House and Garden 
in all its glory. “Its grass-plots were all 
covered with clover ; its pomegranate trees 
were entirely of a beautiful yellow color. 
It was the pomegranate season and the fruit 
was hanging red on the trees. The orange 
trees were green and beautiful, loaded with 
innumerable oranges ; but the best of them 
were not yet ripe.” 
In these descriptions we have an exposi¬ 
tion of some of the ancient principles of gar¬ 
dening as practised in Central Asia and 
Persia and Afghanistan in the beginning of 
the sixteenth century. First, the choice of 
a place beautiful from the hands of nature ; 
next, the arrangement of the irrigation, arti¬ 
ficial water-falls, fountains, reservoirs, flower¬ 
beds and fruit trees, and a platform for sitting 
upon — all according to a definite artistic 
tradition. Symbolism and mysticism were the 
foundation of all Eastern art and garden- 
craft. Every tree and every flower had some 
symbolic or mystical meaning, traces of 
which can still be found in old European 
folk-lore. The garden itself, according to 
the Tartar traditions which Babar brought 
with him into India, was a symbol of life 
and death. Some of the Mogul gardens 
were used only as pleasure-grounds, but 
there was always one especial favorite which 
was set apart for the owner’s last resting 
place when the pleasures of life were over. 
It must have been acquired by fair means, 
and not by force or fraud, otherwise the pos¬ 
session of it would only bring misfortune. 
H ence Babar’s allusion to the fact that he 
had paid the price of the Bagh-e-Kilan to 
the proprietors and received a grant of it. 
When Babar conquered Hindustan and 
established himself at Agra, the barrenness 
and flatness of the country put great difficul¬ 
ties in the way of his projects for laying out 
gardens. He expresses his disgust in the 
following words : “ It always appears to me 
that one of the chief defects of Hindustan is 
the want of artificial water-courses. I had 
intended, wherever I might fix my residence, 
to construct water-wheels, to produce an arti¬ 
ficial stream, and to lay out an elegant and 
regularly planned pleasure-ground. Shortly 
after coming to Agra I passed the Jumna 
with this object in view and examined the 
country to pitch upon a fit spot. The whole 
was so ugly and detestable that 1 repassed 
the river quite repulsed and disgusted. In 
consequence of the want of beauty and of 
the disagreeable aspect of the country I gave 
up my intention of making a charbagh (gar¬ 
den); but as no better presented itself 
near Agra I was finally compelled to make 
the best of this same spot. ... In every 
corner I planted suitable gardens, in every 
garden I sowed roses and narcissus regularly, 
and in beds corresponding to each other.” 
He also avowed his unmitigated contempt 
for all things Indian: “The country and 
towns of Hindustan are extremely ugly. 
All its towns and lands have a uniform look; 
its gardens have no walls ; the greater part 
WATER 
PAVILION 
PAVILIONj 
PAVILION 
WATER 
!5®*| 
©** 
•ft®* 
®»® 
©8.® 
- 
-Parfit'ated 
marble, railing 
Marhle slab pierced 
with, holes 'ronPlewers 
PLAN OF A GARDEN 
In one of the Island Palaces at Udaipur 
PLAN OF A COURTYARD 
In the Maharajah’s Palace at Udaipur 
