Delhi or Imperial Style

By Ar Sukriti Gopalakrishnan
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• Construction of Islam structures continued for over three and
quarter centuries in Delhi and its surroundings which were
built for emperors and by emperors of sultanate, hence, it is
called Imperial style or Delhi style.
• Imperial architecture may be divided synastically into five
divisions corresponding to five Mohammedan Sultan
dynasties who ruled from 12th to 16th centuries.

• Names of dynasties:

✓ Slave Dynasty (1191-1246 CE)

✓ Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320 CE)
✓ Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1413 CE)
✓ Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451 CE)
✓ Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526 CE)
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• Imperial style under Slave dynasty
• The name of slave here means, its members do not belong to royal
community. They were slaves who can be bought or sold.
• Slave system is an accepted practice with the majority of
Mohammedans of high rank.
• Mohd. Ghouri appointed his slave Qutub-ud-din Aibak as governer
to take care of his possessions around Delhi in 1191 CE. Aibak
belongd to a Turk family from central Asia. He was sold two times in
his childhood and second time to Mohd Ghouri.
• Hindu Chauhan dynasty kings were ruling the kingdom of Delhi.
• Later after the death of Mohd Ghouri, Qutub-ud-din Aibak played
active political role and captured the Hindu stringhild of Qila-i-Rai
pithaura in Delhi.
• He established prominence in Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan and
became 1st Muslim ruler at Delhi.
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• Important structures built during this Period

