(INDO-ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE)

BEFORE AND AFTER MUGHALS

ASIF ANWAR
Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia University,

Abstract - Indo-Islamic architecture is the architecture of
the Indian subcontinent produced for Islamic patrons
and purposes. Despite an earlier Muslim presence in
Sindh in modern Pakistan, its main history begins when
Muhammad of Ghor made Delhi a Muslim capital in
1193. Both the Delhi Sultans and the Mughal dynasty
that succeeded them came from Central Asia via
Afghanistan, and were used to a Central Asian style of
Islamic architecture that largely derived from Iran.
The types and forms of large buildings required by
Muslim elites, with mosques and tombs much the most
common, were very different from those previously built
in India. The exteriors of both were very often topped by
large domes, and made extensive use of arches. Both of
these features were hardly used in Hindu temple
architecture and other native Indian styles. Both types of
building essentially consisted of a single large space
under a high dome, and completely avoided the
figurative sculpture so important to Hindu temples.
Islamic buildings initially had to adapt the skills of a
workforce trained in earlier Indian traditions to their
own designs. Unlike most of the Islamic world, where
brick tended to predominate, India had highly skilled
builders very well used to producing stone masonry of
extremely high quality.[3] As well as the main style
developed in Delhi and later Mughal centres, a variety of
regional styles grew up, especially where there were local
Muslim rulers. By the Mughal period, generally agreed
to represent the peak of the style, aspects of Islamic style
began to influence architecture made for Hindus, with
even temples using scalloped arches, and later domes.
This was especially the case in palace architecture.
main categories - Architecture of the Delhi Sultanate or the
Imperial Style and the Mughal. The Imperial Style developed
under the patronage of the Sultans of Delhi. The Mughal
Architecture was a blend of the Islamic Architecture of
Central Asia and the Hindu Architecture of India.
DELHI SULTANATE ARCHITECTURE
The Delhi Sultanate was predominantly spread in and
around Delhi in North India and it gradually spread its rule
across various parts of the Indian subcontinent for over three
centuries starting from 1206 to 1526, particularly during the
Tughlaq Dynasty. The rule of the sultanate comprised of five
successive dynasties starting from the Mamluk Dynasty
whose founder in Delhi, Qutub al-Din Aibak, also the
founder of the Turkic dominion in north-western India,
became the first sultan of Delhi. The three of the other four
successive dynasties namely the Khilji Dynasty, the Tughlaq
Dynasty and the Sayyid Dynasty respectively were also of
Turkish origin. The last dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate was
an Afghan Pashtun dynasty called the Lodi Dynasty that was
founded by Bahlul Khan Lodi. The dynasty saw its fall
under the reign of Ibrahim Lodi after it faced defeat at the
hands of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire in 1526,
which brought an end of the Delhi Sultanate.

