Islamic Architecture

ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
EARLY PHASE
• GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITION :
1. THE MUSLIMS ORIGINALLY WERE FROM THE NOMADIC ‘SAHARA DESERT’ TRIBES.THEY WERE CALLED ‘SARACENIC’.
2. LATER ON THE RIBAL PEOPLE CAME UNDER ONE COMMON FAITH - MUSLIM RELIGION KNOWN AS MUSLIM STYLE OR
ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE.
3. THIS STYLE IS SPREAD ALL OVER THE COUNTRIES WHCH ADOPTED MUSLIM RELIGION SUCH AS
ARABIA,EGYPT,PERSIA,SYRIA,PALESTINE,SPAIN,PAKISTAN AND NORTH INDIA
4. THIS STYLE DEVELOPED IN INDIA IN KNOWN AS INDO- MUSLIM OR INDO-ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE IS CHARACTERIZED ACCORDING TO THE AVALABILITY OF BUILDING MATERIALS IN DIFFERENT

COUNTRIES.
6. DOMES WERE CONSTRUCTED IN BRICKS AND COVERED EXTERNALLY WITH PLASTER IN PERSIA THAT IN STONE IN EGYPT
AND INDIA.LIME STONE WAS AVAILABLE IN CAIRO RED SANDSTONE IN INDIA. PLASTER WAS COMMONLY USED FOR WALL
DECORATION IN EGYPT SPAIN AND ELSEWHERE.
EARLY PHASE
• CLIMATIC CONDITION :
1. MOST OF THE COUNTRIES HAVE HOT CLIMATE. HENCE TO PROTECT FROM SEVERE HEAT SHELTERING ARCHADES WERE
PROVIDED.
2. WINDOWS WERE SMALL AND USUSLLY FILLED WITH INTRICATE GEOMETRIC DESIGNS.
• RELIGIOUS CONDITION :
1. THE MUSLIM RELIGION IF FOUNDED BY MOHAMMED WHO WAS BORN IN MECCA IN 570 A.D AND DIED AT MEDINA IN
632 A.D
2. ACCORDING TO THE THEORY BY MOHAMMED THERE IS PROHIBITION OF WORSHIPPING ANY IDOLS ALONG WITH
GOD.BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD AND NO OTHER OBJECT OR PERSON CAN SHARE THE WORSHIP OF
MANKIND.
3. SO ISLAMIC ORNAMENT BECAME NON SCULPTURAL ELABORATE SURFACE DECORATION WAS PROVIDED IN ALL THE
MOSQUES BY BEAUTIFUL GEOMETRICAL DESIGN CALLED ‘ ARABESQUE’’ AND TEXT FROM HOLY ‘KORAN’ .
• CHARACTERISTICS FEATURE :
1. JAMI MASJUD - IT IS A FRIDAY PRAYER MOSQUE A PLACE OF PROSTRATION OR NAMAJ.IT HAS LARGE OPEN COURT
SURROUNDED BY ARCADES OR COLONNADES.(IWAN)
2. THE IWAN ON THE MECCA SIDE IS EXPANDED AND ELABORATED INTO A PILLARED HALL FORMING THE SCANTURY WITH
THE WALL AT THE BACK CONTAINING IN ELEGANT FOLIATED ARCHSHAPED NICHE CALLED ‘MIHRAB’ SHOWING ‘QIBLA’
OR THE DIRECTION FOR PRAYER.
3. AT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MIHRAB A ‘PULPIT’ OR ‘MIMBAR’ IS PROVIDED WITH A READING DESK ‘DIKKA’ FROM
WHICH THE PRIEST OR ‘IMAM’ READS ‘KORAN’.
4. A PORTION OF THE SCANTURY IS ENCLOSED BY A SCREEN FORMING A COMPARTMENT FOR WOMEN.
5. TOWERS OR MINARETS ARE PROVIDED FROM WHICH ‘AZZAN’ WAS GIVEN BY MUEZZIN OR MAULA TO CALL FOR THE
PRAYER.
6. MADRASSAH – IT IS A COLLEGIATE MOSQUE CONTAINING LECTURE HALL, LIBRARY, RESIDENCES FOR STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS IN ADDITION TO THE MOSQUE FOR PRAYERS.
7. ARABESQUE – REPRESENTATION OF ANY HUMAN OR NATURAL FORM IS PROBIBITED BY ISLAMIC USAGE SO SURFACE
DECORATION IS MAINLY CONFINED TO ORNAMENTAL WORK.
8. SURFACE DECORATION WAS MAINLY INLAID IN COLOUR GLAZED TILING PAINTING MOSAIC AND INLAY ARTS.
EARLY PHASE - 1 (SLAVE AND KHILJI PHASE)
• QUAWAT UL ISLAM
1. Quwat-ul-Islam Mosque (built 1192 - 1316) Quwat-ul-Islam was sponsored by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, founder of the
Mamluk dynasty. The Quwat-ul-Islam is best known for its tower of victory, celebrating the Islamic conquest of India.
2. 27 Jain and Hindu temples were dismantled and their stonework salvaged into the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque. It
consists of a rectangular courtyard enclosed by cloisters.
3. The Qūwat-ul-Islām mosque (completed 1196), consisting of cloisters around a courtyard with the sanctuary to the
west, was built from the remains of demolished temples celebrating the Muslim conquest of India. [4] It is built of red
sandstone, gray quartz, and white marble, but is probably inspired by the “Iron Pillar " that stands on the site. Built in
the Gupta dynasty in the 6th century, it is the only piece of the temple that stands in its original location. Qutb built
around it when he constructed the mosque. Although made of iron, it has resisted rust for over 1,500 years.
1. Expansion of the mosque continued after the death of
Qutb. His son-in-law Altamash (or Illtutmish) extended
the original prayer hall screen by three more arches
(image 8).
2. By the time of Altamash the Mamluk empire had
stablized enough that the Sultan could replace most of
his conscripted Hindu masons with Islamic ones. This
explains why the arches added under Altamash are
stylistically more Islamic than the ones erected under
Qutb's rule.
3. The decline of Quwwat-ul-Islam began during the rule
of Ala-ud-din (1296-1316), known to the West as
"Alladin". Ala-ud-din at first seemed inclined to
patronize the mosque, even adding an enormous new
courtyard wall and erecting the base of a huge
new minar (tower).
4. However, Ala-ud-dins dreams were so grand that he
decided to abandon the Lal Kot (Delhi) capital and
move to nearby Siri, whereupon Quwwat-ul-Islam lost
its pre-eminence.
• Qutub minar :
1. The Qutb Minar, also spelled Qutub Minar and Qutab Minar, is a minaret and "victory
tower" that forms part of the Qutb complex, which lies at the site of Delhi's oldest
fortified city, Lal Kot, founded by the Tomar Rajputs.
2. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mehrauli area of South Delhi, India.It is one
of the most visited tourist spots in the city, mostly built between 1199 and 1220.
3. The Qutb Minar has a shaft that is fluted with "superb stalactite bracketing under the
balconies" at the top of each stage. In general, minarets were slow to be used in India
and are often detached from the main mosque where they exist.
4. The Minar is surrounded by several historically significant monuments of the
Qutb complex. Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, to the north-east of the Minar was built by
Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in A.D. 1199. It is the earliest extant - mosque built by the Delhi
Sultans.
5. It consists of a rectangular courtyard enclosed by cloisters, erected with the carved
columns and architectural members of 27 Jain and Hindu temples, which were
demolished by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak as recorded in his inscription on the main eastern
entrance.
6. Later, a lofty arched screen was erected, and the mosque was enlarged, by Shams-ud-
Din Itutmish (A.D. 1210–35) and Ala-ud-Din Khalji.

