Question

Give an account of Shah Jahan's audience halls.

Answer 1

Shah Jahan's audience halls were specially constructed to resemble a mosque. The pedestal on which his throne was placed was frequently described as the qibla, the direction faced by Muslims at prayer since everybody faced that direction when the court was in session. The idea of the king as a representative of God on earth was suggested by these architectural features. The construction of Shah Jahan's audience hall aimed to communicate that the king's justice would treat the high and the low as equals creating a world where all could live together in harmony.