Architecture and Design 1.

95
1.10 INDIAN ARCHITECTURE architecture and civil engineering continued to
(ARCHITECTURE OF SOUTH develop, manifesting in temples, palaces, forts and
other building typologies across the Indian
ASIA)
We are a civilization which has spanned atleast 4,500
subcontinent and neighbouring regions. Architecture
and civil engineering was known as sthapatya-kala,
years and which has left its impact literally the art ofconstructing. The temples of Aihole
on nearly
everything in our lives and society. Many generations and Pattadakal are the earliest known examples of
have been a part of architectural
stands mighty and lofty
production that Hindu structural or free-standing temples. Before
reminding
us of the glorious these, there are numerous Hindu as well as Buddhist
past. Many distinctive styles and features in
architecture developed through the long period of temples that are known as excellent examples of
Indian rock-cut architecture. During the Kushan
Indian history. The earliest and most remarkable
Empire and Mauryan Empire, Indian architecture and
evidence of Indian architecture and planning is found
in the cities of the Harappan Civilization. In the civil engineering reached regions like Baluchistan and
post Afghanistan. Statues of Buddha were cut out, covering
Harappan period architectural styles have been
classified as Hindu, Buddhist and Jain. The medieval entire mountain cliffs, like in Buddhas of Bamyan,
period saw the synthesis of Persian and indigenous Afghanistan. Over a period of time, the ancient Indian
styles of architecture. Thereafter the colonial period art of construction blended with Greek styles and
brought the influence of Western architectural forms spread to Central Asia. It includes the architecture of
to India. Thus Indian architecture is various dynasties, such as Hoysala architecture,
a
synthesis
of
indigenous styles and external influences which has Vijayanagara architecture and Western Chalukya
lent it a unique characteristic ofits own. After architecture. Through the 16th and 17th centuries, the
this we can:
reading
Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, French and English
Identify the main characteristics and various competed to reach India to eastablish their trades.
styles of Indian architecture; With them flowered the Classical,
Rennaissancce,
Baroque and many other Euopean styles in India.
.Trace the evolution of Indian architecture over The Church of St. Anne, Old Goa is an example of the
the years;
Indian Baroque Architectural style. It is a
Recognise the contribution of Buddhism and primne
example of the blending of traditional Indian styles
Jainism to the development of Indian with western European architectural
architecture; styles. (Indian
architecture shall be dealt in greater detail inn a
Appreciate the role played by Gupta, Pallava, namesake section).
Chola and other rulers in temple Architectural Forms and Construction
architecture; Details:
Identify the different influences that marked the Indian Architecture evolved in various
ages in different
architecture of the medieval period; and parts and regions of the country.
natural and obvious evolutions from Apart from these
Point out the important the pre-historic
the colonial regime.
architectural style under and historic
periods, evolution of Indian architecture
was
generally affected by many great and
Indianarchitecture encompasses a wide variety of historic developments. importaant
geographically and historically spread structures Naturally,
decay of great empires and
the emergence and
representing the diversity of Indian Culture. The dynasties
sub-continent, each in their way influenced in the
result is an evolving range of architectural and shaped the the growth
production. evolution of Indian
Although difficult to identify a single
it is External and Regional architecture.
representative style, nonetheless it retains a certain the nature of Indian influences have also shaped
amount of continuity across at the
architecture. Let us have a look
history. It is a blend of process of evolution of Indian
ancient and varied native traditions, with
building 1. Architecture.
pes, forms and technologies from West and Central Harappan Period/Indus Valley
AS12, as well as Europe. Architectural styles range Civilisation
m Hindu temple architecture to Islamic The excavations at
Harappa and
architecture to western classical architecture to several other sites of Mohenjodaro ana
the Indus Valley Civilisation
modern and postst-modern architecture. India's Urban revealed the existence of a
Civilization istraceable origin to Mohenjodaro and eiviisation with expert town
very modern urban
Harappa,a, now in Pakistan. From then on, Indian skills. The most
planning and engineering
important features of Harrapan
 Architecture and Design
1.96

architecture are their

superior town planning skills
and cities that have been built on a Mohenjo-Daro
clear geometric The Citadel
pattern or grid layout. Roads cut each other at right
angles and were very well laid out. The advanced
drainage system along with well planned roads and
houses show that a highly evolved culture existed in
India long ago. Main features of College
Harappan remains
are: 1
.The settlements could be traced as far back as Granary e ath
third millennium BC.
Some important settlements were excavated on
the banks of the river Indus particularly at the
Store
bends that provided easy means of transportation
of produce and other goods and also some
protection by way of natural barriers of the river.
All the sites consisted ofwalled cities with gatways
and fortifications which provided security to the
people from attacks. Tower
.The cities had a rectangular grid pattern oflayout Assembly
Hall
with roads that cut each other at right angles
.The Indus Valley people used standardised burnt
mud-bricks as building Fortifications
material Scales
.There is evidence of building of big dimensions
Metres 9 10 20 30 40 5060
which perhaps were public buildings,
administrative or business centres, pillared halls Feet50 50 100 150 200
and courtyards, There is no evidence of temples. Plan of Mohenjodaro
Lothal, a site in Gujarat also has the remains of a
.Public buildings include granaries which were
dockyard proving that trade flourished in those times
used to store grains which give an idea of an
by sea.
organised collection and distribution system. Another remarkable feature was the existence of a
There is evidence of small one roomed well planned drainage system in the
constructions that appear to be working peoples of the city. Small drains from theresidential parts
houses were
connected larger ones along the sides of the main
to
quarters. roads. The drains were covered
is and loose
The Harappan people were great engineers as provided for the purpose of cleaning covers were
evident from the public bath that discovered
was
planning the residential houses
of them. The
at Mohenjodaro. The
existence of Great bath Evidence of stairs shows houses was meticulous.
shows the of ritualistic bathing and
importance storied. Doors were in the side were often double
lanes to
cleanliness in this culture. It is significant that from entering the
houses. prevent dust
As the
settlements Indus
most of the houses
had private wells and
they were often
were located the banks of theValley
on

bathrooms. destroyed by major floods. In river,

this calamity, the
Indus Valley spite of
At some sites a dominant citadal was excavated
settlements on the same sites. people built fresh
part containing the publie of settlements and Thus, layers upon
in the western
buildings were found layers
buildings including
the granaries. This can excavations. The decline and final during the
evidence of s o m e kind of Indus Valley Civilization, destruction of the
millennium BC remains asometime around the second
treated as
perhaps be
political structure.
Many thick layers mystery to this day.
mortar were joined of well baked bricks laid in
together for the gypsum
purpose of making
Architecture and Design 1.97
the whole construction very strong. 1he strength of columna in places. He also reported that Pataliputra,
the buildings can be seen by the fact that they have the capital exceeded the grandeourofthePersian city
survived the ravages of atleast five thousand years. of Susa and Ecbatana. Excavations have proved that
The Harappans had the knowledge and skill of it was a planned city with drainage and other advanced
sculpting and craft. The world's first bronze sculpture systems. In thelMauryan period (322-182 BO) especially
of a dancing girl has been found in Mohenjodaro. A under Ashoka architecture saw a great advancement.
terracotta figure of a male in a yogic posture has also Mauryan art and architecture depicted the influence
been excavated. Beautiful personal ornaments, soft of Persians and Greeks.
stone seals with a pictoral script and images of humped
bulls, Pashupati unicorn have also been excavated. A A h 3 4 -