INTRODUCTION
The medieval period saw great developments in the field of
architecture in India. With the coming of Muslims to India,
many new features and techniques came to be introduced in Figure 1
buildings. The development of Muslim Style of Architecture Qutub minar
of this period can be called the Indo-Islamic Architecture or Source:Self-clicked
the Indian Architecture influenced by Islamic Art. The Indo-
Islamic style was neither strictly Islamic nor strictly Hindu.
It was, in fact, a combination of Islamic architecture 1.About the planning
elements to those of the Indian architecture. The architecture
of the medieval Architecture period can be divided into two
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The complex contains some iconic buildings, pre-eminent proportions in the rear side wall on the North is being shown
among them being the Minar itself, a victory tower erected as-
by the Ghorid sultans around the start of the 13th century
(Fig.1). Beside it is a partly ruined mosque, constructed from
an astonishing assortment of temple fragments that, as
described in an inscription on the mosque wall, came from
27 ‘idol temples’. The reason for the presence of these
temples is that this was where the Rajput rulers of this part
of India had built an important urban centre. It is known that
a significant Rajput centre existed to the south of Mehrauli,
the most visible remainder of which is the Suraj Kund tank.
By the 11th century the local ruling family, the Tomars, had
gained independent power in the area and had constructed a Figure 2
walled enclosure of 2.5 km circumference here, in what is Proportional plan and different levels of complex
now Mehrauli, a little to the north of the earlier settlement.
This was expanded some time later to 3.5 km by a more
substantial additional wall, which is still clearly visible in
3.Patterns
Sanjay Van to the west of the Qutb complex. Later still the
Chauhans from Ajmer seized power from the Tomars and
The facades are being ornamented with the never ending
built a much larger extension, approximately quadrupling
varieties of the floral patterns contained within the Mihrab
the size of the city. It seems, however, that the main centre
shaped frames of various shape as per the proportions. The
of the city remained within the original Tomar city, where it
symmetrical composition of the floral patterns of the
is presumed the temples stood and, not far away, where a
martagon lily, crown imperial, tulips, etc intends to give a
finely constructed tank was excavated in recent times.
sense of movement for breaking out the subtleness and
depicting the interest of the botany in Islamic architecture.
2.Proportions
The ever blooming vases are being used as the symbol of the
immortality. The frames are bounded by the patterns driven
Presently, only some of the portions of the north and the
out of the Persian artistic borders with the star shaped
south side walls retain the glazed tile work otherwise the
pattern in-between, outlining the Mughal styles
other walls are being left out only with the plain surfaces as
complimenting the Persians’. The towers at the corners are
the tiles are being stripped out by the time. Here the façade
decorated with the inverted lotus buds pattern in addition to
of the north facing wall is shown below-
the pinnacles. The centre of each wall contains a large scale
Mihrab shaped pattern with the additional straight line
running out inside it in the horizontal and vertical directions
at regular intervals. The basic patterns being distributed on
the side wall of the North are discussed below-

Figure 3
View of the facade on the North-side
Source: Self-clicked

The façade on either side of the entry to the qutub are being
ornamented with the designs of the floral patterns enclosed
within the Mihrab of different varieties and placed in a
definite proportion to the wall area. The study of the basic

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 Figure 6
Source: Self-sketched

Persian element of ornamentation

Source: Self-sketched

All the patterns delineate the interest of the architect in

botany which turns out in the illustration of the earthly life to
complement the paradise setting of the garden. The depiction
of various flowers like as the Lily, Tulips, etc blooming out
Figure4 of the vases suggests the immortality.
The ethereal Persian borders are being used to ornament the
outlining of the panels suggesting the precise use of the
patterns of the Persian embroidery and the influence of
Persian forms in the Islamic architecture,

Figure 5
Distribution of the Patterns on the facade
Source: Self-clicked

It shows the interest of Islamic architecture in the

ornamentation of repetitive never ending varieties at regular
intervals.

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 complexes are from all the 4-carnidal directions demarcated
by the Pishtaqs. The facades are being composed of the
horizontal borders and the vertical panels, 9 on the walls and
TOMB OF ITEMAD-UD-DAULAH 7 on the towers at the 4 corners and then 12 on the upper
floor with the total no of panels being 76. The drawing of the
The tomb of Itemad-ud-Daulah stands as the majestic and plan of the Tomb depicting the panel distributions is being
gallant object of the Persian influence in the Islamic shown below-
architecture, being the resting place of the Persian scholar
and one of the prime exile Mirza Ghiyaz Begh epithet as
Itemad-Ud-Daulah by Shah Jahan. Constructed(1622-28) by
Nur Jahan in the memory of her father. The architectural
aestheticism that is depicted here is of the Persian influence.
It marks the transitional phase of the Mughal architecture
from the red sandstone to the marble. This iconic structure is
also came to be known as the Baby Taj by some of the local
guides as the inlay work being followed in here is same as
that of the Taj Mahal. In spite of being supersede by the Taj
the exuberance of the monument is in its own, with the
imperial symbolism of the patterns on the facades. The
undue brilliance is being subdued. It does hold the
stratospheric position in the architecture of Islam.

