Transferring Reflections: Mirrors, Imperial Power and Architecture in Mughal Empire (India) and Safavid Empire (Iran)

The empires in Iranian, Pakistani and Indian regions made several impressive architectural and imperial/royal objects and palaces. One of them are imperial palaces called Sheesh Mahals or Palaces of mirrors from Mughal emperors (1526- 1857) in India. Similar are various rooms and galleries with mirrors from Safavid’s Iran (1501-1736). Interior designmade from mirrors, glass and polished materials have been used for production of space and reflection. Outside reflection in natural water, water tanks and ponds which occupied area around palaces and inside reflection of mirrors and mirroring materials could be understand with concept of transferring reflection, political and ideological ideas of power,light, reflection and visitor’s experience in Mughal era in South Asia and Safavid period in Iran. The reflective surfaces are related with ideology of Sun, golden lion and light which are cosmological representations. This concept is linked with panopticon (J. Bentham, M. Foucault) and analyzed as imperial power, control and rulership in the early modernera of Iran, Pakistan and India. The imperial power is defined on several levels of powers: economic and organizational, political and diplomatic, psychological, ideological and cosmological, so building a room with mirrors with combination of charismatic ruler (emperor, king, leader) and strict system of values, moral and social identity brought an imperial and self-control and preserve hierarchy in the both empires (Mughal and Safavid).

Keywords:

reflection , mirrors , transferring reflection , water surfaces , Sheesh Mahal , Mughal Empire , Safavid Empire