Image: The Amir’s Garden, Jalālābād WDL11478

Description: This photograph of the Afghan amir’s garden in Jalālābād is from an album of rare historical photographs depicting people and places associated with the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The site of modern Jalālābād was chosen by Zahīr al-Dīn Muhammad Bābur (1483-1530), the first Mughal emperor. Building began in 1560 under his grandson, Emperor Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Akbar (1542–1605), who oversaw the construction of numerous gardens in the city. Many Mughal gardens were inspired by the Persian decorative style, chahar bagh (“four gardens,” a design that divided the garden into four sections separated by water or straight paths). The photograph shows two sentries standing next to an avenue of trees that recedes to a circular summerhouse in the middle distance. The Second Anglo-Afghan War began in November 1878 when Great Britain, fearful of what it saw as growing Russian influence in Afghanistan, invaded the country from British India. The first phase of the war ended in May 1879 with the Treaty of Gandamak, which permitted the Afghans to maintain internal sovereignty but forced them to cede control over their foreign policy to the British. Fighting resumed in September 1879, after an anti-British uprising in Kabul, and finally concluded in September 1880 with the decisive Battle of Kandahar. The album includes portraits of British and Afghan leaders and military personnel, portraits of ordinary Afghan people, and depictions of British military camps and activities, structures, landscapes, and cities and towns. The sites shown are all located within the borders of present-day Afghanistan or Pakistan (a part of British India at the time). About a third of the photographs were taken by John Burke (circa 1843–1900), another third by Sir Benjamin Simpson (1831–1923), and the remainder by several other photographers. Some of the photographs are unattributed. The album possibly was compiled by a member of the British Indian government, but this has not been confirmed. How it came to the Library of Congress is not known. Afghan Wars; Gardens; Guards; Royal gardens
Title: The Amir’s Garden, Jalālābād
Credit: http://dl.wdl.org/11478.png Gallery: http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11478/
Author: John Burke
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No