal gardens, and
a small lake.
•Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai
• WHY PINK ?
• Using pink to cut down glare
• Jai Singh II's apparent devotion to Lord Shiva
(whose favorite color is reputedly terra cotta).
• Others believe Singh wanted to imitate the color
of the sandstone used in the forts and palaces of
his Mughal emperor-friends.
• The most popular reason (spread no doubt by
"Britishers" during the Raj era) is that pink is the
traditional color of hospitality, and the city was
freshly painted and paved with pink gravel to
warmly welcome Edward VII for his visit here in
1876.
ARCHITECTURE
• The city was planned according to Indian Vastu Shastra
(Vedic Planning for the comfort and prosperity of the
citizens).
• The directions of each street and market are East to West
and North to South.
• The Eastern gate is called Suraj (Sun) Pol, while the Western
gate is called Chand (Moon) Pol.
• There are three gates facing East, West, and North and a
Northern gate (known as Zorawar Singh gate) which faces
toward the ancestral capital of Amber, while many gates face
South.
• The city was originally within walls, though it has expanded
outside of the original walls over time.
• The gates used to be closed at sunset and opened at
sunrise.
• The town of Jaipur is built in the form of an eight-part
Mandala known as the 'Pithapada'.
• Ornamentation had always been a part of the state’s
architectural heritage, now it became much more opulent.
 DESIGN GENERATORS

BASIC FEATURES:
• Courtyard to support ventilation.
• Big windows with low sill.
• High ceiling to increase comfort levels.
MATERIALS:
• Stone the basic construction unit - lime is used as
binding material
• Big stone pillars used in elevation.
• Complete rubble masonry.
• Kota stone flooring.
PUBLIC SPACES CONCEPTUAL PLAN –
•Chaupars CHAUPAR
•Bazaars •a square that occurs at the
•Mohallas intersection of east west roads
with three north south roads.
•Streets
•100m x 100m
•Temples •used for public gathering on
STREETSCAPES AND CHOWKS
festive occasions
•The main markets, havelis and temples on the main •The distance between two
streets in Jaipur were constructed by the state in the 18thchaupars is about 700m which is
century, thus ensuring that a uniform street facade is ideal for pedestrian movement.
maintained.The widths of roads were predetermined. •It has controlled façade treatment
•Junctions of the main axial streets formed the two square enveloping it.
civic open spaces called chaupars (Badi chaupar and
Chhoti chaupar). The width of the square chaupars was
three times that of the main street.
•Historically, the chaupars were outlets for intense social
use with water structures connected by underground View of the badi chaupar by raja deen dayal
aqueducts, supplying numerous sources of drinking water 1876 with the stepwell partly enclosed
at street level. Presently, the centre of each chaupar has
square enclosures with ornamental fountains.
•The streets and chowks (central open squares in a town)
of the internal chowkries (sectors) with numerous clusters
or mohallas were not predetermined; hence show a mix of
grid iron and organic pattern, with the basic unit of built
form being the rectangular haveli. View of a main bazaar street
BAZAARS
• Original markets in the city include Kishanpole
bazaar, Gangauri bazaar, Johari bazaar, Sireh
Deorhi bazaar, along the main north-south and
east-west axes that intersect at Chhoti and Badi
Chaupars.
• Typical architectural features of the bazaar
streets are - use of chhajjas (sunshades)
resulting in strong horizontal lines, projecting
vertical blocks on brackets, a modular system of
arches filled with delicate latticed screens to cut
direct sun and glare of reflected sun in the
street.
• Bazaar streets have temples above shops with
Uniform planned shop fronts on bazaar streets.
wide staircase starting from pavement to the
temple level. Space above shops at first floor
level originally functioned as galleries for
watching royal processions, religious festivals
and public celebrations
• On the main streets strict control was
exercised on the street façade, along which
were located shops and arcades- one storey Defined street façade at a chaupar with
high, but beyond the frontage the buildings sunshades and latticed colonnades at
could be of any height or any shape, some built upper floors and shop fronts on the
with flat roofs & others with traditional chattris. ground floor.
 HAWA MAHAL
• The main architect of this palace built of red and pink
sandstone, is Lal Chand Ustad and the palace is believed
to have been constructed in the form of the crown of
Krishna, the Hindu god. Considered as an embodiment of
Rajputana architecture, the main highlight of Hawa Mahal is
its pyramid shape and its 953 windows or 'Jharokhas'
which are decorated with intricate designs.
• The main intention behind the construction of the Mahal
was to facilitate the royal women and provide them a view
of everyday life through the windows, as they never
appeared in public.
ACRHITECTURE
• Hawa Mahal, designed as a beehive castle with small
windows, has a height of 50 feet from its base.
• This structure, erected on a thin shield or podium
approximately fifty feet high, has walls less than a foot
thick.
• Constructed of red and pink sandstones by Lal Chand
Ustad,
• Hawa Mahal is famous for its windows or 'Jharokhas'
which enable free circulation of air within the
structure.
• Its entrance is a door which leads to a spacious courtyard surrounded by two-storey
buildings on three sides. Of the five storeys of the Mahal, the top three storeys have the
thickness of a single room while the bottom storeys have courtyards.
• The interior of the Hawa Mahal is stark and plain with passages and pillars
reaching to the top storey. The building does not have stairs to reach the upper
floors; the storeys are connected by slopes. From Hawa Mahal, you have an
excellent view of the city.

