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Emperor Humayun's Garden Tomb

Guldasta

Guldastas

A guldasta is a corner finial, or pinnacle.1 At Humayun's Tomb, a pair of very large guldastas can be seen at the top of the corners of each pishtaq facade. These guldastas start as octagonal column shafts that bloom into a dome that is crowned with its own finial. All of the white marble corner engaged colonettes that frame the facades are crowned with smaller guldastas. These guldastas are comprised of a pot sitting inside a flower. This flower is nearly identical to the flower fountains in the garden. Carved stone jug and flower ornamentation is a common feature of Hindustani temple ornamentation that began sometime between the fifth and seventh centuries.2


1. Catherine B. Asher, Architecture of Mughal India (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992), 145.

2. George Michell, The Hindu Temple (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1988), 94-95.

Illustrations

Guldastas
Each of the smaller guldastas are crowned with a pot sitting inside a flower blossom.
Guldastas
The guldastas at Humayun's Tomb rise from a stylized lotus that is similar to that of the fountains in the garden.
Guldastas
Every white marble engaged colonette on the tomb's facades resolves into a guldasta.

Additional Information

A formal bibliography is posted on the outline page.
Roof
Facade Jali Railing Spandrels Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Kangura Blind Arch Blind Arch Engaged Colonette Guldasta Guldasta Stellate Symbol Spandrels Stellate Symbol Stellate Symbol Spandrels Stellate Symbol Spandrels Jali Jali Jali Stellate Symbol Jali Railing Jali Railing Spandrels Mihrab Blind Arch Blind Arch Spandrels Jali Spandrels Stellate Symbol Jali Engaged Colonette Engaged Colonette Kangura Kangura Kangura Guldasta