Explained: Mughal-era finials – their grandeur, architectural traditions | Explained News,The Indian Express
Most commonly seen in monumental architecture, finials are decorative devices used to emphasise the top of a dome, tower or spire.
After a thunderstorm recently damaged the finial of the 17th century Jama Masjid dome in Delhi, the Delhi Wakf Board, which manages the mosque, wrote to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) requesting removal of the dangling part of the crown and repair of the ornamental structure that has topped the grand mosque since its construction.
The finial, measuring about 12-15 ft, is also from the same period as the mosque, the Wakf Board said. Conservation experts are now working on a plan to remove the dangling part of the finial so that it doesn’t cause any incidental damage to visitors.
Crowning glory
Most commonly seen in monumental architecture, finials are decorative devices used to emphasise the top of a dome, tower or spire.
“Architecturally speaking, the way a building touched the sky was given a lot of importance. That’s how finials became important eventually,” says Conservation architect Ratish Nanda, CEO of the India arm of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).
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