SIKANDRAH 45 



disgusted by the surroundings of his new Indian 

 capital — the far-reaching plains and the lack of 

 natural beauty which prevented the realisation 

 of the great char-bagh of his dreams, the Imperial 

 garden-palace, which, with its terraces and foun- 

 tains, should rival and outshine all those on 

 the hillsides of Kabul and Samarkand. 



In these terrace pleasure-grounds the main 

 pavilion, the climax of the garden, is in nearly 

 every case placed either on the topmost terrace, 

 from which wide views were visible, or else on the 

 lowest embankment to enjoy the long vista up 

 the line of dancing, sparkling waterfalls and 

 fountains. 



At Sikandrah a different scheme is followed, 

 which may be taken as a type of the Mughal 

 gardens of the plains. The plan is of extreme 

 simplicity— the fourfold field-plot of Babar, and 

 also the Hindu mythologised geography of the 

 world. This was a Holy Land, with Mount Meru 

 in its midst, from which the waters of a secret 

 spring flow north, south, east, and west in four 

 great fertilising streams. On the central mount 

 grows the sacred tree, the Tree of Knowledge of 

 Good and Evil, with Naga, the holy water-snake, 

 the embodiment of the spring, coiled about its 



