Bagh (garden)
Encyclopedia
Bāgh which usually translates to garden, refers to an enclosed area with permanent cultures (many types of trees and shrubs) as well as flowers. It is common to near
-, middle
- and south-eastern
countries. It usually has Irano-Islamic architectural elements.
Bāgh is a word common to Persian
, Kurdish
, Lurish, Urdu
and Azarbaijani
and means garden
and orchard
, specifically one containing fruit- and flower-bearing trees. In Persian
, the plural of Bāgh is Bāgh-hā (باغها or باغها) and in kurdish, Baxan (بيغان).
In Armenian the word Bagh, pronounced Bakhg, means Garden or field. The Old Persian word Baga, or Bag, as in such word as Baghdād
, means God
and should not be confused with Bāgh. Similarly for the Avestan word Bagh (note the difference between a and ā) and the Vedic Sanskrit
word Bhag, both of which also mean God.
The word Bāgh is encountered in both Pahlavi and Sogdian
. In Farizandi, Gilaki
, Shahmirzadi and Sorkhei Bāk, and in Natanzi Bāg stand for Bāgh
(see Dialects of Central Iran
).
The word Bāgh is often met in place-names in conjunction with a word in which the notion of garden is already implicit, such as Bāgh-e Ferdows
, Bāgh-e Jannat and Bāgh-e Rezvān.
Bāgh is also a constituent part of the place-name Karabagh (or Kārā-bāgh), which means Black Garden.
The Russian language
utilizes the words bakhcha (бахча) and bakhchevye kultury (бахчевые культуры) from Tajiki Persian word Boghcha/Bāghche (Tajik
:боғча}} and ( meaning small garden) to designate melons and gourds.
Use of Baag or Bageecha, signifying garden or yard [back yard or front yard], is very common in some Indian languages.
In Turkic
, Bāgh also is the word for cord, string or rope, used in tying or bundling objects together.
In Today's Turkish word BAĞ spelt and pronounced the same way as the instrument cord but relates to a garden/farm of grapes and grape trees.
It also carries the same meaning in other Turkic Languages but may be pronounced slightly different.
Natural conditions and materials:
Man-made elements:
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
-, middle
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
- and south-eastern
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
countries. It usually has Irano-Islamic architectural elements.
Etymology
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Kurdish
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
, Lurish, Urdu
and Azarbaijani
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani or Azeri or Torki is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia by the Azerbaijani people, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
and means garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
and orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
, specifically one containing fruit- and flower-bearing trees. In Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, the plural of Bāgh is Bāgh-hā (باغها or باغها) and in kurdish, Baxan (بيغان).
In Armenian the word Bagh, pronounced Bakhg, means Garden or field. The Old Persian word Baga, or Bag, as in such word as Baghdād
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, means God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and should not be confused with Bāgh. Similarly for the Avestan word Bagh (note the difference between a and ā) and the Vedic Sanskrit
Vedic Sanskrit
Vedic Sanskrit is an old Indo-Aryan language. It is an archaic form of Sanskrit, an early descendant of Proto-Indo-Iranian. It is closely related to Avestan, the oldest preserved Iranian language...
word Bhag, both of which also mean God.
The word Bāgh is encountered in both Pahlavi and Sogdian
Sogdian language
The Sogdian language is a Middle Iranian language that was spoken in Sogdiana , located in modern day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan ....
. In Farizandi, Gilaki
Gilaki language
The Gilaki language is a Caspian language, and a member of the northwestern Iranian language branch, spoken in Iran's Gīlān Province.The language is divided into three dialects: Western Gilaki, Eastern Gilaki, and Galeshi . Furthermore, the Gilaki language is closely related to Mazanderani, and the...
, Shahmirzadi and Sorkhei Bāk, and in Natanzi Bāg stand for Bāgh
(see Dialects of Central Iran
Dialects of Central Iran
Central Iranian, or Central Iran, is a group of Western Iranian languages spoken in villages and towns of central Iran, mostly in Markazi and Isfahan provinces...
).
The word Bāgh is often met in place-names in conjunction with a word in which the notion of garden is already implicit, such as Bāgh-e Ferdows
Bagh-e Ferdows
Bāgh-e Ferdows , also known as Emārat-e Bāgh-e Ferdows and The Mohammadieh Palace, is a historical palace in Tajrish, Shemiran, North Tehran, between Zafaraniyeh and Jafar Ābād. It is part of a palace complex consisting of two castles, the North Castle and the South Castle, of which the former has...
, Bāgh-e Jannat and Bāgh-e Rezvān.
Bāgh is also a constituent part of the place-name Karabagh (or Kārā-bāgh), which means Black Garden.
The Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
utilizes the words bakhcha (бахча) and bakhchevye kultury (бахчевые культуры) from Tajiki Persian word Boghcha/Bāghche (Tajik
Tajik language
Tajik, Tajik Persian, or Tajiki, is a variety of modern Persian spoken in Central Asia. Historically Tajiks called their language zabani farsī , meaning Persian language in English; the term zabani tajikī, or Tajik language, was introduced in the 20th century by the Soviets...