The Vedic Aryans' who came next as per the popular

history, lived in houses built of wood, bamboo and reeds
which are perishable materials;the so-called 'Aryan'
culture was largely a rural one and therefore one finds
few examples of grand buildings. The most important
feature of the Vedic period was the fire altars which
soon became an important and integral part of the
social and religious life of the people. Soon courtyard
and mandaps were build with altars for worship of
fire. We also find references of Gurukuls and
Hermitages. Conjectural representation of the city of Kusin agara based
on a relieffrom Sanchi Stupa (after Percy Brown)
2. EARLY HISTORIC PERIOD o 6 .
In the 6th Century BC India entered a significant
phase of her history. There arose two new religions,
Jainism and Buddhism and even the Vedic religion
underwent a change. Almost simultaneously larger
States called Mahajanapadas sprang up which further
provided for a new type of architecture. From this
period i.e. the expansion of Magadha into an empire,
the development of architecture received further
impetus. From now it was possible to trace Indian
architecture in an almost unbroken sequence.
Emergence of Buddhism and Jainism helped in the
development of an early architectural style. While
Buddhists and Jains began to build Stupas, Viharas
and Chaityas, the first temple
building activity starteed
during the Gupta rule. The Gupta period marks the Sandstone Mauryan Capital from Pataliputra, C. 3rd
Century
revival of Hinduism and the beginning of the BC. It prominently features such Achaemenid or Hellenic
construction of free-standing Hindu temples. An motifs as the volutes (recalling those of Greek lonic orders),
example of this is the temple at Deogarh (Jhansi palmettes on the flat facès and the rosettes on the abacus,
district) which had a central shrine or garbhagriha rendering agrand Indian interpretation of these.
where the image of the deity was placed. Another For propogating Buddhism Ashoka built as
many as
temple is at Bhitrigaon (Kanpur district). These are 84,000 stupas. During his reign many monolithic
two fine examples of this period. stone pillars were erected on which
Dhamma' were inscribed. The highly
teachings of
Stupas, Viharas and Chaityas with animal figures
polished pillars
An important phase of Indian architecture began with adorning the top (capitals) are
unique and remarkable. The lion capital of the Sarnath
the Mauryan Period. The material prosperity of the pillar has been accepted as the emblem of the Indian
Mauryans and a new religious consciousness led to Republic. Each pillar weighs about 50 tonnes and is
achievements in all fields. Megasthenes, the Greek about 50 ft high.
ambassador of Selucas Nikator who visited the
Mauryan court described Chandragupta Maurya's Sculptures
palace as an excellent architectural achievement. It The blending of Greek and Indian art led to the
was a large palace made largely out of wood with stone development of Gandhara art later. The other
sehools of art and architecture were indigenous
 1.98
Architecture and Design
Mathura school The Buddhist Stupas were built at places wheere
number of statues and Amaravati school. A large
of the Buddha and at the mnai
were built Buddha's remains were preserved
artisans
AD under
of these
schools specially after First by the sites where important
events in Buddha's lifa
k
the influence of Century
Gandhara school the Kushanas. Under the place. Stupas were built ot huge mounds of mud
of art life-like small standard bri
enclosed in carefully burnt
and
Bodhisattavas were made in thestatues of
Buddha
likeness of Greek One was built at his birthplace Lumbini; the second
gods even, though the ideas, at Gaya where he attained enlightenment under the
were all Indian. inspirations and subjects
Rich ornaments, Bodhi Tree, the third at Sarnath where he gave his
costumes and
impart physical beauty. The drapery
were used to
first sermon and the fourth at Kushinagar where he
were in
stone, terracotta, cement like sculptures passed away attaining Mahaparinirvana at the age of
clay. material and
The eighty. These sites became important for Buddha's
figures of the Mathura school order of monks and nuns - the sangha. Monasteries
spotted red stone. They were made of
had more of (viharas), and centres of preaching, teaching and
them. Here along with
Buddha
spiritual look in
Jaina dieties also. we find sculptures of learning came up at such places. Congregational
halls (chaitya) for teaching and interaction between
The Amaravati
school the common people and the monks were also
patronage of the Satavahanasdeveloped under
of the Andhra
the
up.
built
great stupa built at Amaravati in region. A
was
The
Godavari region. The walls of the Lower Stupas of Sanchi and Sarnath are symbols of the
with bas relief, had the stupa are adorned achievement of Mauryan architechture. The
carved medallion and gateways
panels. Nagarjunkonda is another decorative of the Sanchi
Stupa with the beautiful sculpture
for Buddhist architecture. place that is famous depicting scenes from Jataka stories are specimens of
the skill and aesthetic sense of the artisans.

Chattra
Yasti
Lion Pillar or
EEE -Harmika Simbha Stambha

Upper Walkway Staiways Anda

BBB3AES Railing or Vedica

with uprights or
Torana Thamba
Elements ofa Buddhist Stupa (after the
Great Sanchi
Cave architecture Stupa)
The developmen of cave architecture is
another
unique feature and marks an important phase in the
history of Indian architecture. More than thousand
caves were excavated between second
century BC
and tenth century AD. The 3rd Century BC Lomesh
Rishi cave and Sudama Cave of Hills, 19 miles North
of Gaya, carved out as retreats for the wandering
monks and holding King Asoka's inscriptions are the
oldest ofall.These imitate wood construction and have
barrel vaulted interiors about 12 feet high and 32 feet

long
Architecture and Design 1.09

Tho Imago below shows the Plan of Chaitya hall and

Vihura nt Hhaja Caven, The chaitya nt Karlo with fine
high halln and polinhed decorative walI is anotheer
remarkable exnmple of rock-cut architecture.

