Symbolic Mughal Garden in India

Abstract

The word paradise is derived from the Old Persian word peri deja, meaning 'enclosed park'. Islamic gardens are largely inspired by the concept of Paradise in Islam as described in the Holy Quran. As Islam spread and conquered new territories, Muslims adopted local technologies and combined them with their knowledge in new buildings. This integration led to the spread of different styles of Islamic architecture in different regions. There are three examples for Islamic gardens: Arab, Turkish and Persian. Persian style gardens had an aesthetic quality and were designed for viewing guests while Turkish gardens were used as a place of relaxation. Scholars have identified Persian gardens as 'park gardens' and Turkish gardens as 'courtyard gardens'.