View Of the City From Hawa Mahal Courtyard

 AMER FORT Courtyard

Architectural Layout
• The structure has four different parts, each with a separate entrance.
• The main entry to the fort is through the 'Suraj Pol' or Sun Gate which opens up into the
main courtyard.
• This east-facing gate is also the main entrance to the palace and its position with respect
to the rising sun is the source of its name.
• The 'Jaleb Chowk' is one of the four courtyards of the Amer Palace.
• The 'Sila Devi' Temple is right at the entrance to the main palace grounds.
• The second courtyard is famous for its 'Diwan-i-Aam' (Public Audience Hall), the
'Sheesh Mahal' and the 'Sukh Mahal'. A very famous attraction here is the 'Magic Flower',
a fresco carved out of marble.
 DIWAN-I-AAM' (PUBLIC AUDIENCE
HALL)
• It has forty pillars and is a best example of intricate craftsmanship.
• The wide assembly hall measures 201′ by 67′ and has flat roof with two gateways of
arched red sandstone to the north and south.
• The hall is divided in three parts and has nine bold arches.
• This is built in red sandstone and is plastered with white shell plaster which looks like
white marble.
• There is also a raised rectangular stage from where the emperor used to address the
audience.
 PRINCELY STATES OF BIKANER
THE LAND OF DUNES
• CLIMATE
• Bikaner is situated in the middle of the
Thar desert and has a hot semi-arid
climate with very little rainfall and
extreme temperatures. In summer
temperatures can exceed 45 °C, and
during the winter they may dip below
freezing.
• The climate in Bikaner is characterized by
significant variations in temperature. In the
summer season it is very hot when the
temperatures lie in the range of 28–53.5
°C (82.4–128.3 °F). In the winter, it is
fairly cold with temperatures lying in the
range of -4–23.2 °C (24.8–73.8 °F).Annual
rainfall is in the range of 260–440
millimeters (10–17 in).
 LOCATION