Lomas Rishi Cave, Barbara Hills, Mauryan poriod,

rd C BC (Image on the Upper); Todas a tribal
community in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu for the last
severalthousandyears have been building their barrol-
shaped shelters and temples with an arcuate frontage
called arsh and paluarsh respectively, mado with
wooden poles and a ribcage of bamboos with stacked
grass as the roof (Image in the middle and on the
lower). The imitation in stone was probably inspired
by one of these ancient vernacular building traditions
executed indigenously in more transient
materials
Famous among rock-cut caves are Ajanta and Ellora Plan of Bhaja Cavos(upper; Buddhist Chaitya Hallat
caves of Maharashtra, and Udaygiri cave of Orissa. Karle, Maharashtra (lower)
These caves hold Buddhist viharas, chaityas as well Rock-cut temples
as mandapas and
pillared temples of Hindu gods and Temples were also hewn out of huge rocks.
goddesses. The earliest rock-cut temples were excavsated in
western Deccan in the early years of the Christian
era. Kattash tompte at Ellorabuilt by the Rashtrakutas
and the ratha temples of
Mahabalipuram built by the
Pallavas are other examples of rock-cut temples. The
longevity of rocks attracted the patrons of art and
builders who decorated these temples with beautiful
Hculpturo8.
Rock-cut Monuments in India
Udayagiri Caves, Madhya Pradesh
Aihole has one dain rock-cut
Budami Cave Tomples
Bagh Cavea
.Ellora Cavea has twelve Buldhiat,
fivo Jain tomplos
17 Hindu and
29 24 1 9 ME TRES
Plan of Ellora Ca ve Tomplon ahown above. The
Kanheri Caves
alphabeta whow the ditteront colun. Lenyadri C'aves
P'ancha Rathus at Mahabulipuram
 Architecture and Design
1.100 Temples
Free-Standing
S t r u c t u r a l or
Ajanta activities that began during tha
building
The temple continued to flouri
Bhaja Caves rule in the 4h Century AD,d e f i n e d the Golden Aro
Gupta
Gupta period
Karle Caves in later periods. (Nalanda
University was also
India
of Northern Various kingdoms and-
.KondaneCaves founded in the
Gupta period).
Cholas, the
Pandyas, the Palla vae as,
such a s the the
.Pandavleni Caves empires
the
Rashtrakutas,
the Chalukyas,
others have
the Gangas, Empire among
.Pitalkhora (50 miles South-West of Ajanta) Vijayanagara
Hoysalas, and contribution to the evolution of
.Undavalli caves, Andhra Pradesh made
substantial

temple architecture.

Varaha Cave Tenple at Mamallapuram be the

earliest known
free standing
to
Masroor Temple at Kangra
What appears
structure to have
survived is a Temple at Sanchi
stone a simple square
415AD. It is
dated to about
Boijannakonda Buddhist Site, Andhra Pradesh (Temple 17) supported by
columns topped
a porch
Pradesh cell, fronted with influence).
.Guntupalle Buddhist Site, Andhra bell and lion capitals
(Mauryan
by
Ramatheertham, Andhra Pradesh

Carbha Mandapa
griha

of aarbhagriha and
and mandapa is one e
mandapa is of the earliest structural temples
ano

simple plan o1 garonagriha

Sanchi with
a
and the brick temple in
ale 17at
D a s h a v a t a r a
Temple at Deogarh
De
Gupta period temples
OT
Bhitargaon, 400-50 AD, both in the
rgaon, 400.50
exampies
ruined
important
The n o 1 4 r Pradesh
now are
The
Architecture and Design 1.101
At Aihole and Pattadakal, Karnataka ezperimenta in
temple building were conducted from 4 tn E AD
and gave hirth to the protutypea fon Hindu temike
with certain features of hoth Nagara and rarida
styles visible. The 7th Century Lad Khan wmpie
Aihole, Karnataka is hased upn a suguare mandaa
raised upon a moulded plinth, with an attached prch
an interior shrine, and a two tiered ainginz
r
surmounted by a aquare tower (the beginning
Shikhara). The Chalukyan perínd Durga mge,
Aihole, one of the oldest, is a predominartly Draridian
style with apsidal plan reminiseent of Pruddhiat raitya
halls. Oh the north side of Badami is the Malezi
Shivalaya of a slightly later date where the eriring
North Indian style aubtly mizes with that of the S o t
as a contrast to early shrines at Aihoie.

Lad Khan temple Aihole. Karnataka

5th Century AD Gupta Period Stone and Brick

masonry
Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh, and the Brick
masonry and mud mortar temple at Bhitargaon, Uttar
Pradesh. The anatarala and the garbhagriha with a
defined and sculpted Shikhara are important features.
The temples are placed on high plinth or
Jagati.

Durga Temple at Aihole

Garbha
Antarala
griha

Plan of Bhitarguon temple

W.alegitti Shialaat at Badam
 Architecture and Design
1.102
other structural temples like
Pallavan also built
at Mahabalinram
Kailashn s Duilt the shore temple
KAnchipuram. Their
efforts resulted in a new paradigm
Vkuntha Perumal temples at with pyramid shaped towers
of temple huildi the Dravidian style that consiata primarily
of temples
vimana.and e
called vimana dconstructed of sandstone, soapstone or granite.
are structures are located in the
temple building in the ancient book Vastu shastra, the majority of thee n d Telangana.
Southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Naau
Genesis of Dravidian Style under the Pallavas, 600 AD-900 AL
There were two phases of architecture under the Pallavas. First Phase cons Narasimhavarma),640-690
under patronageof Mahendra, 610-640 AD, and Mamalla group (under palron manadaps or
or pi1lared
pillared nalls
halls
Rathas chariot temples carved out of monoliths, manadaps and b»0-600 AD
rcK-Cut architecture. or
second phase under
Rajasimha,
rchitectural typologies s e e n during this time, The
Nandivarman, 800-900 AD saw development of structural temples

Pillared Halls with cellas at the r e a r

Five Rathas at Mahaballipuram (upper) and Mandapas hewn
out
ofrock as

dower)
9 - 1A 2

shows the second phase of development where efree standingstructural

The Shore temple at Mahabalipuram
built ingranite. monolithic temples And o t .

temples a r e c a v e shrines,
lefta series rock-cut
of T'irupparankunram a temples all ovo
outh as
The Pallavas Tiruchirapalli, ugumalai and
Mamallapuram,
Tirukkalukkunram,
and seulptural excellence was r
at
architectural
achievements a s exemplified hv
The climax of twelfth centuries,
between theninth and the Pandvas temple at
the Cholas Their successors, ayanagara ra
Gangaikondacholapuram.
r o r m of towering gopurame
Tanjore
and contributions in the at S
as at
complexes as
left their great rsulting in great complexes
i n great
Dirangam, Madurai,
a fter. have
temples o r
built anew,
resuninE
Srivilliputtur and
existing
into
Architecture and Design 1.103

Ramanathapuram. Thus evolved, a typical style of temple architecture in South India -the Dravida style
complete with vimana or shikhara, high walls and the gateway or the gopuram
Tower or Vimana, the top most
Bali Peetam or part of which is Shikhara
Sacrificial altar