Figure 8
Plan of Itenad-Ud-Daulah Tomb, depicting the panels distributon
Source : Islamic Tombs in India (with certain amendments)

2.Proportions

Figure 7 The facades of the tomb are just identical from the three out
View of The Tomb of Itemad-Ud-Daulah of the four sides with the exceptions on the south facing
Surce : google
wall. According to the Muslim orthodoxy the body must be
1.About the planning buried in the N-S direction with the face being turned
towards the west. Hence, the difference in the southern wall
The jewel box in the paradise setting, Tomb of Itemad-Ud- is because of the orientation of the feet of the body in that
Daulah marks the development of the Mughals with the direction. The study of the proportions of 9 panels on the
polychrome profuse ornamentation of the arabesque, the West facing wall and 7 panels each on the two towers
abstract geometries and the floral patterns links the feature adjoining the same wall is shown as-
of simplicity and delicacy with the refined aspect. The
monument itself was designed to justify the Indo-Islamic
architecture in its full maturities, like a fantastic picture.
With the unprescendent lavishness in the design. The
monument depicts the square plan with the corners being
shamphered by the 4-octagnal towers and the absence of the
domical element. The entries to the complex are from the
west and to the main tomb, from the south. Being a square in
plan, 21m by the sides resting on a red sandstone platform of
45.26m by the sides, it marks the starting of the new phase
in Islamic architecture. The entrances to the outer tomb
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Figure 9
The panels are being proportionately complimenting the
distribution as per the total length. Being symmetrical at
both the sides and equal in height the basic proportion of the
heights of the panels as per the total height of the structure is
1:5 and the proportions as per the length are being shown
below-
transitional stages from the earthly life. The walls are being
ornamented with the running bands of borders containing the
motifs of the creepers at the bottom and in between of the
dado and the roof. The marble inlay and the vine trails recall
the Persian embroidery. The Dado decoration is the key
portion of the inlay work with the designs of similar flowers
appearing on the same time on dados. The plinth area is
marked with the patterns full of varieties of the honeysuckle,
arabesque patterns and certain symbolic representations of
the stars so as to create a repetitive imperceptible flow along
with the other elemental features adding a sense of infinite to
the tomb architecture with that of the illusion of movement.
The varieties of the designs are being spread out on the
facades in accordance with the horizontal and vertical
patterns. The study of the patterns as per the panels of the
west facing wall and their evolution is being shown as-

Panels on the wall-

Panel no.1 - 1:60
Panel no.2 - 1:12
Panel no.3 - 1:17
Panel no.4 - 1:20
Panel no.5 - 1:11
Panel no.6 - 1:20
Panel no.7 - 1:17
Panel no.8 - 1:12
Panel no.9 - 1:60

The panels on the towers being equal are having the

proportion as 1:60 as per the total length of the Tomb.

Each proportionate panel as per the length is marked with

the different pattern from the rest, resulting into the never
ending varieties of the patterns, giving the tomb a paradise
setting for the souls to rest on.

3.Patterns Figure 10
Hexagonal driven Patterns on the towers
Source : Self-clicked and self-sketched
The ornamentation of the tomb is marked by the use of the
inlay stone work technique known as the Pietra Dura which
involves the flat mural surface being entrusted and incised
with the semi-precious stones like as the Lapis Lazuli,
Jasper, Onyx, etc to create a sense of strikingly lively and
the authentic depiction. The walls are being decorated with
the elements of the Persian iconography. With the influence
of the embroidery, the work of Persia is being executed to
the marble with near perfection such that the structure stands
out on its own with one of a kind. With the depiction of the
Venistas theme (the idea of transitoriness of human life), the
idea is to set a paradise type environment from the
vocabulary of the floral patterns and the Arabesque, for the
resting souls. The endless rhythematically repeated units on
the exteriors, and the samber layout of the interiors mark the
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 Figure 13
Star-based patterns on the walls
Source : Self clicked and self-sketched

The patterns at the walls and the fronts are basically being
dominated by the basic hexagonal and pentagonal forms.
The other depiction includes the use of 10 and 12-pointed
stars for creating the zeal by its endlessly rhythematically
repeating patterns.

The basic elements deciphered from the jail work followed

on the panels numbered as `2,4,6,8 are as follows -

Figure 11
Star-based Pattern on the towers
Source : Self-clicked and self-sketched
Figure 12
Layouts of the different jali patterns
Source: Self-sketched

Thus, the majority of the jali work works on the repeated

patterns of the honeysuckles along with the regular
hexagonal patterns which captivates the interest adding
flamboyance to the structure.