Bikaner is a city in the northwest, of

the state of Rajasthan in northern
India. It is located 330 kilometres
(205 mi) northwest of the state
capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the
administrative headquarters of
Bikaner District and Bikaner
division.
It is located in the following latitude
and longitude 27°11' and 29°03' N
and 71°54‘ and 74°12' E.
History of Bikaner
• Bikaner before the 15th century was known as jangladesh
under the rule of Rajputs.
• Rao bika established the city of bikaner in 1488.
• He was the first son of maharaja rao jodha of the rathore
clan, the founder of jodhpur and conquered the largely arid
country in the north of rajasthan. He wanted to build his
own kingdom and thus bikaner was established.
• Though it was in the thar desert, bikaner was considered an
oasis on the trade route between central asia and the gujarat
coast as it had adequate spring water. Bika's name was
attached to the city he built and to the state of bikaner ("the
settlement of bika") that he established. Bika built a fort in
1478, which is now in ruins, and a hundred years later a new
fort was built about 1.5 km from the city
centre, known as the junagarh fort.
• Around a century after rao bika founded bikaner, the state's
fortunes flourished under the sixth raja, rai singhji, who ruled
from 1571 to 1611.
• He built the chintamani durg (junagarh fort) on a plain which
has an average elevation of 760 feet (230 m). He was an
expert in arts and architecture, and the knowledge he
acquired during his visits abroad is amply reflected in the
numerous monuments he built at the Junagarh fort.
 ARCHITECTURE ,MATERIALS AND
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
THE JUNAGARH FORT
• The massive fort built in the plains of Bikaner has a
rectangular (quadrangular) layout with a peripheral length of
1,078 yards (986 m). The fort walls are 14.5 feet (4.4 m) wide
and 40 feet (12 m) in height.
• It encompasses an area of 63,119 square yards (5.28 ha). It
was surrounded by a moat which was 20–25 feet (6.1–7.6 m)
deep with a base width of 15 feet (4.6 m) and top width of
30 feet (9.1 m).
• The structures built within the Junagarh fort are the palaces
and temples, which are made of red sandstone (dulmera) and
marble.
• The palaces are described as picturesque with their
assortment of courtyards, balconies, kiosks and windows.
• The fort, the temples and the palaces are preserved as
museums and provide insight into the grandiose living style of
the past maharanas of rajasthan. The fort is called “a paradox
between medieval military architecture and beautiful interior
decoration”.
THE FORT GATES
• While the main entry gate was karan pol or parole,
facing east, the current gate of entry is called suraj pol
(meaning the sun gate), 'pol‘, built in gold coloured or
yellow sandstone, unlike the other gates and buildings
built in red sandstone.
• It is the east facing gate permitting the rising sun’s rays
to fall on the gate, which is considered a good omen.
• The doors of this gate are strengthened with iron
spikes and studs to prevent ramming by elephants
during an attack.
• Between the main gate and the palace, there is a
quadrangle, and then another gate called the tripolia
gate (triple gateway) before accessing the royal
chambers. Next to this gate is a small temple
called the har mandir, where the royal family used to
offer worship.
• In the quadrangle, which houses a large pavilion with a
water pool built in carrara Italian marble. The Karan
mahal, where public audience was held in the Diwan-i-
am by Karan Singh (1631–39) and his successors till
the 20th century, can also be seen in the same
quadrangle.
THE RAILWAY STATION
• Bikaner railway station is at an elevation of 226 metres (741 ft).
• Bikaner railway station was constructed in 1891 with a Rs. 3,46,000 donation by rai
Bahadur Dewan Bahadur sir kasturchand daga, a known trader from the city.
• In 1889, the two states of jodhpur and bikaner formed the jodhpur–bikaner railway to
promote railway development jointly within the rajputana agency. In 1891 the 1,000 mm
(3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) wide metre gauge jodhpur–bikaner line was opened. In 1901–02, the meter
gauge line was extended to bathinda.
• Presently it is being used as a station cum museum for the display of machinery, materials
used in the railway industry.
MUD ARCHITECTURE – BIKANER
• The houses are constructed out of stone as well as mud. Rectangular rooms arranged in geometric pattern around
the courtyard constitute the basic plan form.
• All major spaces are rectangular, with flat stone slabs or rough wood roofs, except for one circular(kitchen or
store) space with a conical thatched roof.
• The walls are either constructed out of sun baked mud bricks or undressed stone, plastered with mud. The village
houses have two or three courtyards.The outer court has a high and strong compound wall.