1. The height of Qutb Minar is 72.5 meters, making it the tallest minaret in the world
built of bricks. The tower tapers, and has a 14.3 meters (47 feet) base diameter,
reducing to 2.7 meters (9 feet) at the top of the peak. It contains a spiral staircase
of 379 steps.
2. At the foot of the tower is the Quwat Ul Islam Mosque. The Minar tilts just over
65 cm from the vertical, which is considered to be within safe limits.
3. The Qutb Minar consists of five stories of red and grey sandstone. The lowest story,
also known as the basement story, was completed during the lifetime of Ghiyath
al-Din Muhammad, a sultan of the Ghurid dynasty.
4. It is reverted with twelve semicircular and twelve flanged pilasters that are placed
in alternating order. This story is separated by flanges and by storied balconies,
carried on Muqarnas corbels. The story is placed on top of a low circular plinth that
is inscribed with a twelve-pointed star with a semicircle placed with each of the
angles between the star's points.
5. There are also six horizontal bands with inscriptions inscribed in naskh, a style of
Islamic calligraphy, on this story.
6. The second, third, and fourth stories were erected by Sham ud-Din Iltutmish, the
first Muslim sovereign to rule from Delhi. He is considered to be the first of the
Delhi Sultan dynastic line. The second and third stories are also reverted with
twelve semicircular and twelve flanged pilasters that are placed in alternating
order.

• Alai darwaza:
1. The Alai Darwaza was built by Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khalji of the Khalji dynasty in
1311. It was a part of his plan to extend the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque on four sides.
Although he planned to construct four gates, only the Alai Darwaza could be
completed as he died in 1316. It serves as the southern gateway of the mosque. It is
located at the southern part of the Qutb complex.
2. The Alai Darwaza is made up of a single hall whose interior part measures 34.5 feet
(10.5 m) and exterior part measures 56.5 feet (17.2 m). It is 60 feet (18 m) tall and
the walls are 11 feet (3.4 m) thick.
3. The gatehouse, from 1311, still shows a cautious approach to the new technology,
with very thick walls and a shallow dome, only visible from a certain distance or
height. Bold contrasting colors of masonry, with red sandstone and white marble,
introduce what was to become a common feature of Indo-Islamic architecture,
substituting for the polychrome tiles used in Persia and Central Asia.
4. The pointed arches come together slightly at their base, giving a mild
horseshoe arch effect, and their internal edges are not cusped but lined with
conventionalized "spearhead" projections, possibly representing lotus buds.
Net,stone openwork screens, are introduced here; they already had been long used
in temples.
5. The height of the dome is 47 feet (14 m).It is the first true dome built in India, as
previous attempts to construct a true dome were not successful.
1. The entire Darwaza is made up of red sandstone with white colored marbles
inlaid on the exterior walls. There is extensive Arabic calligraphy on the walls of
the Darwaza.
2. The arches are horseshoe shaped, the first time such arches were used in India.
The façade has pre-Turkish carvings and patterns. The windows have marble
lattices. The surface decoration consists of interweaved floral tendrils and is
repeated with symmetry on three doorways.
EARLY PHASE - 2 (TUGLUQ,SAYYID AND LODI DYNASTY)
1. Tughlaq Tombs in the Indian subcontinent are mostly simple,
monotonous and heavy structures in Indo-Islamic architecture built
during the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1413).
2. They look more like fortresses with walls surrounding them and have
restrained decoration and embellishment compared to both earlier and
later Indian Islamic tombs.
3. Their architecture lacks the influence from Hindu temple architecture