• Quwat-ul-Islam mosque
• Qutub Minar
• Mosque at Ajmer
• Sultan Ghari
• Tomb of Iltutmish
• Tomb of Balban
Quwat-ul-Islam Mosque
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• The Qutub complex was built by Qutub ud-Din Aybak (reg. 1206 - 1211) who
established the first Islamic sultanate in the Indian subcontinent in Delhi in 1192.
• It is located within the citadel of Qal'a-e-Rai Pithora (Qila Rai Pithora) where
Qutub ud-Din also set up his administrative quarters and residence.
• Also known as Quwat ul Islam, meaning the 'might of Islam,' the Qutb complex
was created with the dismantling and reassembling of the 27 existing Hindu and
Jain temples on the site. New additions made using the local trabeated
construction, as opposed to arcuated or vaulted construction.
• The Qutub complex consists of a mosque and two minarets enclosed within a
series of cloistered precincts.
• This rectangular complex measures about 235 m (north-south) by 155 m (east-
west) along the exterior.
• It was entered via four monumental gates along the north, east and south walls,
of which only the southern gate (Alai Darwaza) remains.
• The mosque, known as the Qutub or Quwat ul Islam Mosque, occupies the
southwest corner of the complex.
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• Complex consists of rectangular enclosures,
all the later work of Aybak's successors.
• The Qutub Minar (minaret) stands in the
southeastern part of this enclosure. The
unfinished Alai Minar (minaret) stands in the
northeastern part of the complex.
• A tall screen wall with pointed archways runs
along the western edge of the precinct,
creating a qibla wall for the prayer spaces.
• In addition to these elements, the complex
also contains several smaller buildings: the
Tomb of Iltutmish, Ala al-Din Khalji's madrasa,
and the Imam Zamin Mosque.
• Apart from the Qutub Minar, the Alai
Darwaza, and the ruins of the Qutub
Mosque, little of the Qutub complex stands
today.
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• The rectangular enclosure with the
iron pillar in the temple space,
which was intended to serve as a
ritual ambulatory for the sanctuary,
was later used as an assembly court
for the Muslims, who faced west for
communal prayers.
• The shafts of the temple columns,
decorated with carved human
figures covered in bracelets and
cable and link chains terminating in
bells or tassel rosettes, were
maintained.
• On some of the overhead slabs,
representations of Vishnu and
Buddha along with lotus motifs are
still visible.
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• Qutub al-Din Aibak later commissioned a
maqsura, or screen wall, before the western
iwan. Made of yellow and red sandstone, this
wall is 2.4 3 meters thick, 45.72 meters long
(running along the qibla wall) and 15.2 meters
in height.
• This five-arched screen wall contains one
grand central high arch with two smaller ones
on either side. All are pointed (ogee) arches,
created with the use of corbels by the Hindu
masons.
• These false, or corbelled, arches later evolved
into radially cut arches; this evolution in
construction can be seen clearly in
subsequent additions to the complex. This
maqsura was later adorned with Quranic
verses in Nakshi letters by Muslim calligraphers.
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• Iltutmish (reg. 1211 - 1236), upon
succeeding Qutub al-Din Aibak, ordered
a further eastward extension of the
mosque that nearly doubled its size.
• Two screen walls on the northern and
southern sides were added, maintaining
its design continuity and symmetry.
• Iltutmish also added three more storeys
to the Qutub Minar, topping it with a
cupola.
• His small tomb, located in the northern
extension of the complex, is also
considered to be an outstanding: its
severe exterior is sandstone, and its
lavishly ornamented interior features
geometrical arabesques and floral
motifs.
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• The Sultan, Ala-ud-Din Khalji (reg. 1296 - 1316) took
over from Iltutmish and tripled the size of the mosque
to accommodate the area's growing Muslim
population.
• The Sultan decided to build another minaret, one
larger than the existing Qutub Minar. This new minaret,
the Alai Minar, was placed at the northeastern part of
the Qutub complex; however, work on this minaret
ceased during the first stage of its construction.
• Sultan Khalji also added a madrasa to the
southwestern end of the complex and the Alai
Darwaza on its southern end.
• The Alai Darwaza is a richly decorated gateway,
renowned for its use of a bold polychromatic scheme.
Three other gates were also added to this mosque
extension, two at the eastern wall and one at the
northern wall.
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• The final extension to the mosque was done by
the Tughluqs (reg. 1320 - 1399), mainly by Firuz
Shah, who added the fifth and the sixth stories to
the Qutub Minar.
• The Tughluqs were then superseded by Timur
(Tamerlaine), the ancestor of the Mughals.
• The importance of the Qutub complex declined
towards the end of the thirteenth century due to
two major factors: one, the increasing water
scarcity of the capital, and two, the decision on
the part of each new ruler to consolidate his
political legitimacy by building a new city.
• The Qutub complex remains a highlight among
subcontinental pre-Mughal Islamic architecture.
In both the original Hindu temples and the later
Muslim additions, the intricate stone carving and
calligraphic work stand out.
Qutub Minar
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• Tallest brick minaret in the world.
• 73m tall tapering with a diameter
measuring 14.32m at the base
and 2.75m at the peak.
• Insid ethe tower, a circular
staircase with 379 steps leads to
the top.
• Minaret is made of red sandstone
covered with intricate carvings
and verses from the Quran.
• Minaret comprises several
superposed flanged and
cylindrical shafts, separated by
balconies carried on Muqarnas.
• first 3 storeys are made of red
sandstone, 4th and 5th storeys are
of marble and sandstone.
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• Apart from the usual role of
minaret, other reasons ascribed to
its construction are as a tower of
victory, a monument signifying the
might of Islam or a watch tower
for defense.