• For and protection against the sandstorms. The inner or central court is the place onto which all rooms open and it
is the hub of activities.
• The rear yard is where the fodder is stored. The interior of and these built spaces is used only when the climate is
specially severe semi open space like verandahs are used most of the time.
• The room which is accessible from the outside maybe used as a visitor’s room or as a shop.
• The play of walls of different heights set on various planes gives the main façade an appearance characteristic of the
area.
• Openings in the walls are small and few in number. The mud plastered walls are painted white at these openings and
this makes them look larger.
WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
• Maharaja Ganga Singh was great socio-
political and economic development in
every sphere of life namely education,
health, sanitation, water supply, power
generation etc.
• On the northern border, the Ghaggar
canal in the Punjab irrigated about 5000
acres
• Ghaggar river is an intermittent,
endorheic river in india and pakistan
that flows only during the monsoon
season.
• It originates in the village of Daghai in
Shivalik hills of Himachal Pradesh at an
elevation of 1927m above the sea level
that flows through Punjab and states
into Rajasthan.
GHAGGAR CANAL (ALSO
KNOWN AS INDIRAGANDHI
CANAL NOW)
•The canal consists of the Rajasthan
feeder canal with the first 167
kilometers (104 mi) in Punjab and
Haryana state and a further 37
kilometers (23 mi) in Rajasthan followed
by the 445 kilometers (277 mi) of the
Rajasthan main canal, which is entirely
within Rajasthan.
•The canal enters Haryana from Punjab
near Lohgarh village then runs through
the western part of the Sirsa district
before entering Rajasthan near
Kharakhera village in the Tibbi Tehsil of
the Hanumangarh district. The canal
traverses seven districts of Rajasthan:
Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh,
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Sriganganagar.
•It could brought under irrigation from
the stored waters of Punjab rivers.
 PRINCELY STATES OF MYSORE
CITY OF PALACES

Public hospital - Mysore

• Krishna Rajendra Hospital: Built in 1876 rebuilt in 1918 at
a cost of Rs.5 lakhs,
• This stately building is predominantly Greco-Roman
architecture.
• Column styles, both in the central pediment and at either
end of the facade, are varied between the grounds floor
and the first floor- fluted Tuscan, Ionic and Corinthian.
• Arched and plastered colonnades from the two wings.

