India’s Magnificent Mughal Arches

Many of India’s most famous views are framed by the Mughal arch:

This shape of arch was used in the great architectural monuments that were built by Mughal emperors centuries ago. India isn’t the only place where you’ll see this arch though – the Mughal emperors were influenced by Persian designs and Islamic architecture of those times. But I think nowadays, when you see this arch shape, it’s often an iconic Indian motif.

Here it is in the Red Fort in Old Delhi, as photographed by Fred Inklaar on Flickr:

Aren’t they so elegant, in this photo taken by Briony and Terry in India:

Here they’re cut into sandstone, and they captivated the photographer, Andrea Kirby, as their shapes have captivated so many others to capture them on film:

I love this view and definitely will see it myself in person some day – a tunnel of the Mughal arches at the Red Fort, as captured by TPM on Flickr:

The Mughal arches have taken ahold of me too, but much smaller versions in wooden printing blocks from Jaipur:

When I travel for work, I like to take supplies for DIYs during down-time. These printing blocks traveled with me to a hotel recently, where I was faced with a bed of crisp white linens!

After looking at that blank, tempting canvas for five days, I managed to check out without redecorating the hotel room. Instead, something else was printed on and photographed, and now I’m playing around with some ideas to be revealed soon. So this is not the last you’ll see of these Mughal arches …