Prakara or Temple Enclosure

RARRA
RAJAGOPURAM DWAJASTHAMBA MAHAMANDAPAM SANCTUM
Parts ofa typical Dravidian Temple shown above
(sanctum) and the mandap (pillared hall). Amongst
thes these, the prominent styles are those developed under
the Pratiharas (Uijain) in 8-9th Century AD, Palas
(such as in Bengal and Bihar) in 8-13th Century AD,
Chandela (Bundelkhand region such as the Khajuraho
group of temples) in 10th to 11th Century AD and the
Orissa Group of temples (such as the Suntemple,
Konark and Lingaraja temple, Bhuvaneshwwar) in th
13th
Century AD. Then, the temples at Gujarat and
Rajasthan formed another class of Nagara temples.
Sun temple at Modhera and Jain temples at Ranakpur
being important examples.
Orissa has some of the most evolved temple typologies
such as the Lingaraja temple built by the Ganga
Ji rulers, the Mukteshwara temple at Bhubaneshwar and
the Jagannath temple at Puri.
rekha deu
kalasha

amalaka

Yali denotes mythical creature seen in many South

a pidha jagamohan bhumi
Indian
the
temples, often sculpted onto the pillars (as on amala

left). It may be portrayed part lion, part elephant

as
and part horse, and in similar shapes. The other
ghanta rahapaga andi
common theme is that ofa warrior on a horse as the
pidha
pillar on right shows. -jangha

Nagara Temple Architecture | bada

barandi
In the North and eastern India magnificent temples jangha ,
were also constructed and the style followed by them pista
is referred to as the Nagara styla Most of them Parts ofan Orissan after the Lingaraj Temple
Temple
consisted of the shikaras(spiral roofs), the garbhagriha
(type of Nagara temple)
 Architecture and Design
1.104

Sun temple at Konark ruler Narshimha Deva I.

The wasbuilt in thirteenth century by the eastern Ganga
is dod
temple is
The temple
dedieated to heeled chariot.
Surya (the sun god) and has been designed as &
w
The temple complex at Khajuraho was built by Chandella rulers between tne ndariva Mahadev temple.
the Bundelkhand
region of Madhya Pradesh. Most important among them i
Kalasha
-1 Amalaka
Shikhara (over garbhagriha
or sanctum sanctorum)
Urushringa (subsidiary shikhara)
Antarala (Vestibule)
Maha Mandapa
(Great Hal)
Mandapa
Ardha
Mandapa
(Entrance
Porch)
Adhisthana
(baseplatform)
Parts ofa North Indian Temple after the Khajurao Temple (type of Nagara temple)
Mount Abu in Rajasthan is known for the Dilwara Vesara Temple Architecture
temple dedicated to Jain tirthankaras. These were It is a type of Indian architecture primarily used in
built in pure white marble and adorned with exquisite temples lying in the region between the Vindhyas and
sculpture. These were built under the patronage of the river Krishna. Vesara style contain elements of
Solanki rulers. both Dravida and Nagara styles. The Vesara style is
Somnath temple at Gujarat, Vishwanath temple at
also described in some texts as the Central Indian
Banaras, Govinda temple at Mathura, Kamakhya
temple architecture style' or Deccan architecture'
temple at Guwahati, Shankaracharya temple at
Kashmir and the Kali temple at Kalighat of Kolkata However many historian agree that the Vesara style
are some other important temples which bear originated in what is today Karnataka, also therefore
called Karnataka Dravida or Chalukyan. The
testimonyto temple building activity of the Indian
sub continent.
Chalukyas and Rashtrakuta craftsmen,
contemporaries of the Pallavas and Cholas, in their
temples found today in the districts adjoining Mumbai,
Hyderabad and Mysore showed exemplary
innovations. The subsequent development of this
gave rise to the famous
style
Hoysala temples and
sculptures. The trend was started by the
of Badami (500-753AD) who built Chalukyas
2
J3
.
6 that was essentially a mixture temples in a style
Dravida styles, further refined ofbythe Nagara and the
the Rashtrakutas
2
of Manyakheta (750-983AD) in
Kalyani (983-1195 AD) in Lakkundi,Ellora, Chalukyas of
3 3 etc. and epitomized by the Dambal, Gadag
AD). The Hoysala Hoysala empire (1000-1330
atBelur, Halebidustar-shaped
and
(stellate plans)
templess
examples of this style. Somnathpura are supreme
N

25 m
100 f RANAKPUR, Adinathu Temple
at Ranakpur
Chaumukh
Plan oftemple of Adinath
Architecture and Design
1.105

Vesara style Stellate shrine at Chennakesava temple, Somanathapura

Geometry of the Hindu Temple
Eau

Nornh

Vastupurush mandala is the square that represents the earth and the circle prepresents the universe su&Sesting
timelessness and infinity. The mandala is divided into smaller
squares (commonly divided into 64 or 81squares
arranged in to form ofa grid, denoting the house of a certain god or deity
 Architecture and Design
1.106

N
More Open Spaee
NW NE

Vaayu Kubera Isha

Wind Wealth God

Indra
Varuna
W Rain
Brahma Lord of
divinities

Asuras Yama Agni

Demons Death Fire

SW Less Open Space SE

Vinyasa Sutra:Layout and Orientation of the Hindu Temple is

1024 squares; 1 pada
manuals, 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 64, 81upto
design plans a r e described with
n
Hindu temple to site and meditate on,
do yoga or make
considenred the simplest plan, as a seat for a hermit or devoteehas a symbolic central core at the diagonal
offerings with Vedic fire in front. The second design of 4 padas
centre, and is the template
and is also a meditative layout. The 9 padas has a sacred surrounded
intersection 49 pada series but 64 1s
for the smallest temple. Older Hindu temple vastumandalas may use the 9 through
considered the most sacred Hindu geometric grid.

O
a d
b
(a) Shrine alone (b) Shrine with porch (c) Shrine with Antarala and
Figure:- Typical Temple Plan
shrine with four entrances (Source: Hardy, Adam. The Temple Architecture
porch. (d) Sarvatobhadra
of India)

Vimana Antarala Mandapa Gopura

Garbhagriha
Figure-: Typical Temple plan of temple : tenmple of Tanjavur
for the Early Temples
Summarised Chronology