:боғча}} and ( meaning small garden) to designate melons and gourds.
Use of Baag or Bageecha, signifying garden or yard [back yard or front yard], is very common in some Indian languages.
In Turkic
Turkic languages
The Turkic languages constitute a language family of at least thirty five languages, spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family.Turkic languages are spoken...
, Bāgh also is the word for cord, string or rope, used in tying or bundling objects together.
In Today's Turkish word BAĞ spelt and pronounced the same way as the instrument cord but relates to a garden/farm of grapes and grape trees.
It also carries the same meaning in other Turkic Languages but may be pronounced slightly different.
Elements of a Bāgh
The elements of a Bāgh consist of the following:Natural conditions and materials:
- SoilSoilSoil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
- RocksRock (geology)In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
- LightLightLight or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
conditions - WindWindWind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
- RainRainRain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
- AirEarth's atmosphereThe atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
quality - PlantPlantPlants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
materials - Genius lociGenius lociIn classical Roman religion a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place. It was often depicted in religious iconography as a figure holding a Cornucopia, patera and/or a snake. There are many Roman altars found in Western Europe dedicated in whole or in part to the particular Genius Loci...
Man-made elements:
- PathTrailA trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s - LightingLightingLighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
- Raised beds
- PoolReflecting poolA reflecting pool or reflection pool is a water feature found in gardens, parks, and at memorial sites. It usually consists of a shallow pool of water, undisturbed by fountain jets, for a calm reflective...
, PondPondA pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
Important Bāghs
- Bāgh-e FerdowsBagh-e FerdowsBāgh-e Ferdows , also known as Emārat-e Bāgh-e Ferdows and The Mohammadieh Palace, is a historical palace in Tajrish, Shemiran, North Tehran, between Zafaraniyeh and Jafar Ābād. It is part of a palace complex consisting of two castles, the North Castle and the South Castle, of which the former has...
- Bāgh-e-JinnahBagh-e-JinnahBagh-e-Jinnah is a historical park in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lawrence Gardens. Today, the large green space contains a botanical garden, a mosque, and Jinnah library situated in a Victorian building.There are also entertainment and sports facilities within the...
- Bāgh-e-FinFin GardenFin Garden, or Bagh-e Fin, located in Kashan, Iran, is a historical Persian garden. It contains Kashan's Fin Bath, where Amir Kabir, the Qajarid chancellor, was murdered by an assassin sent by King Nasereddin Shah in 1852.-History:...
- Jallianwala BaghJallianwala BaghJallianwala Bagh is a public garden in Amritsar in the Punjab province of India, and houses a memorial of national importance, established in 1951 to commemorate the murder of peaceful celebrators on the occasion of the Punjabi New Year on April 13, 1919 in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre...
- Chahar BaghChahar BaghChahar Bagh is an avenue in Isfahan constructed in the Safavid era of Iran. Shah Abbas I was the king who changed his capital from Qazvin to Esfahan and decided to pour all the countries artistic wealth into that central spot which has been dubbed for centuries nisfi jahan or "Half the...
- Sikandar BaghSikandar BaghSikandar Bagh , formerly known by the British as Sikunder/Sikandra/Secundra Bagh, is a villa and garden enclosed by a fortified wall, with loopholes, gateway and corner bastions, approx. 150 yards square, c. 4.5 acres, located in the city of Lucknow, Oudh, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by the...
- Hazuri BaghHazuri BaghHazuri Bagh is a garden in Lahore, Pakistan, bounded by the Lahore Fort , Badshahi Mosque , the Samadhi of Ranjit Singh and the Roshnai Gate...
- Bagh-e Melli
- Khusro BaghKhusro BaghKhusro Bagh is a large walled garden, close to the Allahabad Junction Station, in Allahabad, India, surrounding the tombs of Khusraw , eldest son of emperor Jahangir, Shah Begum, Khusraw's mother , a Rajput princess and Jahangir's first wife, and that Princess Sultan Nithar Begam , Khusraw's sister...
- Ram BaghRam BaghThe Ram Bagh is the oldest Mughal Garden in India, originally built by the Mughal Emperor Babur in 1528, located about five kilometers northeast of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India...
- Lal BaghLal Bagh- History :Hyder Ali commissioned the building of this garden in 1760 but his son, Tipu Sultan, completed it. Hyder Ali decided to create this garden on the lines of the Mughal Gardens that were gaining popularity during his time. Hyder Ali laid out these famous botanical gardens and his son added...
External links
- Farnoush Tehrāni, The meaning of the Persian garden, in Persian, Jadid Online, 12 Novembre 2009, http://www.jadidonline.com/story/12112009/frnk/persian_garden_history.
• Audio slideshow: http://www.jadidonline.com/images/stories/flash_multimedia/Persian_garden_history_test/his_high.html (5 min 58 sec). - Farnoush Tehrāni, The face of the Persian garden, in Persian, 13 November 2009, http://www.jadidonline.com/story/13112009/frnk/persian_garden_design.
• Audio slideshow: http://www.jadidonline.com/images/stories/flash_multimedia/Persian_garden_design_test/des_high.html (6 min 16 sec).