o A huge dome resting on an octagonal drum, dominates the elevation. Built by - Sri
Krishnadevaraja Wadiyar.
o The end-blocks, each with a set of elaborately carved and moulded niches, are treated
with pyramidal steps ending in a finial.
o Greek dentils define the lines and a balustrade parapet lends an agreeable touch to a rich
composition.
• Clock tower
• With the advent of modern civilization and digital clocks, the age-old clock towers have
become things of the past.
• Yet, they have not yet lost their charm and the underlying heritage values because of
their links with the by-gone era.
• Further, clock towers are still today mostly admired for their aesthetics and their
usefulness to find time in the past.
• A Clock tower is a specific type of structure which may be free standing or can also
adjoin or be set atop of another building.
• The structure houses a turret clock and may have one face or more clock faces on the
upper exterior walls.
• The clocks are big enough so that people can read the numerals easily. World over, many
cities have one or more clock towers and in many places, they add beauty to the iconic
buildings and the area.
• Example 1 - Silver
Jubilee clock tower in Mysore
city in the state of Karnataka forms yet another
important landmark in this city.
• It stands in a busy area adjacent to Chamaraja Circle
and the Town Hall.
• To commemorate the silver jubilee (25 years) of the
rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the maharajah of
Mysore, this tall clock tower was constructed in 1927.
• Also called as dodda gadiyara Structure – indo-
Saracenic style Height – 75 ft Clock dia – 5 ft and
carries Kannada numerals.
• In the curvilinear chhajja (overhanging eaves
supported on carved brackets) design, one can see the
influence of Rajasthani tradition.
• Topped with a domed canopy which rests on a
consoled base just above the clock.
• The tall double arches and framing slit windows
suggest early English church architecture.
• The structure is set on a base amidst a well-tended
circular garden
• Example 2 - Dufferin clock tower
– chikka gadiyara
• Built in – 1886
• Honor of lord Dufferin –the British viceroy of
India
• Adjacent to KR circle
• Built on foundation of 8 pillars covered by railing
• A decorative fountain at the centre – showpiece of
the structure
• Renovation –2012
• Before was occupied by hawkers and vehicle
parkers, later was vacated by govt and the space
around was covered with tiles and seats for tourists
• 9 small fountains and 13 decorated lamps were
added to the space
• Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is a building in Mysore city, Karnataka.
• The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion houses a museum of priceless collections of artifacts.
• The Karnataka government classifies it as a heritage structure.
• The mansion was built in 1905, during the period of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, for princess
Jayalakshmi Ammani, the eldest daughter of the Maharaja Chamaraja Wodeyar, at a cost of Rs.
7 lakhs
Architectural features
• The renovated mansion has 125 rooms, 300 windows, 287 exquisitely carved doors and it
was spread across 6 acres .
• There are entrances on each side, different from each other.
• The entrance on the northern side has an extrusion on the stairs presumably to be used as
alighting platform from cars and chariots.
• The mansion is chiefly built of brick and mortar, timber and iron. Stone was dispensed with
considering the amount of delay it would have on construction if it were used.
• There are separated drainages for rain water and used water
• The palace is a three-wing structure that features a sequence of twin Corinthian
and Ionic columns.
• The interior is furbished in Indian styles.
• The main feature of the palace is the dancing hall with wooden floors and the
Kalyana Mantap.
• The Kalyana Mantap consists of an eight-petal shaped dome and 12-pillar square.
The roof which is 40 feet high is decked with painted glasses.
• The palace also comprises of the Kalasha or a gold-plated tower.
• The first floor of the building consists of regal pediments on the roof top.
• The south side of the pediment of the palace has a sculpture of Goddess
Bhuvaneswari under a domed canopy and the north side pediment of the palace
has a sculpture of the Goddess Lakshmi.
• Arched colonnades connect the different wings of the building. The
interiors of the palace have extensive mouldings and carvings, and are
excellent specimens of traditional Indian design
• The palace has been converted into a museum since 2006, and is also a research
centre for the University of Mysore.
Oriental Research Institute
• It is the depository of over 50,000 manuscripts.
• The Institution was founded in 1891 by the then Government of the Chamaraja
Wodeyar Bhahadur, Maharaja of Mysore with the purpose of collecting, editing,
printing and preserving old Sanskrit and Kannada manuscripts.
• It was built in 1891 in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen
Victoria and hence it was popularly known as Victoria Jubilee Institute.
• The building is a rare specimen of European classical style of architecture combining
Gothic, Corinthian, and Romanesque elements.
•The building faces north and is built on a podium, which gives the advantage of height to the
structure.
•Flights of steps at east and west lead to the center of the structure, which
is a spacious hall.
•The most attractive part of this hall is the dome, which is of Mansard or
curb type roof having slope on all the four sides.
•The topmost portion has a square flat roof. On either side are colonnades
with series of double Corinthian pillars with north-south sloping roof.
•On either side of the colonnades are two rectangular halls with four Corinthian pillars
supporting low triangular triforia.These triforia is ornamental with cut moldings.

•The elevation is composed of a stepped balustrade approach to the triple arched entrance
verandah supported on Corinthian double columns, which are repeated in the pedimented end-
bays.
•The flanking verandahs are supported on Ionic columns.
•The dome-suggestive of the classical Mansard roof, with sloping four sides- is topped by a
wrought-iron crest of the kind which was used in the design of some other contemporary public
buildings (The City Market and the Victoria Hospital at Bangalore and the Law Courts at
Mysore).