The patterns being depicted on the plinth levels are all being
driven out of the regular hexagonal forms in different
placements. They does follows the basic forms as shown-

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 Figure 15
Floral patterns running in borders along the structure
Source : Self-clicked

Figure 14
Layouts of the Patterns on the plinth
Source: Self-sketched
Figure 17
4.Colours
Patterns on the plinth of the structure
The subtleness in the consecutive patterns of the arabesque
and the floral is being dispelled by the brilliance of the
different colours being used in the designing of the patterns.
With the black and yellow being the main colours to be used
in the borders running across the bottom, above of the plinth
and the dado along with the other shades of the various
semi-precious stone the structure tends to create a visual
impact of earthly beauty with the essence of the naturalistic
beauty for the aesthetism. The colours being in symphony of
the terrestrial and the godly elements work together so as to
create a sense of unity and purity justifying the two pillars of
Islam. The basic division and distribution creates an elusive
tint of colours of lattices of exceptional beauty. The leaf
scrolls and other motifs in addition to the variety of
geometrical patterns add the colours of immense
significance to the polychromatic structure.

Figure 16
The variety of colours used in the patterns is as shown- Colours distribution in the patterns at the towers
Source: Self-clicked

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 CONCLUSION
The paper here discussed the basic design philosophy
varieties of patterns in Islamic architecture during the rule of
Mughals. And before them in india. It primarily focuses on
their interest towards the nature and the impression of the
Islamic teachings in the form of the verses and symbolism
through the colours and patterns. The Islamic architecture
thus follows the policy of ‘adopt and adapt’, claiming to be
an eternal way of life rather than being limited to a certain
era, place or time. The endless design opportunities resulting
out of the balance between the modernity and the tradition
marks the importance of the Islamic architecture in the
contemporary world. The values thus surpassed the rest
creating the way to invent even better new forms of Islamic
architecture in contemporary world.
The use of jali, is being prominent feature in the present day
architecture too, as they serves the dual purpose of being a
functional elements with the perk of aesthetics. The
contemporary works rather focuses on the subtle but
soothing plain facades which in turns demarcate the absence
of the floral decorations and the arabesques patterns as they
were used in the structure earlier, resulting into the end of
the Pietra dura technique. But the various other features of
the Islamic architecture including the depiction of the nature
in the works and the inclusion of the natural things
functionally into the structures is being followed till date,
embraced with the latest design technologies but without
opposing the traditional building practices. Many
contemporary designs, being the prime example of the
modern Islamic architecture are based on the Islamic
principles of converting the natural shapes into the
geometrical.

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 I owe my sincere gratitude to my professor and guide
Ar.sana zahra for giving me such an honour and
oppourtunity to work on this paper. Further, I would like to
thank my parents and my friends for providing me the moral
TABLE I support and boosting me up with the positivity which helps
TABLE OF FIGURES me out in accomplishing the research work.
Figure Caption Page No.
No. REFERENCES
1 view of qutub minar 1 Printed Book
2 plan of qutub minar 2
3 3 1. Michael barrey (1996). Colours and Symbolism in Islamic
façade
3 Architecture eight centuries of the Tile-maker’s art. Thames and
Distribution of Mihrab Patterns on the
4 Hudson
4 Façade 4 2. Fredrick W. Brunce(2004). Islamic Tombs in India. D.K.
Motif of Panel No.2 5 printworld (P) Ltd., New Delhi
5 detail 5
6 detail 6
7 view of itemad ud daula 6 World Wide Web Address
8 plan of itemad ud daula 6 The Tomb of I’temad ud-Daulah, Agra – Architecture, Decoration and
9 elevation of itemad ud daula 6
Koranic.[online]. Available:
10 detail 7
11 7 https://www.academia.edu/26352390/The_Tomb_of_Itimad_ud-
detail
12 8 Daula_Agra_-
detail
_Architecture_Decoration_and_Koranic_inscriptional_program
13 detail 9
14 detail 9
15 detail 9 AUTHOR INFORMATION
16 pattern of tower 9
ASIF ANWAR, Student, Department of Architecture,
Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

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