and craftsmanship which was later found in Lodi and Mughal
architecture. But Hindu influence on Tughlaq buildings was not totally
absent.
4. Tughlaqs built three main types of tombs: square, octagonal and pavilion.
The last type was the simplest, consisting of a pavilion or a chhatri. The
simple tombs are most likely to be those of nobles and family members
of the sultans. It was constructed by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.
5. The tomb was constructed in 1325 and is built of red sandstone and
white marble, materials commonly used in Islamic structures at that
time. It has a dome of white marble. It is considered to be one of the
TOMB OF GIHA
earliest masterpieces built of red sandstone and white marble.
1. The square tomb is in the center of a pentagonal enclosure with high walls. There are entrances on the north, east and south
sides. There are no Minarets surrounding the tomb. The architectural style of the tomb is inspired by the Khalji portal- Alai
Darwaza- in the Qutb Minar complex. This is hardly surprising as Ghiyas was originally a Khalji slave who later became one of
the governors.
2. A notable feature of the tomb are the sloping walls, at a 75 degree angle with the ground instead of vertical walls. This
architectural style is similar to the sloping walls of the Hindola Mahal (Swing palace) in Mandu, Madhya Pradesh.
3. It is so called because of the distinctive sloping walls which give an impression that the palace is swaying from side to side.
Perhaps the wall design was intended to buttress the heavy stone arches that support the ceiling. The inside walls are vertical
and plain.
4. The Ghiyas tomb exhibits peculiar Hindu influences in the form of a kalassa (pinnacle) on top of the white marble dome and a
redundant stone lintel installed just below the arch. The kalassa adorns tops of most shikharas of ancient and modern Hindu
temples in India.
5. The pinnacle was planted at the apex of the Tughluq dome. The stone lintel was installed either to ensure stability, to fit a
rectangular timber door in the arched opening, or purely for aesthetic reasons, to continue the white marble band along the
facade. Whatever the reason for it, this 'architectural compromise' became an elegant and effective device in the building style
of the Tughluqs as well as their successors.
1. Firoz Shah's tomb is located in Hauz Khas (New Delhi), close to the tank built by Alauddin
Khalji. Attached to the tomb is a madrasa built by Firoz Shah in 1352-53.
2. The entrance to the tomb is through a courtyard. The archway of the entrance gate has a date
engraved on it- 1507-08, the reign of Sikandar Lodi, which suggests that he may have had the
tomb repaired.
3. The tomb is square in plan, heavy and massive in appearance with plain cemented walls
unlike the marble on the facade of the Ghiyas tomb, and a slightly pointed dome supported
by an octagonal drum.
4. The lower curves of the dome arches are decorated with intersecting coloured bands. The
arched pendentives contain Koranic inscriptions and the walls are decorated with floral
designs.
5. Firoz Shah's tomb differs from that of Ghiyas in the use of construction materials. Unlike the
latter, it is not built of stone; instead a thick layer of durable stucco is used which was
probably painted. It has a paved verandah, enclosed by Buddhist stone railings of the type Firoz Shah's Tomb
found in Sanchi. It is not clear why these stone railings were used. One view is that Firoz Shah
used these pre-Muslim Indian forms as a means of associating himself with earlier greatness.
[2]
SHISH GUMBAD:
1. Shish Gumbad ("glazed dome"), also spelt Shisha Gumbad, is a
tomb from the Lodi Dynasty and is thought to have possibly been
constructed between 1489 and 1517 CE.The Shish Gumbad (glass
dome) houses graves, whose occupants are not
unequivocally identifiable.
2. Constructed between 1489-1517 CE, the Shish Gumbad is
constructed in square shape. Combination of bracket and lintel
beams, the architecture is a blend of Islamic and
Indian architectures.
3. Although the Gumbad has an external semblance of spanning in
two floors, the structure made only in one floor. The western wall
of the Gumbad consists of mihrab which also served as a mosque.
The main chamber of the monument measures 10 square meters
(108 sq ft).
4. The ceiling is decorated with plaster work that contains Quranic
inscriptions and floral designs. The monument was originally
decorated with blue enameled tiles that shined like glass. The
Gumbad hence got its name "Shish Gumbad".
5. The blue tile embellishment presently only remains on top of the
main frontage in traces.
1. The Feroz Shah Kotla or Kotla ("fortress", "citadel") was a fortress built circa
1354 by Feroz Shah Tughlaq to house his version of Delhi city called Firozabad.
2. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–1388), the Sultan of Delhi, established the
fortified city of Firozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate,
and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla.
3. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel. The pillar, also called obelisk or Lat is
an Ashoka Column, attributed to Mauryan ruler Ashoka. The 13.1 meters high
column, made of polished sandstone and dating from the 3rd century BC, was
brought from Ambala in the 14th century under orders of Feroz Shah.
4. It was installed on a three-tiered arcaded pavilion near the congregational
mosque, inside the Sultanate's fort.
5. In centuries that followed, much of the structure and buildings near it were
destroyed as subsequent rulers dismantled them and reused the spolia as
building materials.
6. Jami Masjid is one of the most ancient and largest surviving mosque and
monument, still in use. Architecturally it was built on a series of underground
cells made of quartzite stone, covered with limestone. It is surrounded by a
large courtyard with cloisters and a Prayer Hall.
7. The Prayer Hall now in complete ruins was once used by the Royal Ladies. The
masjid and its architecture is an example of Tughluq architecture.
JAMI MASJID:
1. The entrance of Jami Masjid lies on the northern side. It is connected by a causeway to the
pyramidal structure of the Ashokan Pillar. This mosque was visited by Timur in 1398 AD to
say his prayers. He was spellbound by its beauty and constructed a mosque in Samarkand
in Mawarannahr imitating the design of this Masjid.
2. This mosque is also known to be the place where Imad ul Mulk, a Mughal Prime Minister,
got the Emperor Alamgir II murdered in 1759 AD.
3. The Asoka Pillar which is now within Feroz Shah Kotla is towards the north of Jama Masjid
[Mosque]. The Pillar was first erected by King Ashoka between 273 and 236 BC in Topra
Kalan, Yamunanagar district, Haryana.
4. Of note, there is another Ashokan Pillar, that is seen installed near the Hindu Rao Hospital,
also erected by Ashoka in Meerut. This pillar, however, was unfortunately broken into five
pieces after it was damaged during an explosion.
5. The pillar was neglected for a century up till 1838 when after the Revolt of 1857
Raja Hindu Rao took charge to transfer the Ashokan Pillar's broken pieces to Kolkata's
Asiatic Society. Within a year, the structure was put together and re-established.
6. Both the Ashokan Pillars were carefully wrapped with cotton silk and were kept on a bed of
reed made of raw silk.
7. These were hence transported on a massive carriage attached with 42 wheels and drawn
meticulously by 200 men from their original places to Delhi by Feroz Shah Tughlaq to avoid
any damage during the journey.
1. The circular Baoli, which means 'stepwell', lies towards the
northwestern side of the Ashokan Pillar. It lies in the heart of a
large garden constructed in the form of subterranean apartments
and a large underground canal built on its eastern side through
which the water runs into the well.
2. This is the only circular Baoli in Delhi, and also one of the 4 Baolis,
where the tank is not separated from the well. It once has a roof on
it, which collapsed long ago, exposing the tank at the second
level. Originally it had an entry from East and West, but now, only
the west side is accessible.
3. Due to security reasons, the Baoli is kept locked, but permission to
visit can be obtained easily for research purposes from the Delhi
circle office of Archaeological Survey of India.
PROVINCIAL STYLE - 1 (JAUNPUR AND BENGAL).
Atala Mosque, Jaunpur
1. Atala Masjid or Atala Mosque is a -14th century mosque in
Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is 300 metres away from Shahi Qila
fort, and 1 km from the Jama mosque. It is 2.2 km north-northeast
of Jaunpur, 7.3 km northwest of Zafarābād, 16.8 km north-
northeast of Mariāhū, 26.3 km west-northwest of Kirākat.
2. The Mosque was completed by Ibrahim Shah Sharqi of the Jaunpur

Sultanate in 1408 A.D
3. Its height is more than 100 ft. There are three huge gateways for
the entrance. The total perimeter of the mosque is 248 ft. Its
construction was begun by Feroze Shah in 1393 A.D.
4. The central dome is almost 17 meters high above the ground, but
cannot be seen from the front because of the tall tower (at 23
meters).
Adina Mosque ,Bengal
1. The Adina Mosque is a former mosque in Malda
District, West Bengal, India. It was the largest structure of its kind
in the Indian subcontinent and was built during the
Bengal Sultanate as a royal mosque by Sikandar Shah, who is also
buried inside. The mosque is situated in Pandua, a former royal
capital.
2. The Adina Mosque was commissioned in 1373. Its construction

reused extra materials from pre-Islamic Hindu and Buddhist
structures.
3. The design of the mosque incorporated Bengali, Arab, Persian and

Byzantine architecture. Although the mosque is eye-catching from
far because of its size, but because of its finely precise executed
designed decoration.
4. It makes it hard to see the characteristics it holds without standing