Mahabodhi Temple,
Bodh Gaya, Bihar, 234 BC onwards (Mauryan Period)
Cupta period temples (320-660 CE) at Sanchi, Tigawa, Eran, Bhumra, Nachna in Madhya Pradesh
District in Uttar Pradesh, 500-525 CE
Temple, Lalitpur
Cupta Period Deogarh
Architecture and Design
1.107
.Gupta period Bhitargaon Brick templo, Kanpur in the domes and arches of the Elephants Stable and
Nagar District in Uttar Pradesh, 6th century the Lotus Mahal at Hampi
.Lakshman Brick Temple, Sirpur, Chattisgarh,
595-625 CE (Sarabhapuriya Dynasty)
Parsurameswar Temple, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa
600-650 CE
Rajiv Lochan temple, Rajim, Chattisgarh, 600 CE
Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu,
650-675 CE
Aihole Meguti Temple 634 CE, Lad Khan and
Durga Temples, Karnataka, 7th century
Hampi Vitthala temple shown above
Alampur Garuda-Brahma Temple, 696-734 CE, Late Pandya or the Madurai Style
Svarga Brahma 681-696 CE, Visva-Brahma 700
Vijaynagar fell in 1565 to the Muslim invaders. Hindus
CE, Telangana retreated further to the South and founded the city of
Badami Chalukya architecture, 400-700 CE, Madurai as the capital under the 'Nayak' kings.
Malegutti, Bhutanath: Karnataka Due to the expansion of temple rituals and ceremonies,
temples became fortresses of series ofenclosing walls,
Pattadakal Virupaksh,Mallikarjuna, Karnataka,
745 CE approached through towering Gopurams. Examples
are the Ranganatha Temple (11th- 16th C AD) at
.Gwalior Teli Ka Mandir, Madhya Pradesh, 725 Srirangam, Meenakshi temple of Madurai (1623 AD)
750 CE and the temple of
Rameshwaram. Temple features
Ellora, Kailas, 750-775 CE, Cave 32, 800-825 CE included pillars carved with warriors on horses and
in Maharashtra yalis (the lion faced mythical creatures), the temple
tanks and the hypostyle halls such as the thousand
.Temples at Mahua, Amril, Naresar and Batesar, pillar hall in the Madurai temple. Islamic influences
circa 8th Century in Madhya Pradesh were absorbed in the
outstanding monuments such
as
Surya Temple, Osian, 700-725 CE Mahal of Tirumalai Nayak at Madurai, and those
at Chandragiri, Tiruchirapalli and Srivilliputtur.
.Vaital Deula, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, 750-800 CE
Delhi Sultanate and Emergence of Islamic
Harihar, Karnataka, 775-800 CE Architecture
Madhakheda Madhaya Pradesh, 825 CE Islamic architecture can be defined as
building
traditions of muslim populations of the Middle East
Kandariya Mahadeva, Madhya Pradesh, 1017-
1029 CE and any countries where Islam has been dominant
from the 7th C onwards. The remains of a
mosque at
Lingraj Temple, Orissa, 1025-1040 CE Bhambore from 727 AD is said to be the earliest knowm
Sun Temple with stepped tank, Muslim Monument in the Indian Sub-Continent.
Modhera,
Gujarat,1026 CE However, with the arrival of Turks during the
3. MEDIEVAL PERIOD thirteenth century, the architectural styles of Persia,
Arabia and Central Asia were brought to the Indian
Vijaynagara Empire in the South sub-continent. These new rulers followed Islam as
The rulers of their faith and thus needed to build structures that
Vijaynagara, an empire which was
established during this period also erected
suited their faith and culture. They also borrowed
many heavily from the already established vocabulary of
of
beautiful buildings and temples and had a number
achievements to their credit. The ruins of Hampi hold from what is now referred to as Islamic Architecture
proof of the tradition of the Vijaynagara Empire which while absorbing what the local masons and the
was for
long the bulwark of Hindu India in the South. craftsperson already knew. Amalgamation of Islamie
architecture with features of traditional architecture
Though only ruins remain but the temples of Vithal of India including Hindu art and architecture led to
Swami temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Hazar
Rama at Hampi are the development of a unique style called the Indo
good examples. On the wane of are found
Vijaynagara, Islamic architectural influences showed Islamic architecture, examples of which
in India, Pakistand and Bangladesh.
 Archltecture and Design
1.108
fotreHH
Casbah/Kila
-Citadelor n
of Indo- or
tomb
Prominent Architectural Typologies
Mausoleum
Islamie Architecture Mukbarn Sufi
Saint
or
tomb ofa compound
same
Masjid Mosque or Islamie place of worship Drgah - Shrine mosque
in the
and quarters
lmambara - a hall where people assemble for n tomb in
Majlis Z patterned
MMourning C'ongregations) of Imamn Husain nnd Pleasure
Garden
Char-Bagh
Martyrs of Karbala Water Tanks
Hauz
Madrasah- Publie school Minar Victory Tower
Hammam - Hot bath house Gateways
Darwazn - Entrance
Khanqah or Caravan serai - Inn for travellers
Architectural Typologies of Imambara (image on the top)
Hammam, Tomb and Citadel (from left to right in the image above)
Features of Indo-Islamic Architecture
The engineering features of these buildings were the domes, arches and minarets. The palaces, mosques and
tombs built by the rulers had these features which were blended with the features of the indigenous architecture
and a new synthesis in architecture was achieved. This happened because the Turkish rulers of
Delhi utilized
the services of the local Indian craftsmen who were very skillful and had
already constructed beautiful buildings.
In the buildings that came up we find the simplicity of the Islamic structure as well as the
detailed sculptures
and designs they made on their own indigenious structures. A middle path was followed in
all their designs in
the architecture of this period.
Dome. local point and covering Ihe main nraDIyd - piojecting window
Minaret visual focal poinl and
enclosed with carved wood
are used for the call pioyer hgl
to proyer 1aticework
Dikka - a place of delvering Mimbar -o puipit where imam delver Mihrab semicicular nicho
-
in the a
1Oyal messago khutbah wall of mosque thal undic ales lhe qiblo Sahn acoulyaid
oblullon area combine with
Some Churacteristic Features in Islamic Architecture
Architecture and Design 1. 109
Evolution of Indo-Islamic Architecture in 1. Lalkot (later
Qila Rai Pithora, enlarged city from
Delhi that also served as the Seat of Qutb District)
Islamic Empire in India for Centuries 2. Siri (the city of the Khilji Dynasty; n o w called
Shahpur Jat)
Delhi has a very old history. It is believed that there
3. Tughlaqabad (a city of the Tughlaq Dynasty)
are at least seven important old cities that have come
together to form Delhi. Most of them the contributions 4. Jahan Panah (Muhammad Shah conjoined cities
of the Islamic rulers of Delhi. The first city of Delhi is of Lal Kot and Siri into this city)
