Practicing Tradition in the Age of Globalization

Every society needs to find its own answers to the big questions of human existence namely the purpose of life, humanity and society, based on its own value-system, history and culture. Today Globalization is seen as a ‘natural’ process of history without the realization that it is premised on a world-view and subsequent answers to the previously mentioned big questions which are totally at odds, not only with what Muslim Civilasation has stood for, for1400 years but also with the collective wisdom of mankind as a whole. The resultant crises and chaos we see around us today, may it be in the social, economic or environmental realms are in the last analysis traceable to the underlying principles and goals upon which Globalization is based. This paper and presentation aims to show how through studying, analyzing and applying to contemporary practice the principles and forms of traditional architecture – more particularly Classical Mughal architecture in our case - one can engage with a meaningful and urgently needed worldview. A worldview which can restore not only our humanity but also show the way to a saner society and a more sustainable relationship with nature.