on a good distance from it. It was built with rubble masonry that
was covered with brick, stone, coatings of stucco, plaster, concrete,
glazing or lime smoothing.
Adina Mosque ,Bengal
1. Stone flowers were integrated into the arches of the interior and exterior all around
the building. Its plan is similar to the Great Mosque of Damascus. It had a rectangular
hypostyle structure with an open courtyard.
2. There were several hundred domes. The structure measured 172 by 97 m. The entire
western wall evokes the imperial style of pre-Islamic Sasanian Persia.
3. The mosque's most prominent feature is its monumental ribbed barrel vault over
the central nave, the first such huge vault built in the subcontinent, and another
feature shared in common with the Sassanian style. The mosque consciously
imitated Persianate imperial grandeur.
4. The prayer hall is five aisles deep, while the north, south and east cloisters around
the courtyard consist of triple aisles. In total, these aisles had 260 pillars and 387
domed bays. The interior of the courtyard is a continuous façade of 92 arches
surmounted by a parapet, beyond which the domes of the bays can be seen.
5. The ornament on the building is simple, but if you look closer you can see the
intensity and disciple in the engravings that have been created on the walls and
arches.The interior elevated platform, which was the gallery of the Sultan and his
officials, still exists. The Sultan's tomb chamber is attached with the western wall. The central mihrab of the mosque
1. Eklakhi Mausoleum is a mausoleum located at Pandua in Malda district,
West Bengal, India. It was built around 1425. It houses three tombs, possibly
belonging to Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah, his wife, and son Shamsuddin
Ahmad Shah, but the identification is disputed.
2. The structure represents a village hut with a sloping roof and serves as a
prototype for the various other buildings constructed during the Bengal Sultanate.
3. The mausoleum is the earliest surviving square-shaped building with a single
dome in Bengal. The brick structure has 4 m (13 ft) thick walls and an octagon-
shaped interior, which together minimize the size of squinches required.
4. The mausoleum has a smoothly curved cornice, terracotta ornamentation on the
walls, and engaged towers at the corners.The cornice supports the hemispherical
dome on square squinches.
5. The mausoleum is 75 feet (23 m) wide and 25 feet (7.6 m) in height. The diameter
of the dome is 46 feet (14 m). A doorway is present at each of its facades. Each
doorway has a pointed arch. The interior chamber measures 47 feet (14 m) and
has no window.
6. Historian Perween Hasan writes that the architecture may have been inspired by
the brick temples in pre-Islamic Bengal. As Jalaluddin was the first native Muslim
king of Bengal, he may have built the mausoleum in typical Bengali style,
highlighting his roots. The mausoleum's structure represents a thatched hut with
a sloping roof forming eaves. It is the earliest example of the distinctive Bengali
architecture which was popularised during the period of the Bengal Sultanate and
later.
1. Dakhil Darwaza literally an entrance gate, (Ar. dakhil, Per. darwaza), is the largest
structure of its kind in the architectural history of Sultanate Bengal. It was the
main entrance to the citadel of LAKHNAUTI, the Muslim name of GAUR (per.
Gawr). The gateway was the most solid and most elegant entrance portal ever
erected in Bengal.
2. The gateway built of bricks except the piers between the doorways, which are
faced with stone up to the springing of the arches, measures 102.5m by 22.5m
and consists of a passage 4.5m wide through the middle of the structure. On both
sides of the corridor are two guardrooms entered from the former through
subsidiary entrances numbering four on each side.
3. The guardrooms measure 22.70m by 2.90m and have also two exits leading
outside. The height of the gateway, measured by Cunningham, was about 14.95m
of which the entrance arch rises to a height of 10.35m. Behind the wider arch is a
smaller archway through which the entrance is made to the vaulted passage.
4. The gateway arch projected in the form of an iwan portal, which is flanked on
either side by massive twelve-sided towers at the corners, which are in perfect
harmony with the design, and speaks of a gateway commensurable to the dignity
and prestige of a great ruler. Dakhil Darwaza
5. By a comparison with the entrance gateways of the Bara Sona and CHHOTA SONA
MOSQUE it can be surmised reasonably that the cornice of the portal was
curvilinear.
1. Baro Shona Masjid (English: The Great Golden Mosque) also known
as Baroduari Masjid (12-gate mosque), is located in Gour, West Bengal, India.
Completed in 1526, it is situated half a kilometer to the south of Ramkeli,
12 km south from the city of Malda.The mosque with its ruins can be found
very close to the India-Bangladesh border.
2. With a gigantic rectangular structure of brick and stone, this mosque is the
largest monument in Gour. Though the name means Twelve Doors, this
monument actually has eleven.
3. The construction of Baro Shona Masjid, measuring 50.4 m by 22.8 m, and 12
m. in height, was started by the Sultan of Bengal Alauddin Husain Shah and
was completed in 1526 AD by his son Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah.
4. The Indo-Arabic style of architecture and the ornamental stone carvings
make Baroduari a special attraction for tourists.
5. The mosque is composed of eleven entrances, two buttresses, four corner
towers and a spacious courtyard which is almost seventy meters in diameter.
The building is faced in plain stone and the doors would originally have been
framed by mosaics of glazed colored tiles in floral patterns.
6. The roof was strewn with 44 hemispherical domes, of which 11 on the
corridor still remain. These domes were originally gilded, and, hence, gave
the mosque its name. From the interior, these domes are arcaded, half in
brick and half in stone. Baro Shona Masjid
1. Baro Shona Masjid (English: The Great Golden Mosque) also known as Baroduari
Masjid (12-gate mosque), is located in Gour, West Bengal, India. Completed in
1526, it is situated half a kilometer to the south of Ramkeli, 12 km south from the
city of Malda.
2. The construction of Baro Shona Masjid, measuring 50.4 m by 22.8 m, and 12 m. in
height, was started by the Sultan of Bengal Alauddin Husain Shah and was
completed in 1526 AD by his son Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah. The Indo-Arabic style of
architecture and the ornamental stone carvings make Baroduari a special
attraction for tourists.
3. The mosque is composed of eleven entrances, two buttresses, four corner towers
and a spacious courtyard which is almost seventy meters in diameter. The building
is faced in plain stone and the doors would originally have been framed by
mosaics of glazed colored tiles in floral patterns.
4. The roof was strewn with 44 hemispherical domes, of which 11 on the corridor
still remain. These domes were originally gilded, and, hence, gave the mosque its
name. From the interior, these domes are arcaded, half in brick and half in stone. Baro Shona Masjid
5. It is the largest building still standing in Gaur.
6. This very ancient mosque is also known as Qutub Shahi Mosque. It was built in the
honour of saint Nur Qutub-e-Alam, son of Saint Makhdoom Alaul Haque Pandvi,
by Makhdum Shaikh, the descendant and fellow of the saint. The mosque was
known as Sona Masjid due to its earlier gilded wall surface and crowns of the
turrets.
PROVINCIAL STYLE - 2 (AHMEDABAD AND BIJAPUR).
Gol Gumbaz
1. The construction of the Gol Gumbaz began in the mid-17th century, during the
close of Mohammed Adil Shah's reign, which was from 1627 to 1656.
2. It is located directly behind the dargah of Hashim Pir, a Sufi saint; Richard Eaton
views this as suggestive of the close relationship between the ruler and the
saint.
3. The mausoleum was never completed; construction may have halted in 1656 due
to Mohammed Adil Shah's death that year.
4. Despite the grand nature of the monument, the plan of the Gol Gumbaz is
simple.
5. It is a cube 47.5 m on each side, topped by a hemispherical dome of diameter
approximately 44 m domed octagonal towers, each divided into seven floors and
topped by a bulbous dome, line the four corners of the cube.
6. The levels of the towers are marked by arcades and contain staircases within.
7. The walls of the structure are built of dark grey basalt and decorated plaster
. Each side wall of the cube bears three blind arches; the spandrels of the arches
contain medallion motifs, and the central arch on each side wall is filled with a
stone screen containing doorways and windows.
8. Cornices project from the building, supported by corbels. Atop the cornices are
rows of small arches, themselves topped by large merlons. Leaves surround the
base of the mausoleum's dome, hiding the joint between the dome and its
drum.
Ibrahim Rauza
1. Ibrahim Rauza is a complex consisting of a mausoleum and a mosque, located
in Bijapur, in the Indian state of Karnataka. It was built in the 17th century by
Ibrahim Adil Shah II.
2. The tomb was commissioned by Ibrahim Adil Shah II, and completed in 1626.
It was intended for Taj Sultana, the queen of Ibrahim Adil, but as he died
before her, he was interred within the tomb.
3. An inscription credits Malik Sandal as the architect of the complex, and states
that 150,000 huns were expended in its construction.
4. The complex consists of a tomb and a mosque. They are situated on a high
plinth in the middle of a walled garden (about 140 metres (460 ft) square).
Entrance to the plinth is from the north and south, where flights of stairs are
provided.
5. It is a square building, with each side measuring about 13 metres (43 ft). The
corners are marked with minarets, and the tomb is crowned with a dome,
which rises from a lotus-shaped base. The tomb contains the grave of Ibrahim,
his queen Taj Sultana, and four other family members. The doors are made of
teakwood.
6. The mosque, situated towards the east of the tomb is slightly smaller.
JAMI MASJID:
1. The Jama Masjid of Bijapur (also known as Jamiya Masjid or Jumma Masjid) is a
congregational mosque in the Indian state of Karnataka. Initiated by Ali Adil Shah I of
the Bijapur Sultanate in the 16th century, the mosque was never completed. It is the
largest mosque in Bijapur, and has a capacity of 4000 worshippers.
2. The construction of the Jama Masjid was begun by Ali Adil Shah I in the year 1576. The
project was financed with money looted from the Battle of Talikota, in which an
alliance of Deccan Sultanates had emerged victorious against the Vijayanagara Empire
.
3. The Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in the city of Bijapur, with a capacity of 4000
worshippers. It is considered one of the finest examples of Adil Shahi architecture.
Bianca Alfieri comments that the mosque draws elements from previous Bahmanid
architecture.
4. The rectangular mosque complex spreads over 5040 m 2, and is enclosed by perimeter
walls. The main entrance to the complex is the eastern gate. Within the complex is a
square sahn (courtyard) of side length 50 m, containing fountains and an ablution
reservoir.
5. The main prayer hall, measuring 70 by 36 m, is situated on the west end of the
complex. It is topped with a hemispherical dome, bearing a crescent-moon finial and
surrounded by a balustrade at the base. [1] The facade of the prayer hall features seven
arched openings, of which the central one alone is decorated.
JAMI MASJID:
1. Supported by piers, the interior of the prayer hall is divided into
five bays, running parallel to the western qibla wall. The interior
emphasizes clean lines over excessive embellishment; only minimal
plaster-work is observed. Its floor is divided into 2250 rectangular
boxes, resembling a prayer mat, though this was a later addition by
Aurangzeb
2. The generally minimal and austere nature of the interior is
interrupted by heavy mural ornamentation surrounding the
central mihrab, on the qibla wall. Gilded and decorated in blue,
black and gold, the mihrab features varied imagery, and is
dominated by Quranic epigraphy.
3. The ornamentation is probably a later addition under Muhammad
Adil Shah, attested by some Persian inscriptions near
the mihrab. Unlike Ali, Muhammad Adil Shah was a Sunni, and this
may be responsible for the stark aesthetic difference between the
mosque and its mihrab.
4. Its luxurious decoration has led Michell and Zebrowski to regard it
as one of the finest in the Islamic world; they compare it to
the mihrab of the Mosque–Cathedral in Córdoba.
Teen Darwaza
1. The Teen Darwaza was an egress from Bhadra Fort to the eastward. The
gateway has three arches which led into a large enclosure, forming the
outer courtyard of the palace called Maidan Shah in past, with a fountain
and raised terrace in the centre.
2. The roadway in the central opening is 17 feet wide, and that of each side
arch is 13 feet wide. It has highly decorated buttresses on the faces of piers
between the arches. The height of the arches is twenty-five feet.
3. The terrace on the top of the gateway was formerly roofed over. But in 1877
the gateway was repaired, and the terrace thrown open.
4. Here the great feudatories or foreign embassies assembled before
approaching the presence, and the sovereign enthroned on the terrace,
mustered the troops for martial enterprises and gala-day reviews, or held
court in the cool of the evening beside the splashing fountain. Now the area
is congested market.
5. It was built by Ahmad Shah I immediately after the foundation of
Ahmedabad and completed in 1415.[1] Through it, in 1459, Mahmud Begada,
king for only a few months, and not fifteen years old, quiver on back and
bow in hand, with only 300 horsemen, marched to disperse his rebel nobles
and their 30,000 followers. Leaving the palace, the young king ordered the
roads leading to it to be held by elephants, and, with the royal music
playing, marched slowly along the main street.
PROVINCIAL STYLE - 3 (BIDAR AND GULBARGA).
Bidar jami mosque
1. The Solah Khamba Mosque was built by Qubil Sultani between
1423 and 1424 AD. The Mosque derives its name from the 16 pillars
that are lined in the front of the structure. It is also called Zanana
Masjid as it is situated near the Zanana enclosure.
2. The Solah Khamba Mosque or sixteen columned prayer hall is the