believed to have been established on the right bank of 5. Firoz Shah Kotla (meaning the Citadel of
the Yamuna by Yudhishthira, the oldest of the Pandava Firozabad, a city of the Tughlaq Dynasty)
brothers by the name of Indraprastha from the 6. Dinpanah later Purana Qila (the Citadel of
legend of Mahabharata. According to folklore, Delhi Humayun, later taken over by Sher Shah Sur)
was founded by Raja Dhilu. In the 2nd century AD,
7. Shahjahanabad (City planned by Shah Jahan, the
Ptolemy, the Geographer marked Delhi in his map as fifth Mughal Emperor
Daidala. From that time onwards, Delhi has continued
8. New Delhi (New capital built at the end of the
to grow. Delhi has always been an important city falling
on the grand road that connected many countries.
British rule, planned by Edward Lutyens)
Following are the historic cities of Delhi:
EIGHT CITIES
of DELHI
o z l MAnd
CIVIL STATION
s Ado RED FO
Ne
RIDGE
YAMUNA
RIVER
Ri
HUMAYUN'S
Nizam-ud-Dla
Achampatpa bdubartpnur Kotla
Uaw Kbfa? Masjid Moth
Tanb of uax
AMAMPAa
LDRLI
ciragh Delthi
Adhem Klaan
Mahraali
QUrUB MOSQUE
iaabad
Tom
ADHAUAD
1.110
Architecture and Design
The Tomar
rule in king dynasty came to power
Delhi, in Anang Pal of Lal Kot, Some years later, the Tughlaq
Chauhans, Lal Kot. After the established his Tughlaq, the tomb of Firo
Tomars The tomb of Mohammad
Tughlaqabad are some
the Lal Kot who built a city
area, near called Qila Rai came tnein
Pithora Tughlaq and the forts of
of this dynasty architecture. Their buildings were
into ruled Mehrauli. Prithvi
from Chauhan Raj examples of Tughlaq
prominence were strong and massive.
came so
when theMehrauli. Delhi again came not highly ornate but
into called
power and started 'Slave Dynasty alomost military in their appearance. Sultan
Mehrauli with to constructed a fortified town
their ideology. buildings and modify Lal Kot Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
planning more suited to called Tughlaqabad/ Ghiyas-ud-din's Tughlag
The earliest familiarity with Muslim architecture in Multan amd
is
Dipalpur (where he had served as a Governor) that
building of the Sultanate
Quwat-ul-Islam at Delhi period in
a
Minar. The latter is Mosque and the India was largely of brick (especially notable is the tomb of
and a tapering tower with five Qutub
on the
height of 70 Rukhn-i-Alam in Multan built in AD 1340) introduced
Ghaznavid
metres. It could have
brick been storeys certain interesting characteristics in Tughlaq
There are minarets near Kabul and
modeled
the beautiful of
Jam. architecture, those of battered walls, monuments on
mosque and on engravings
the tower. Thecalligraphy both in high platforms, tapering pylons and fortified
have been
erected in a mosque is said to enctosures.
using the very short span of time by-
the site. building materials from
The existing
first tomb is that of temples on
Mehrauli, Delhi, built Sultan Ghari in
plan and corbelled in AD 1231 with an
tomb establishes pyramidal roof. Sultan octagonal
of tomb the
building elementary Islamic Iltutmish's
wherein a dome that configuration
plan is made to rest is circular in
is
phase of transition over a square base, though the
first appears in the not fully resolved. The true arch
other buildings were late 13th C tomb of
later constructed Balban. Many
Sultans. When the successor
was Siri
Alauddin Khalji becameby the it
that became the Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi,
Fort still exists, even
centre of power. Sultan,
The Siri across 6.5 km, built stretching
though in ruins. Ala-ud-din founder of
by Ghiyas-ud-din the
enlarged the Quwat-ul-Islam Khalji Tughlaq dynsaty of the Delhi Tughlaq,
gateway to the enclosure of the mosque and built a 1321 AD. It is a
massive Sultanate in
is called the
Alai mosque. This gateway
Darwaza and is one of the Maehrauli-Badarpur Road.structure that lies along the
beautiful architectural most
introducing the coloured scheme designs even today by
of white and red. in
Some other notablearchitecture that
pseudo double strorey treatment features are the
of the tomb facades
by using blind the
bud garland ofwindows/niches, jalies
the central arches. He
and the lodus
city of Siri also built the
with seven gates and the Hauz Khas
Delhi which was a in
hydraulic structure.
Tomb of
Ghiyassudin
square structure Tughlaq built
pentagonal planned as a fort in AD 1325 is a
that
hillock. Theshape
tomb responds to the with irregular
white marble, for continues the red contours of the
of 14th instance, was an sandstone and
which wascentury
laterarchitecture of theimportant
emulated in Delhi feature
Apart from the distinctive Sultanate,
development was the the
camber,Mughal architecture.
other
Alai Darwaza with Qutub Minar in the backdrop, Mehrauli stone lintel to combination noteworthy
dome is seen tospan the
central
of true
arch and a
be
fusing Hindu andcapped by anopenings.
amalaka Besides, the
Islamic a and kalasa
architectural elements.
Architecture and Design 1.111
Ater Ghiyasuddin's death, Mohammed Bin ughlaq During the Afghan rule, the octagonal tombs of
1320-1388) enclosed the earlier çities of Delhi into a Ibrahim Lodi at Delhi and Shershah's tomb at
unified settlement and named it Jahanpanah, lbn Sasaram were
built. The architecture of this period
Batuta, who served in the court bf Mohammed Bin also shows how indigenous styles were adopted and
Tughlaq has describedit as "the metropolis of India, utilised by the builders.
a vast and magnificent city, uniting beauty with
strength. It is surrounded by a wall that has no equal
in the world, and is the largest city in India, nay rather
the largest city in the entire Moslem Orient."
Another important ruler of Tughlaq dynasty was Firoz
Shah. During his reign, Delhi the capital had an
enormous population and covered an extensive area.
He constructed Firozabad, located near Firoz Shah
Kotla. Firoz Shah's builders proved to be just as
innovative in the detailing of some of the palaces as
in the hundreds of mosques built during his reign.
The Lat (stone pillar of Asoka's period brought from
Ambala) of Firozabad (the city of Firoz) is a curious
three tiered strueture inspired from the terraced
Buddhist Viharas. The important mosques from the
period are Kali Masjid, the Kalan Masjid, Khirki Masjid
and the Begampura Masjid, all in Delhi. Khirki Masjid
shows a mosque type hitherto unknown in India. In
its planning, a part of the sahn or was
courtyard
covered by a combination of a domed and flat roof,
leaving four symmetrically arranged open-to-sky
courtyards for light and ventilation. The tomb of Firuz
Shah's Prime Minister, Khan-e-Jahan Telengani built
in AD 1368 revived the /octagonal plan for-tomb
building (seen only once before in the very first tomb
