X GARDENS OF THE GREAT MUGHALS 



the existence and genius of the Indian master- 

 builder, will be interested in the Government 

 Report on Modern Indian Architecture published 

 last April. Apart from the conclusions drawn 

 by Mr. Gordon Saunderson and Mr. J. Begg, 

 F.R.I.B.A., Consulting Architect to the Public 

 Works Department of the Government of India, 

 and their recommendation of the direct employ- 

 ment of Indian master-builders on the score of 

 cheapness, the photographs of the Mosque, 

 with its purdah galleries, now under construction 

 for Her Highness the Begam of Bhopal, and the 

 modern merchants' houses at Bikanir and else- 

 where, show that there is life and power in the 

 native craftsmanship of India to meet and profit 

 by any new demands we may desire to make upon 

 it. Direct, generous, and discriminating patron- 

 age is the chief need of modern Indian art. 



For the " plentiful lack " of flowers in my 

 sketches of the old baghs, Indian garden-craft 

 must not be held responsible. The absence 

 of colour is mainly due to the influence of our 

 English landscape gardeners, and their fixed 

 belief in the universal virtue of mown grass. 

 Happily in some Indian gardens there are still 

 the sparkling fountains. 