oldest Muslim building in Bidar. The Mosque is a part of Bidar fort
situated after Rangin Mahal. This Mosque served as the principal
place of worship within the fort.
3. This Mosque is about 90 m long and 24 m wide. The outer

construction of the Mosque consists of a long row of arched
openings. The massive columns, arches and domes are attractive.
The parapet of interlocking battlements above is a Bahmani
addition. Its flattish central dome is raised on a drum with
triangular rims. Ruins of a fountain and a well can be seen behind
the southern wall.
4. It was an important Mosque as the Friday prayers and state

function of a religious character were held here. From the top of
the Mosque one can get some of the best views of Bidar Fort.
Gulbarga jami mosque :
1. Jamia Masjid Gulbarga is a mosque located in Gulbarga, Karnataka, India.
2. It was built by Bahamani Sultan Mohammad Shah after he defeated kapaya

nayaka of Warangal. It is regarded as one of the best examples of mosque
architecture in South Asia.
3. The arches design of Jamia Masjid Gulbarga reflects in the interiors of

Spanish Mosque of Hyderabad, India. These are only two mosques in India
which have interiors similar to the Great Cathedral–Mosque of Córdoba in
Spain.
4. The Jama Masjid Gulbarga does not have minarets. It is built inside the
Gulbarga Fort. Interesting highlights about Jama Masjid, Gulbarga.
5. Built in 1367 AD, designed by a Persian architect, Rafi Two huge black stone
carved water storage vessels near the entrance, to help visitors purify
themselves before prayer.
6. 50 feet high main entrance and 250 arches across the mosque Roof consisting
of one large dome at the centre, four medium sized domes at each corner and
107 smaller domes Timings: Jama Mosque in Gulbarga can be accessed from 9
Bidar madrassa of mond:
1. The Madrasa of Mahmud Gawan is a madrasa or Islamic college in Bidar, Karnataka,
India. It was built in the 1460s and is an example of the regional style of
Indo-Islamic architecture under the Bahmani Sultanate. This heritage structure is
placed under the list of monuments of national importance.
2. Founded by the prime-minister of the sultanate in the late 15th century, it bears
testimony to the scholarly genius of Mahmud Gawan, who first came to Delhi as a
Persian trader (in exile) from Gilan in Iran and moved to Bidar in 1453.
3. The Madrasa (religious seminary) has been a striking building though long in a
ruinous condition. It occupied an area of 205 feet by 180, and was entered by a
large gateway on the east in front of which it had two lofty towers about a hundred
feet high.
4. The rooms surround an open area 100 feet square, in the middle of each of three
sides of which was a large apartment or hall 26 feet wide by about 52 in length,
rising to the full height of building, which is of three stories.
5. Each of these hall has a dome on the outer end over the oriel that projects beyond
the line of the walls. The walls of the Madrasa measure exactly 242 feet from east
to west and 220 feet from north to south.
Bidar madrassa of mond:
1. The foundations and the lower courses, at least, of the building are all
jointed with thin sheets of lead. The tower (minar) has been faced with
enameled tiles of different colours in zig zag lines round the lower half of it.
2. Portions of the walls, especially in the front have also been covered with
the same materials, and a broad frieze along the top of the front wall has
been inscribed with sentences from Q'uran in coloured letters on a ground
of green and gold. Of this a part is still to be seen on the right side of the
front.
3. The building has a high basement but to make the approach convenient,
two terraces have been built in front of it. The main entrance has vanished,
but its floor has been exposed during excavations. Beyond the entrance
there was a portico, square in plant at the base, measuring 15 ft. 4 inches
each way. The minaret at the northern and of the façade and the wall
adjoining it towards the south are comparatively the best preserved
portions of the Madrasa although their tile decoration and trellis work
have survived only in fragments.
4. The minaret has on octagonal base with round shape at the point. The
lower has three storey, the first and second having balconies which project
from the main body of the tower in a curvilinear form but have no brackets
to support them.
MOGHUL ARCHITECTURE - 1.
1. Humayun's tomb (Persian: Maqbara-i Humayun) is the tomb of
Mughal emperor, Mirza Nasir al-Din Muhammad commonly known as
Humayun situated in Delhi, India. The tomb was commissioned by
Humayun's first wife and chief consort, Empress Bega Begum under her
patronagein 1558, and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas and his son, Sayyid
Muhammad, Persian architects chosen by her.
2. The high rubble built enclosure is entered through two lofty double-
storeyed gateways on the west and south, 16 metres high with rooms on
either side of the passage and small courtyards on the upper floors. The
tomb, built of rubble masonry and red sandstone, uses white marble as a
cladding material and also for the flooring, lattice screens (jaalis), door
frames, eaves (chhajja), and the main dome. It stands on a vaulted terrace
eight metres high and spread over 12,000m2.
3. It is essentially square in design, though chamfered on the edges to appear