in the region that of Sultan Ghari's tomb), which would
become a vogue in the ensuing Sayyid,Lodhi and Sur
periods. The configuration was upgraded by Tomb of Sher Shah Sur has Octagonal plan at the
installation of small kiosks in each of the corners over ground level and the drum is recessed giving an
the veranda. Another indigenous introduction is the to multiple storeys. It drew inspiration from
sloping sun shade or chaja.
allusion
the Lodhi and Sayyid tombs at New Delhi, most of
All these years, the Early rulers and the Tughlaqs which had octagonal plans.
who were Turks) were still in the process of settling
down. The rulers were threatened by the Mongols, Mughals
who made sudden invasions from the north. This is The advent of the Mughals brought new era in
why the buildings of this period are strong, sturdy architecture. The synthesis of style which began
and practical. The invasion of Timur, the king of earlier reached its zenith during this time.
Samarkand, in 1398, destroyed its glory, including the The monuments attributed to Babur, the founder of
city of Jahanpanah. Timur took with him Indian the Mughal dynasty are mosques such as the Babari
architects and masons to build the mosques at Mosque in Panipat (where the decisive battle was
Samarkand. The succeeding rulers shifted their capital fought bewteen the Lodhis and the Mughals)and Jamal1
to Agra. However, an important consequence of the Kamal Mosque, Mehrauli, Delhi (which was built in
invasions was the migration of the craftsmen and his times if not by him). A pleasure garden in Agra is
artisan's guilds in search of new patrons which led to also said to have been built by Babur, introducing the
flourishing of many regional or provincial styles in concept of the Char-bagh in the Indjan Sub-continent.
Indo-Islamic architecture. With the dissipation of The Mughal ruler Humayun, built Dinpanah on the
Tughlaq rule in Delhi, Muslim governors of erstwhile mound of ancient Indraprastha (De>hi), the gateways
provinces like Bengal, Jaunpur, Gujarat and Malwa of which and a few existing structures set the high
had proclaimed independence from the of standards the later Mughal architecture would adopt.
sovereignty
the Delhi Sultanate. These became the new
patrons
and centres of building arts. (These would be dealt
with in a later section).
1.112 Architecture and Design
Delhi has Persian
Gateway at the City of Dinpanah, Humayun's tomb in New
popularly called Purana influences. The tomb was commissioned by
Qila
Monuments Built by Akbar Humayun's first wife and chief consort, Empress Bega
at Fatehpur
Sikri Begum (also known as Haji Begum) in 1569-70, and
The designed by Mirak Miraa Ghiyas and his son, Sayyid
architecture of Mughal style started durings Muhammad, Persian architects. lt is also the first
Akbar's rule. The first
building of this rule was Indian structure to incorporate the Persian double
Humayun's Tomb at Delhi. In this
building red stone was used. It has a mainmagnificent dome that is 42.5 metres high where the outer
and the tomb is gateway structure supports the marble exterior and the inner
placed in the midst of a garden. Many
consider it a one leads into the interiors.
precursor of the Taj Mahal.
Akbar built forts at Agra and
Fatehpur Sikri.
The crowning achievements of his
reign was the
building of his new capital city of Fatehpur Sikri, 40
km from Agra. Bulund Darwaza was
made following
Akbar's victory over
Gujarat. The Arch of the Buland
Darwaja is about 41 m high and is one of the
most
imposing historic gateways. The tomb of Salim
Palace of Jodha Bai, Ibadat Chishti,
Khana, Birbal's House and
other buildings at
of
Fatehpur Sikri reflect
a synthesis
Persian and Indian elements. The Dewan-i-Aam
and the Dewan-i-Khas are famous for their
and decoration. The
Panch planning
is a Mahal
structure in five storeys. It was build on
pyramidal
of aBuddhist Vihara. the pattern
a
Stables for camels &
b- Raja horses
C-
birbal's house
Jodh Bai's house
d- Maryams gardern
e Maryam's house
f-
Hospital and garden
-Panch mahal
h- Emperor's study
i-Diwan-E-khas
j- Pachisi Court
k Garden
1-Emperors Private apts
m-
Emperors
n-House sleeping QTZ
-
of the turkish sultana
Admnistration and
01050 100 M P-Diwan-e-am pavilionarchives
o1o B0 100 200 300 Pt. Diwan-e-am
r
Entrances for public
s-Reserved entrance
for imperial family
Architecture and Design 1.113
o m 1526, the Mughal architecture gave a totaly different dimension to tomb building. These are built on
plattorms and are surrounded by gardens laid out with ornamental fountains. Akbar's tomb started in his
lifetime at Sikandara was built on this concept and largely used red sandstone. It has an impressive gateway
with four marble minarets at the four corners.
Plan and the Entrance Gate way
of Akbar's Tomb, Sikandara
Monuments Built by Jahangir and Shah Jahan
A unique architectural
development in the Mughal time was the beautiful gardens developed around the tombs
and other buildings. The Shalimar Gardens in Kashmir and
lahore were developed by Jahangir and Shah
Jahan respectively. Another famous tomb is Akbar's tomb in Sikandra
(AD 1593-1613) built during the reign of
Jahangir. He built the beautiful tomb of Itimad-ud-daula built entirely of marble.
Shah Jahan was the greatest builder
amongst the Mughals. He revived the lost glory of Delhi by shifting the
Capital from Agra to Delhi once again. He started building the Red Fort in 1639 and
finished it in 1648. In 1650,
he started the work of building the famous Jami
the Red Fort as its heart, the city
Masjid. Shah Jahan's city was called
Shahjahanabad with
fanning out from the banks of river Yamuna. It is believed that
was more beautiful than Baghdad in Iraq and Shahjahanabad
Constantinople in Turkey.
Red Fort. Delhi
 1.114
Architecture and Design
Kanhmir Gate
Man Gete YAMIUNA
Bridg of Prats
l a Ghat Gate
Kabals Gat Gate
BALIMGARH
SAHIBABAAD
GARDEN
Canal
4
Laber Get
13 Red Fert
Chandri Chok 16
Jami
L. QUAN Mosque
aai2dn Khari's Tozb
Ajm C
Sita Jamn Zn
Masaj~ Cate
i Turcman Gat
D e Gate
Shahjahanabad
(Old Delhi)
An old plan ofShahjahanabad, the city of Shah Jahan
The Taj Mahal, Agra (AD 1630) built by him is considered one of the Wonders of the World'. It is a royal tomb
in marble built on a platform 18ft high and 313 ft. square. Each corner is marked
by a minaret 133ft high.
The central dome is 80 ft high and 58 ft in diameter. Marble is inlaid with semi-precious stones like jasper and
agate. It stands by the bank of the river Jamuna in the middle of marble terraces, fountains and lakes flanked
by cypress trees. Shah Jahan used marble extensively. Decorative design in inlay work, (called parchinkarior
