From old Indian miniature paintings such as this, some idea can be gathered of the planting of these Paradise gardens, whose beauty formed the chief symbolic and artistic inspiration of Mughal decorative art.
This idea of Paradise underlay the whole artistic world of the Mughal craftsman, builder, and artist. It included the angels, and houris, the gentle beasts, and bright birds, and glittering fishes whose home it was, and who all lived together there in perfect harmony; for although the stricter conventions of some Moslem sects might forbid their representation, no idea of an Indian Paradise garden is complete without their presence, as well as the more familiar forms of trees, and fruits, and flowers, and running waters. Whatever building or smaller work of art we turn to, the same garden motives reappear: in the beautiful inlaid flower-bed dados of the Private Hall of Audience beyond the Anguri Bagh, in the similar dado round the Taj, in the well-known rose-water vessels and flower-vases, the fruit-plates and wine-cups of the old Persian and Indian tiles, they are equally to be found. Bouquets of flowers cover the fine gold-embroidered muslins; flower-borders edge the soft Kashmir shawls, and twine lightly in and out of the pages of much-prized Nasta'liq writing. The miniature portraits of Emperors, and their nobles, often show a garden background; and in nearly every case the figure holds in one hand a sweet-scented garden flower, some rose or narcissus painted with precise, delicious skill. The waving pattern of the water is seen on every hand; pavements and platforms are inlaid to represent the garden tanks; the same motive echoes the charm of the waterfalls on embroidered rugs and hangings. The best known and most beautiful theme of all, the entwined cypress and fruit tree, which appears and reappears on carpets, in tiles, embroideries, and paintings, was taken directly from the garden avenues, where cypress and fruit trees planted alternately were the favourite symbols of life, death, and eternity; the solemn background of the deep-toned cypress, emblem of death and eternity, contrasted with the waving, delicate sprays of rosy almond tree or silvery flowering plum, emblems of life and hope.