octagonal, to prepare ground for the design of the interior structure. The
plinth made with rubble core has fifty-six cells all around and houses over
100 gravestones. The entire base structure is on a raised platform, a few
steps high.
Humayun's Tomb
1. Inspired by Persian architecture; the tomb reaches a height of 47 metres (154 ft)
and the plinth is 91 metres (299 ft) wide, and was the first Indian building to use
the Persian double dome on a high neck drum, and measures 42.5 metres (139 ft),
and is topped by 6 metres (20 ft) high brass finial ending in a crescent, common in
Timurid tombs.
2. The double or 'double-layered' dome, has an outer layer that supports the white
marble exterior, while the inner part gives shape to the cavernous interior volume.
In a contrast to the pure white exterior dome, the rest of the building is made up
of red sandstone, with white and black marble and yellow sandstone detailing, to
relieve the monotony.
3. The symmetrical and simple design on the exterior is in sharp contrast with the
complex interior floor plan, of the inner chambers, which is a square ninefold plan,
where eight two-storied vaulted chambers radiate from the central, double-height
domed chamber. It can be entered through an imposing entrance iwan (high arc)
on the south, which is slightly recessed, while other sides are covered with
intricate jaalis, stone latticework.
4. Underneath this white dome in a domed chamber (hujra), lies the central
octagonal sepulcher, the burial chamber containing a single cenotaph, that of the
second Mughal Emperor, Humayun. The cenotaph is aligned on the north-south
axis, as per Islamic tradition, wherein the head is placed to the north, while the
face is turned sideways towards Mecca.
1. The main chamber also carries the symbolic element, a mihrab design over the central marble lattice or jaali, facing Mecca in the
West. Instead of the traditional Surah 24, An-Noor of Quran being inscribed on the mihrabs, this one is just an outline allowing light
to enter directly into the chamber, from Qibla or the direction of Mecca, thus elevating the status of the Emperor above his rivals
and closer to divinity.
2. This chamber with its high ceiling is encompassed by four main octagonal chambers on two floors, set at the diagonals with arched
lobbies leading to them also connecting them. There are four auxiliary chambers in between, suggesting that the tomb was built as
a dynastic mausoleum.
3. Collectively the concept of eight side chambers not only offers passage for circumambulation of the main cenotaph, a practice
common in Sufism and also visible in many Mughal imperial mausoleums, it also reflects the concept of Paradise in
Islamic cosmology. Each of the main chambers has, in turn, eight more, smaller chambers radiating from them, and thus the
symmetrical ground plan reveals itself to contain 124 vaulted chambers in all.
4. Many smaller chambers too, contain cenotaphs of other members of the Mughal royal family and nobility, all within main walls of
the tomb. Prominent among them cenotaphs of Hamida Begum herself are there alongside Dara Shikoh. In all there are over 100
graves within the entire complex, including many on the first level terrace, earning it the name "Dormitory of the Mughals". Since
the graves are not inscribed their identification remains uncertain.
5. The building was the first to use its unique combination of red sandstone and white marble, and includes several elements of
Indian architecture, like the small canopies or chhatris surrounding the central dome, popular in Rajasthan architecture and which
were originally covered with blue tiles.
1. Fatehpur Sikri, , a city predominantly in red sand-stone, situated at a
distance of 37 kms from Agra, was built by the Mughal Emperor Jalal-ud-din
Mohammad Akbar, in honour of the great Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chisti ; its
magnificence and uniqueness offers a fine example of the emperor's
architectural finesse.
2. Akbar's tolerant religious views and interest in literature, architecture and
fine arts gave the buildings at Fatehpur Sikri a charismatic blend of Islamic
and Hindu elements in their style and design.
3. At Fatehpur Sikri during sunset and sunrise, the turrets and domes create
shadows and silhouette against the copper red sky; which truly is an
inspirational scene for a painter's canvas or the visitor's eyes.
4. Fatehpur Sikri is enclosed by a 11 kms long fortification wall interspersed
with numerous gateways. The remains of the great city; the Imperial Palace
Complex, the intricately built marble tomb of the great Sufi saint, Sheikh
Salim Chisti and the grand mosque are second only to The Taj Mahal, a
benchmark of architectural beauty.
5. A rich imagination is all it takes to transport any visitor to the era of gold
tapestry, drapes, rich plush carpets and the royalty of the Mughal courts.
Fatehpur Sikri
Jama Masjid, Delhi
1. Masjid-i-Jehan-Numa (Persian: ‫)مسجِد جهان نما‬, commonly known as the Jama
Masjid of Delhi, is one of the largest mosques in India.
2. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656, and
inaugurated by its first Imam, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari. Situated in the
Mughal capital of Shahjahanabad (today Old Delhi), it served as the imperial
mosque of the Mughal emperors until the demise of the empire in 1857.
3. The Jama Masjid was built as a part of Shah Jahan's new capital in Delhi,
Shahjahanabad. At the time of its construction, it was the largest mosque in the
Indian subcontinent. Shah Jahan claimed the mosque was modelled after the
Jama Masjid of Fatehpur Sikri, and this is reflected in the design of many
exterior features, such as the facade and courtyard.
4. However, the interior of the mosque more closely resembles the
Jama Masjid in Agra. The mosque predominantly uses red sandstone, and is set
apart from its predecessors by a more extensive usage of white marble. Black
marble also features as a decorative element. Arabic and Persian calligraphic
pieces are found on various surfaces of the structure, whose content ranges
from religious to panegyric.
5. Having been built on a hill, the mosque is situated on a plinth elevated 10
metres above the surrounding city. The complex is oriented to the west,
towards Mecca.An imperial college, imperial dispensary, and madrasa used to
lie adjacent to the structure, but were destroyed in the uprisings of 1857.
1. The Diwan-i-Khas (Persian: ‫)ديوان خاص‬, or Hall of Private Audiences, was a
chamber in the Red Fort of Delhi built-in 1648 as a location for receptions. It
was the location where the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan received courtiers
and state guests. It was also known as the Shah Mahal.
2. A gate on the north side of the preceding Diwan-i-Am audience hall led to
the innermost court of the palace called Jalau Khana and the Diwan-i-
Khas. Originally there were two enclosures on the west of the hall, one for
the nobles and the other for those of a lower rank. These arcaded courts
were destroyed after the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
3. It measures 90 x 67 feet. It consists of a rectangular central chamber,
surrounded by a series of arches rising from marble piers. The lower parts of
the piers are inlaid with floral designs, while the upper portions are painted
and gilded. The four corners of the roof are surmounted by pillared chhatri.
4. The ceiling, which was originally inlaid with silver and gold, was stripped bare
by successive financial crises of the empire by the Jats or Marathas. The
current ceiling was installed in 1911. The later Peacock Throne from after
Nader Shah's invasion once stood in this hall, towards the east side.
5. The interior was completely plundered following the Indian Rebellion of 1857
. The throne, the carpets, and any other items went missing. The hall today
is, therefore, only a shell of what it used to be. Recent restoration work has
been redone on the panels of inlay and has also reproduced the gilded
pattern on one of the pillars fronting the hall.
1. Buland Darwaza (lit. 'High Gate'), or the "Door of Victory", was built in 1575[1] by Mughal
emperor Akbar to commemorate his victory over Gujarat.
2. It is the main entrance to the Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri, which is 43 km from Agra, India.