pietra duro after a similar Italian technique of stone inlay), double dome, beautiful arches and minarets were
the features of his buildings.
Taj Mahal Agra
sc
architecture had a profound influence on the buildinge h.
The Mughal style of style and had courtva he later period. Tho
influence the ancient Indian
showed a
e d a strong of and pillars. For thDUldinggs
strong influen ddern elephants, lions.
living beings- elephants,
w a s forbidden
lions, Dea
art peacocks and other birds were
whereas figurative sculptured
in the brackets.
Archttecture and Deslgn 1.115
Regional Kingdoma and Arohiteotural Stylen
With the establishment of regional kingdomn in Bengal, Gujarnt and the Doeenn, benutiful buildingn having
their own style were conatrueted
ABUL
ASNM
PUNJA
l m n
s u l i e
TMULTA
odun
RAJPUT
coNFEDERACY
BIHAR
PAq-
MALWA KA
CuJARA N
UNDELKNANO
KHAyOE
MAed
BERAR GONpWANA
davari
HMADNONAGAR $sOL
(Portuguel
GOLKUND
VIJAYANAGAR
Cochin
The Lodi Kingdom
Regional Kingdoms at the end of the fifteenth
From: An Historical Atlas Century
of the Indian Peninsula (Oxford University Press,
The Ahmad Shahi Architecture Bombay, 1961)
The dynasty by the above name in Gujarat is known to have
monuments were created for a developed their own Islamic architecture. Lota of
period of some 170 years. The Gujarat Style
Indian traditions of architecture.
Noteworthy are the mason's
was a judicious mix of
Islamic and
able to retain the high who
techniques of stone architecture and guilda thatworked here and these guild» were
sculpture hud
before the Muslim invasion.
However, in Ahamadabad also, false greatly developed in
Sipri Mausoleum. The first domes and archs were used such aa Gujarat
in Rani
mosque- Ahmad Shah's Mosque (1414), was mude by the columns takon
existing temples. It was constructed in a wooden-like from
openings facing the courtyard and the Mihrab. One of
post and beam structure without using archen
the excopt for
time is the arched most important feature« that
masonry wall infront of the developed during thin
Saiyyad Mosque and the shaking towers at liwan, adorned with minars or turrets.The.Juma Manjid, the Sid
architecture in Gujarat. In 1424, the Jama Ahmadabad are a few amongst many noteworthy example" 0
temples in Mt Abu and Mosque was created which han great rexemblanee to the
Ranakpur. The Jali work in or
d
Lattice wan umed extenwively. The
exquisite Jali work is the Sidi Sayyid Mosque (1572),atone exanple
or a
o
ree
spreading its branches. which employs delicate deaign of the motif
 Architecture and Design
1.116 A r c h i t e c t u r e
Sharqi Hindola
Malwa and Jama Masjid,
the
Indin) stone while
(central
in local
In Mandu were built
Mahal made entirely
Mnhal und
Jahaz Malwa is
Shah at m a r b l e inlay
Hoshang
the tomb of and black
b e a u t i f u l yellow
with In the Deccan,
of marble craftsmen.
done by The rulers
work heautifully number ofbuildings.
the S u l t a n s
erected a
for their
patronage of learning
were
known
known as
the Shiraz
ofJaunpur
architecture.
Jaunpur
was
examples of
notable
and Most
this períod. a r e the
Atala
of India during in Jaunpur
architecture
Sharqi style
of
and the Jama
Masjid.
Darwaja Masjid rulers had a
Masjid, the Lal Sharqui
build by the
The Atala mosque
the dome.
s c r e e n covering
gigantic
Sidi Saiyyad Ni Jaali. Shigratkari or stone jaliwork -
Ahmedabad
Atala Mosque at Jaunpur
Image shows Sidi Bashir Mosque in Ahmedabad.
Another mosque in Ahmedabad called the Raj Bibi
Mosque also has shaking minarets similar to those at
the Sidi Bashir. Tomb of Hoshang Shah at Mandu
Taking the clue from Ahmed Shah's idea of building
his mausoleum adjacent to the Jami Masjid, the ruling Bengal Architecture
In Fateh Khan's tomb
family of Gujarat rationalized the concept into that of near
Qadam Rasul,, Gaur, is
a Rauza, a complimentary design arrangement
of a seen an
unprecedented imitation in
the curvilinear toto
hut of the Bengali
tomb and mosque together in the same enclosure, complete with
Usman at Usmanpur, a suburb built in brick and thatched roof, al1
e.g. the rauza of Sayyid plaster. The sensous
ofAhmedabad. At Dholka, the Muslim Governor, Hilal
tomb inspired the
Mughals to incorporateprofile of this
Khan Qazi built a public mosque ,
the liwan (front Bengali roof into the the
form of
the example of mosque from where it foundlanguage of Mughal architecture,
façade) of which was based on its place in the
at Cambay but with
the omission of surrounding architecture of Sikh Gurudwaras. Post-Mughal
cloisters and more importantly the addition of a shape of many
structures and Thus, the oblong
gateway, the design of which is
roof construction the peculiar
prominent entrance were some of style of
taken in toto from the antralaya
or entrance mandapa
of the
regional architecture the distinctive features
of
of a Hindu Temple,
complete with a s n a or inclined Masjid at Pandua called the Bengal like the Jami
seats along its periphery
Sona masjid and the Adina
Bada Sona mosque, Chhota
the various tombs.
Masjid at Gaur, and
Architecture and Design
1.117
In the Eklakhi Tomb, Pandua, AD 1430, in the
as seen picture above, the entire surface treatment is suggestive
of the framework of the traditional wood and wattle hut. Even when the capital was shifted to Gaur, the
architectural style of this tomb prevailed in
the structuring of tombs, mosques, minarets and
gateways.
The mosque in Bengal could not be an open to sky
courtyard surrounded by a colonnade, due to rains
and heat, thus the Gunmat Masjid on the outskirts of
Gaur consisted of a hall (42.6mx 18.2m) designed much
like the Adina Mosque sans the cloisters and the
central vault. The Feroze Minar at Gaur, a victory
tower for the city adorned with blue
glazed tiles, was AAA
not inspired by Qutub minar in Delhi but
the flanking towers of the Dakhil Darwaza of
by one of
Gaur,
LILII
thus generating a new typology of minars or towers.
Bahamani Architecture
The Bahamani Sultans borrowed from the
styles of
Persia, Syria, Turkey and the temples of Southern
India. The Jama Masjid at Gulbarga, the Madarsa of A sketch of Ibrahim Rauza, Bijapur
Mahmud Gawan at Bidar, Ibrahim Rauza and Gol
Gumbaz at Bijapur and the fort at Golkunda are just
a few famous
buildings. Gol Gumbaz has the largest
dome in the world. All these
buildings vary in
and style from the buildings of north India. design
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1
Gol Gumbaj, tomb
of Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah of
The Jama Masjid at Gulbarga as shown is Bijapur. Notice its massive dome and clinging seven
quite well storeyed minarets.
known. This is the only mosque in India which has a
covered countryard roofed by multiple smaller domes.