The Mughal Architectural Legacy in Kashmir: A Study of its Influences, Innovations, and Impact on the Region's Cultural Heritage

Abstract

This study focuses on the role of Mughal Architecture in Kashmir and exploring the nature of imported style and invention in the region with long term consequences for the Culture. The research uses a field- based qualitative methodology, such field visits to key Mughal sites, document review at various archives and interviews conducted with local antiquarians and scholars. It reveals specific characteristics of the building and its construction like Mughal Garden style and its ornaments combination of Persian and Kashmiri architectural concepts, the use of walnut wood and marble. Interestingly, the study mentioned about how the construction pattern of the Mughal architecture impacted the physical geography of Kashmir along with the bounded cultural evolution, planning, and aesthetic features of the craftsmen. The study also concerns its current efforts to solve the issues with maintaining the Mughal’s legacy in the present political and environmental climate. More importantly, this research confirms that Mughal architectural heritage continues to define the cultural and historical narrative of the earthquake-ravaged city and its subsequent architectural transformation.