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• Has survived a series a lightening bolts
and earthquakes till date.
• The minaret is unharmed except for a
slight tilt, some two feet off the
perpendicular.
• The lightening struck in 1368 AD and
knocked off the top storey.
• Later in 19th century, an earthquake
destroyed toothless cupola.
• Major smith replaced it with a Bengal
style chhtri which was removed by Lord
Hardinge as it sat ill with the architecture
style.
• Its kept on the ground to the left of the
entry path and is known as the Smoths
folly.
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• On 1st august 1803, the soild
cupola was thrown down due to
earthquake. After 2 years,
repairing of the structure began
and completed in 1828 by Major
Smith.
• His work in the doorway has been
criticized because of being gothic
and different from the minar.
• The materials used are proper.
• Today restoration work is carried
out during the nights also, when
needed.
• After a series of accidents in the
early 1980s, visitors are no longer
allowed to climb the Qutub Minar.
Mosque at Ajmer
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• Adhai din ka Jhonpra is a mosque in
Ajmer which is said to be built in two
and a half days.
• This monument was built after
Mohammad Ghori defeated Prithvi Raj
Chauhan III.
• It is said that previously a Sanskrit
college existed there and the
monument was constructed on its ruins.
• Muhammad Ghori ordered that a
mosque should be built within 60 hours
so that he can offer prayers.
• So the workers tried but could not
complete the task. But they were able
to build screen wall where Mohammad
Ghori could offer prayers.
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• During the period of Chauhan dynasty, there was a Sanskrit college built by
Vigraharaja IV, also known as Visaladeva, who belonged to Shakambhari
Chahaman or Chauhan dynasty.
• The college was built in square shape and a dome-shaped pavilion was
constructed on each corner of the building. A temple was also there that was
dedicated to Goddess Sarasvati.
• The construction of the building includes the features of Hindu and Jain
architecture. Some historians say that the mosque was built by the materials
used after the destruction of some old and abandoned Hindu Temples. Others
say that the Sanskrit college was a college of the Jains. The local people say
that Seth Viramdeva constructed the college to celebrate Panch Kalyanaka.
• The mosque was constructed after the defeat of Prithvi Raj Chauhan III by
Mohammad Ghori in the second battle of Tarain.
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• After defeating Prithvi Raj Chauhan III, once
Mohammad Ghori was passing by Ajmer and
saw many temples so he ordered his slave
named Qutbuddin Aibak to construct a
mosque so that he can offer prayers.
• The sultan also ordered that the mosque has to
be built within two and a half days.
• The workers worked hard and were able to
construct a screen wall where the sultan could
offer his prayers.
• The mosque was completed in 1199 according
to an inscription.
• Iltumish, the successor of Qutbuddin Aibak,
built a screened wall with arches and
inscriptions on it. The inscriptions have the
name of Iltumish and the supervisor named
Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Arid.
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• Adhai Din ka Jhonpra is one of the oldest mosque in India that was built on the
basis of Indo-Islamic architecture.
• Mohammad Ghori ordered the construction of the mosque which was
designed by Abu Bakr of Herat who came with the Sultan.
• Each side of the building has the height of 259 feet.
• People can enter the mosque from southern and eastern gates.
• Total number of pillars in the mosque were 344 and the actual building had 124
pillars out of which 92 were on the eastern side and 64 were on the other sides.
• Iltumish also built a huge screen whose arches were built by using yellow
limestone.
• There are seven arches out of which the largest one has the height of 60 feet
while others are smaller ones.
• There are small panels in the arch to pass sunlight. The arches also have the
verses of the Holy Quran. Along with this, there are inscriptions written in Kufic
and Tughra script.
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• The measurement of the interior portion is 200
feet x 175 feet.
• The design of the pillars are similar to the
temples of Hindus and Jains. Historians say
that many pillars belonged to Hindu and Jain
temples but some were constructed by the
Muslim rulers.
• The ceilings of the mosque are also a
combination of Hindu and Islamic
architecture.
• Muazzin towers are located in two minarets
each having a diameter of 10.5 inches.
• The location of these minarets is on the top of
the screen wall whose thickness is 11.5 feet.
• The minarets have angular and circular flutes
which were one of the features of
construction of Delhi Sultanate
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Sultan Ghari
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• The Sultan Ghuri
Tomb, a fortified
mausoleum in Delhi,
was built by Sultan
Iltutmish (r. 1211-
1236/607-633 AH) for
his eldest son Nasir-
ud-Din Mahmud.
• It is considered the
first monumental
tomb built in the
Indian subcontinent.
• An inscription on the
eastern portal dates
the tomb to
1230/627 AH.
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• The tomb is located in an isolated area, and is an octagonal structure
sunk within a courtyard on a high square plinth, enclosed by stone walls
with circular corner bastions.
• The octagonal platform set within the courtyard forms the roof of the
subterranean crypt below, an arrangement not found again in India until
the 17th century.
• The tomb is built on the site of a Hindu temple and incorporates Hindu
masonry, including lintels and sculpted 7th-century panels.
• A mihrab is incorporated into the western wall of the tomb for the first
time, along with a small columned prayer area in front of it, intended to
give the tomb a religious sanction and ensure that future rivals and
opponents would not destroy the grave.
• The tomb was renovated during the time of Firuz Shah Tughluq (r. 1351–
1388/751-789 AH).
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