ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA

SULTANATE ARCHITECTURE - IMPERIAL STYLE

(1206-
(1206-1526 AD)

History of Eastern Architecture –II

U2L04: SAYYYID DYNASTY B.Arch V Semester
 THE SAYYID DYNASTY (1414-1450)
Tughluq dynasty eventually came to an end in 1414AD when Khizr Khan won the battle against
Mahmud Shah (Last ruler of Tughluq’s)

Muslim Rulers of the SAYYID Dynasty

1) Khizir Khan Sayyid 1414 – 1421
2) Muizz-ud-din Mubarak Shah II Sayyid 1421 – 1434
3) Muhammed Shah Sayyid IV 1434 – 1444
4) Ala-ud-din Alam Shah Sayyid 1444 – 1451

• 4th dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate

• Khizr Khan nominated his son, Mubarak Shah as the successor who became the sovereign ruler of
Delhi on the very day of his father’s death.
• Architecture was restricted to tombs & sculptures only.
• Architectures during the Sayyid Dynasty was

class apart and defined the quality of art and

craft that prevailed

• Due to the inheritance of greatly weakened

state treasury, the Sayyid Dynasty was not able

to construct monumental buildings

• 2types of tombs OCTAGONAL PLAN (surrounded

by arched colonnade or verandah with

projecting eve and 1storey height) & SQUARE

PLAN (no verandah and exterior is 2or3 storey

height). Both types are surmounted by a dome

with pillared kiosks rising above parapet

• Features: Exposed Cenotaph, Tall Gateways,

Miniature fortresses, Open pillared pavilions

Major Architectural Monuments in SAYYID Dynasty

1) Tomb of Mubarak Shah Sayyid

2) Tomb of Muhammad Sayyid

3) Tomb of Mubarak Sayyid

Tomb of Mubarak Shah Sayyid 1434 AD

• 2nd Sultan of the Sayyid Dynasty

• A good example of the octagonal
Sayyid tombs
• The ensemble originally consisted of an
octagonal compound wall with 2gates
on the south and west
• The tomb is of an Octagonal plan with
arches in each octagon of 30’ or 9m
• Main entrance of the tomb is from the
South with arched openings on all the
other sides except the West
• The tomb is surrounded by a
verandah with 3openings in
each side
• All the corners are pierced
by sloping buttresses
• A chatri stands at the middle
of the roof of each of the 8-
sided facade
• Thicker walls with dressed
stone
• 50’ or 15m high dome flat
and shallow elliptical shape
finely skilled and poised
resting on a 16-sided drum
• The ceiling of the dome is
ornamented with incised
and coloured bands of
plaster, with a triple band of
Quranic inscriptions
Tomb of Mubarak Sayyid 1484 AD
• It is a true canopy
tomb without a
walled chamber
for the cenotaph
• The facade has
8pillars, totalling 60
in all
• 2ambulating aisles
surround central
area
Square domes top over square bays
Elongated entrance porch makes E-W
elevation longer than N-S
 ...Done...

Ar. Ravindra Patnayaka

B.Arch,M.Tech Planning, PGDESM, (PhD)
Assistant Professor
ARCHITECTURE Acknowledgements :Ar. N.S.Kala.B.Arch, MS (USA), AIIA,Asst. Professor