3. Buland Darwaza is the highest gateway in the world and is an example of Mughal
architecture. It displays sophistication and heights of technology in Akbar's empire.
4. The Buland Darwaza is made of red and buff sandstone, decorated by white and black marble
and is higher than the courtyard of the mosque. The Buland Darwaza is symmetrical and is
topped by large free-standing kiosks, which are the chhatris.
5. It also has terrace edge gallery kiosks on the roof, stylized buckler-battlements, small minor-
spires, and inlay work with white and black marble. On the outside, a long flight of steps
sweeps down the hill giving the gateway additional height. It is 40 meters high and 51 meters
from the ground. The total height of the structure is about 54 meters from the ground level. It
is a 15-storied high gateway acting as the southern entrance of the city of Fatehpur Sikri. The
approach to the gate consists of 42 steps.
6. It is semi-octagonal in plan with two smaller triple-storeyed wings on either side, it has three
kiosks on its top surrounded by thirteen smaller domed kiosks. There are smaller turrets
surrounding the gateway.
7. The expanse is broken by arched niches, small laudas, and marbles which highlights the
courtyard of the Jama Masjid. The principal arch stands in the center of three projecting sides
Buland Darwaza
and topped by a dome. The central arch is broken into three tiers with rows of smaller arches
and flat brackets.
1. The great gate itself is plain. The three horizontal panels of buff stone noticeable in the
Badshahi Darwaza are also present here.
2. The plain red sandstone spandrels are framed in white marble with a flower-like
ornament inlaid in white marble at the apex of the arch, and a flattish rosette, centered
with the narrow panel above it, on either side.
3. The cusped ornament, large and bold in fact, but small and delicate when seen from
below, is carried down below the springing of the arch. Two pieces have been broken off
from the left hand side and eight from the right.
4. The arch has three actual openings bordered by decorative panels and superimposed by
three other arched openings crowned by a semi-dome. The total height of the Gate above
the pavement is 176 ft.
5. Decorated by white and black marble, The Buland Darwaza is made of red and buff
sandstone and is higher from the courtyard of the mosque. In Buland Darwaza, topped by
large free-standing kiosks and it is symmetrical, which are the chhatris. It also has stylized
buckler battlements, small minor spires, terrace edge gallery kiosks on the roof, and inlay
work with white and black marble. In its total height, The structure is about 54 meters
from the ground level.
Birbal's House Fatehpur Sikri
1. According to popular beliefs the most probable occupants of this palace were
Akbar's two senior queens, Ruqayya Begum and Salima Sultan Begum. Birbal's
house stands near the northwest corner of Jodhbai's palace.
2. It is one of the marvelous buildings of imperial Harem. It was built in 1571. It
consists of fours-quare rooms, each measuring 16'-10" (5.13m) square side, all
interconnected through open doorways and two oblong entrance porches on
Northwest and Southeast corners.
3. While all the four rooms, have flat ceilings, porches have triangular chhappar
ceiling with pyramidal roof. The interior of the building is divided into three days
by richly carved pilasters.
4. Shafts of these pilasters have been divided into three zones, which contain three
different kind of decoration like single border designs, arabesque geometrical
designs and stylized floral designs.
5. Capitals of these pilaster bears lotus petals and stalactite designs. The first floor
has beautiful Jharokhas overlooking the court below and a simple chajja. Each
dome of the upper rooms rests on an octagonal drum, which is also carved with
a raised trefoil pattern. The domes are crowned by an inverted lotus and kalash
finials and also bear traces of tile work. Though the entire construction is
composed of lintels and beams, but beautifully carved brackets have been used
to span the spaces between the pillars and ornamental arches. These brackets
are carved on both faces with lotus and arabesque designs. Spandrels of the
arches also bear arabesque and floral design.
1. Jodha Bai Mahal' also known as 'Jodh Bai Mahal' is the largest palace in Fatehpur
Sikri commissioned by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1569 for his favourite queen
consort, Mariam-uz-Zamani, commonly known as 'Jodha bai' .
2. This Mahal is the largest complex of the zenana (palace for women belonging to the
royal household).It is a masterpiece of the fusion of Hindu and Persian architecture
made with red sandstone.
3. Jodha Bai Palace was commissioned by Akbar in her honour and was the largest
residential palace in his harem. It is also known as Raniwas and Zenani Dyodhi. It
shows the Rajput influence and is built around a courtyard, with special care being
taken to ensure privacy.
4. This palace building consists of a rectangular block with a single magnificent gateway
on the eastern side, which was protected by guard rooms, and has triangular ceilings,
and other apartments. The eastern gateway of the palace is exceedingly magnificent
and is of typical Rajasthani architecture.
5. This palace has distinct Gujarati and Rajasthani architectural patterns. Many
motifs can be found in the interior like swans, elephants, parrots, Srivastava
marks, etc. The western suite in the palace which served as a temple
contains vedikas and other Hindu motifs. It contains beautiful curvilinear
Jodha Bai Mahal
pillars with brackets. The superstructure of the building comprises chhatris,
pillars with wall brackets, semicircular domes, and several niches. The
palace is built with red sandstone making it seem captivating.
1. Akbar's tomb is the mausoleum of the third and greatest Mughal emperor Akbar. The tomb
was built in 1605–1613 by his son, Jahangir and is situated on 119 acres of grounds in
Sikandra, a suburb of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.
2. It is located It is located at Sikandra, in the suburbs of Agra, on the Mathura road (NH2),
8 km west-northwest of the city center. About 1 km away from the tomb, lies,
Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, his favourite wife,who after the death of Akbar laid a large
garden around his tomb and was later buried there by her son, Jahanat Sikandra, in the
suburbs of Agra, on the Mathura road (NH2), 8 km west-northwest of the city center. About
1 km away from the tomb, lies, Tomb of Mariam-uz-Zamani, his favourite wife,who after the
death of Akbar laid a large garden around his tomb and was later buried there by her son,
Jahan.
3. The south gate is the largest, with four white marble chhatri-topped minarets, which are
similar to (and pre-date) those of the Taj Mahal, and is the normal point of entry to the
tomb.
4. The tomb itself is surrounded by a walled enclosure 105 m square. The tomb building is a
four-tiered pyramid, surmounted by a marble pavilion containing the false tomb. The true
tomb, as in other mausoleums, is in the basement.
Akbar's tomb
5. The buildings are constructed mainly from a deep red sandstone, enriched with features in
white marble. Decorated inlaid panels of these materials and a black slate adorn the tomb
and the main gatehouse. Panel designs are geometric, floral and calligraphic, and prefigure
the more complex and subtle designs later incorporated in Itmad-ud-Daulah's tomb. There
are four gateways in the tomb, which were built using red sandstone and design were inlaid
using marble. The roof of the gateway has four kiosks. The magnificence of the gateway is
inspired by the Buland Darwaza.
1. Mariam-uz-Zamani, after the death of her husband, Akbar, laid a
large garden around his tomb, which originally had an open
baradari (pleasure pavilion) built during the reign of Sikander Lodi,
in 1495 AD.After her death in May 1623, she was buried here near
her husband's tomb and the baradari was converted into a fine
mausoleum by her son, Jahangir.
2. She stands as the only wife of Akbar buried closed to him.
3. The first floor of the tomb, has cloisters on four sides having arches,
and has a hall where the tombstone of Akbar lies.
4. The hall also consist tombstones of Shakr-un-Nissa Begum and

