Much has been written about the Imperial architecture of the Indian subcontinent, but this is the first book to dig deeply into the extent of imperial extravagance set against the economic and social deprivations of ordinary subjects. Bhalla uses an extensive collection of illustrations to complement this apparent paradox, assessing three Indian empires - Hindu, Muslim and British. From the 3rd century BC through to the end of British colonialism, splendid and often deliberately ostentatious buildings glorified the contemporary social structures. Through comparisons and contrasts, from the...