On the Modular Design of Mughal Riverfront Funerary Gardens

A groundbreaking analysis reveals that the modular designs of two iconic Mughal funerary gardens—Humayun's Tomb and the Taj Mahal—were meticulously based on ancient units from the Arthasastra, a 4th-century BCE Indian text. By measuring dimensions in dhanus (D) and vitastis (V), researchers confirmed a low error rate between predicted and actual measurements, providing the first empirical evidence of this architectural canon's influence. This discovery introduces a novel mathematical framework for studying Mughal architecture, bridging ancient textual traditions with tangible structural precision.

Balasubramaniam, R. (2010). On the Modular Design of Mughal Riverfront Funerary Gardens. Recalling Eero Saarinen 1910–2010, 271–285. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0346-0520-5_8