Indo Islamic Architecture

After the establishment of Turkish rule in India, many elements of Indian architecture became part of Islamic monuments, leading to assimilatory Indo-Islamic architecture. Indo-Islamic architecture begins with the Ghurid occupation of India at the close of the 12th century A.D. The Muslims, having inherited a wealth of varied designs from the Sassanian and Byzantine empires and being naturally endowed with good taste for buildings, never failed to adapt to their own requirements the indigenous architecture of almost every foreign country that they conquered.

Features of Indo-Islamic Architecture

• Use of arch and domes gained prominence, which is known as Arcuade style.
• Introduced use of minars around mosques and mausoleums.
• Mortar was utilized as a cementing agent.
• Avoided use of human and animal figures.
• Usage of calligraphy and arabesque method as means of decoration.
• Heavy usage of principles of geometry.
• Intricate jaali works signify the importance of light in Islamic religion.
• Use of water in the premises of constructions in the form of courtyard pools and small drains.
• Charbagh style of gardening: A square block was divided into four adjacent identical gardens.
• Used Pietra-dura technique for inlay of precious stones and gems into stone walls.

Constructing Materials

• The walls in all buildings were extremely thick and were largely constructed of rubble masonry, which was easily available.
• These walls were then cased over with chunam or limestone plaster or dressed stone.
• An amazing range of stones was utilized for construction, such as quartzite, sandstone, buffs, marbles, etc.
• Polychrome tiles were used to great advantage to finish the walls.
• From the 17th century onwards, bricks were also used for construction, and in this phase, there was more reliance on local materials.

Forts

• Building monumental forts with embattlements was a regular feature in medieval times, often symbolizing the seat of power of a king.
• When such a fort was captured by an attacking army, the vanquished ruler either lost his complete power or his sovereignty. This was because he had to accept the suzerainty of the victorious king.
• Commanding heights were utilized to great advantage to construct forts.

Architectural Achievements of Delhi Sultans

Slave Dynasty

• Qutb-ud-din-Aibak:

  • Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was built by him in 1195 AD at Delhi.
  • Material procured by demolishing Hindu and Jain temples.
  • Also constructed Adhai din ka Jhonpra at Ajmer.
  • He started the construction of Qutub Minar, dedicated to Sufi saint Khwaja Qutbuddin Bhaktiyar Kaki.

• Iltutmish:

  • He constructed his tomb near Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque.
  • Built Hauz-i- Shamsi, Shamsi Idgah, Gandhak ki Bawali, and Jama Masjid at Baduan.

• Balban:
  • He constructed his tomb at Delhi (true arch was used for the first time).
  • First sarai built in 1266, with the largest being built during the Tughlaq period.

Khilji Dynasty

• From 1290 until 1320 AD, the Khilji Dynasty ruled and developed the Seljuk architectural style.

• Red sandstone was the main building material.

• Technique of laying bricks as headers and stretchers was invented, which increased the strength and stability of monuments.

• Alauddin Khilji:

  • Constructed Jamat-i-khana mosque at the Dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya.
  • Constructed Alai Darwaza in 1311 near Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, Hauz-i-Khas, and the fort of Siri to protect the people of Delhi from external invasions such as Mongols.

Tughlaq Dynasty

• Lavish display of ornaments and richness was replaced by puritanical simplicity.

• Introduced sloping walls, known as Salami, and four-centered arches.

• Grey stone and red sandstone were largely used in construction.

• Pentagonal and octagonal layouts were introduced in construction.

• Tomb of Ghiyasud-din Tughlaq was the first pentagonal building, and the tomb of Khan-i-Jahan Telangani was the first octagonal building.

• Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq: Built the city of Tughlaqabad, which is pentagonal in design.

• Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq: Built the fortress of Adilabad and the city of Jahan Panah.

• Firoz Shah Tughlaq:

  • Built Kushk-i-Sikhar and Kotla Firoz Shah.
  • Laid the foundation of cities like Firozabad, Fatehabad, Jaunpur, and Firozpur.

Lodi Dynasty

• Only tombs were constructed during this period.

• Emergence of double domes was a significant aspect of architecture at this time.

• A sloping verandah provided support.

• Sikandar Lodi:

  • Founded the Lodi Gardens and the city of Agra.
  • The first double dome was used in the construction of the tomb of Sultan Sikander Lodi in Delhi.

Mughal Architecture

• It was built in a mix of Indian, Persian, and Turkish architectural styles.

• The most common building materials were red sandstone and white marble.

• Charbagh gardens with noticeable bulbous domes, thin turrets at corners, large entrances, magnificent calligraphy, arabesque, and geometric patterns on pillars and walls, and royal halls supported on pillars.

• The arches, chhatri, and other forms of domes were extremely popular in Indo-Islamic architecture, which was further developed by the Mughals.

• Babur:

  • The Kabuli Bagh mosque of Panipat and Jama Masjid of Sambhal were built during his reign.
  • He brought the Charbagh style of architecture to India.

• Humayun:

  • Constructed the city of Din Panah at Delhi in 1533 AD.
  • Humayun’s Tomb: Built by his widow Haji Begam.
  • Double dome in developed form was used for the first time in his tomb.

• Akbar:

  • Golden age of architecture.
  • Agra Fort: Delhi and Amar Singh gates, beam-based constructions.
  • Fatehpur Sikri: Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, Ibadat Khana, Salim Chishti’s Tomb.

• Jahangir:

  • Itimad-ud-Daula’s tomb built by Nurjahan at Agra.

• Shah Jahan:

  • Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Moti Masjid.
  • Extensive use of white marble.

• Aurangzeb:

  • Built the Moti Masjid in Red Fort and Badshahi Mosque in Lahore.

Categories of Styles

1. Imperial Style (Delhi Sultanate)
2. Provincial Styles (Mandu, Gujarat, Bengal, and Jaunpur)
3. Mughal Style (Delhi, Agra, Lahore)
4. Deccani Style (Bijapur, Golconda)

Among provincial styles, the architecture of Bengal and Jaunpur is distinct.

• Gujarat: Marked regional influence; elements borrowed from local temple traditions.
• Example: 15th-century white marble dargah of Sheikh Ahmad Khattu of Sarkhej.

???? Related Resources

• Pocket Notes
  https://studyoas.in/pocket-notes.php
• Current Affairs
  https://studyoas.in/current-affairs.php
• Free Materials
  https://studyoas.in/free-material.php
• Book Summaries
  https://studyoas.in/book-summary.php
• OAS Prism
  https://studyoas.in/oas-prism.php

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Subject: Art and Culture

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