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| Taj Mahal. Summer, 2011 |
Mughals are known to have built most magnificent gardens in Kashmir but the garden of their most magnificent building was designed by a Kashmiri. A man named Ram Lal Kashmiri was the chief garden designer of Taj Mahal.
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in bits and pieces
I believe this Ram Lal Kashmiri did not have his surname as "Kashmiri". When the Moghuls were employing people, especially Kashmiris who were involved in the arts, they were given the appendage of "Kashmiri" after their first names, to show what their ethnic origin was. In those days Kashmiris were renowned for excellent artwork. It was a way of saying "Made by a Kashmiri", to show that the art work is of top quality. The source of this information comes from "Travels in Kashmir" by Brigid Keenan on page 60. It can be found on Google Books, where they made the reference. Mind you it would be interesting what Ram Lal's original surname was !!
I have read that neat little book…will write about it soon. However, Brigid Keenan doesn't mention that Ram Lal was a landscape designer/Gardner. The text gives the impression that he was a craftsmen involved in building of the monument. Ram Mai Kashmiri
The practice of adding 'Kashmiri' to their names continued among people of Kashmiri people for until recent times…from Indian cinema we have names like Aga Hashr Kashmiri. Then there are people in Pakistan who still add Kashmiri to their name. Knowing Kashmiri, rather then others there is a good chance they were adding it to their names to declare their superiority 🙂