Aram Banu Begum, the two daughters of Akbar.
Taj Mahal ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
1. The Taj Mahal . 'Crown of the Palace') is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on
the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was
commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) to
house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of
Shah Jahan himself.
2. Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643, but work
continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal
complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost
estimated at the time to be around ₹32 million, which in 2023 would be
approximately ₹35 billion.
3. The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of
a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the emperor's court architect.
Various types of symbolism have been employed in the Taj to reflect natural
beauty and divinity.
4. The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1631, to be built in the
memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died on 17 June that year, while giving
birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum. Construction started in 1632,and the
mausoleum was completed in 1648, while the surrounding buildings and garden
were finished five years later.
5. The tomb is the central focus of the entire complex of the Taj Mahal. It is a large,
white marble structure standing on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical
building with an iwan (an arch-shaped doorway) topped by a large dome and
finial. Like most Mughal tombs, the basic elements are Indo-Islamic in origin.
1. The base structure is a large multi-chambered cube with chamfered corners forming an
unequal eight-sided structure that is approximately 55 metres (180 ft) on each of the
four long sides. Each side of the iwan is framed with a huge pishtaq or vaulted archway
with two similarly shaped arched balconies stacked on either side.
2. This motif of stacked pishtaqs is replicated on the chamfered corner areas, making the
design completely symmetrical on all sides of the building. Four minarets frame the
tomb, one at each corner of the plinth facing the chamfered corners. The main chamber
houses the false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan; the actual graves are at a
lower level.
Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah
1. Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah (I'timād-ud-Daulah Maqbara) is a Mughal mausoleum in
the city of Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
2. Along with the main building, the structure consists of numerous outbuildings and
gardens. The tomb, built between 1622 and 1628, represents a transition between
the first phase of monumental Mughal architecture – primarily built from red
sandstone with marble decorations, as in Humayun'sTomb in Delhi and Akbar's tomb
in Sikandra – to its second phase, based on white marble and pietra dura inlay, most
elegantly realized in the Taj Mahal.
3. Located on the eastern bank of the Yamuna River, the mausoleum is set in a large
cruciform garden criss-crossed by water courses and walkways. The mausoleum itself
covers about twenty-three meters square, and is built on a base about fifty meters
square and about one meter high. On each corner are octagonal towers, about
thirteen meters tall.
4. The walls are made up from white marble from Rajasthan encrusted with semi-
precious stone decorations: cornelian, jasper, lapis lazuli, onyx, and topaz formed
into images of cypress trees and wine bottles, or more elaborate decorations like cut
fruit or vases containing bouquets. Light penetrates to the interior through delicate
jali screens of intricately carved white marble. The interior decoration is considered
by many to have inspired that of the Taj Mahal, which was built by her stepson,
Mughal ruler Shah Jahan.
1. The tomb, situated on the eastern bank of the river Yamuna, is planned in the centre of a
Char-Bagh (four-quartered garden), with the usual enclosing walls and side buildings. As
conditioned by its situation, the main gate is on the eastern side.
2. Ornamental gateways with prominent lawns are built in the middle of north and south sides.
A multi-storeyed open pleasure pavilion is there on the western side, overlooking the river
impressively. These buildings are of red sandstone with bold inlaid designs in white marble.
3. Shallow water channels, sunk in the middle of the raised stone paved pathways, with
intermittent tanks and cascades, divided the garden into four equal quarters.
4. They are only slightly raised from the parterres which could be converted into flower beds.
Space for large plants and trees was reserved just adjoining the enclosing walls, leaving the
mausoleum fully open to view.
5. The main tomb of white marble is marvellously set in the center of the garden. It stands on a
plinth of red stone having in the middle of each side, facing the central arch, a lotus tank with
fountain. The tomb is square in plan with octagonal towers, surmounted by chhatris, attached
to its corners.
6. Each facade has three arches: the central one providing the entrance, and the other two on
the sides being closed by jalis. Each side is protected by a chhajja and a jali balustrade above
it. There is no dome; instead, the building is roofed by a square baradari having three arched
openings on each side which are closed by jalis except in the middle of the north and south
sides.
1. The most important aspect of this tomb is its polychrome ornamentation. Beautiful floral,
stylized, arabesque and geometrical designs have been depicted on the whole exterior in inlay
and mosaic techniques, in various pleasing tints and tones. Wine vase, dish and cup, cypress,
honeysuckle, guldasta (flower bouquet) and such other Iranian motifs, typical of the art of
Jehangir, have been emphatically used.
2. Some compositions have been inspired by the plant studies of Ustad Mansur Naqqash, the
famous "fauna and flora" painter of Jahangir. Some stylized designs have also been done in
exquisite carving, both incised and relief. They look like embroidery work done in ivory. Delicacy
is their quality. Stucco and painting have been done in the interior where minute animal and
human figures have also been shown.
3. The inspiration has come from the contemporary art of painting. There is no glazed tiling and the
decoration is largely by colored stones which is an indigenous development. By far, it is the most
gorgeously ornamented Mughal building. It testifies that "the Mughals began like Titans and
finished like jewelers
4. . Chapters 48 and 73 of the Quran have been carved on the 64 panels on the external sides of
the ground floor. The date of writing A.H. 1037/1627 A.D. is mentioned in the last panel. Chapter
67 of the Quran is inscribed on the 12 internal panels of the upper pavilion.
1. Mughal gardens are a type of garden built by the Mughals. This
style was influenced by the Persian gardens particularly the
Charbagh structure,which is intended to create a representation of an
earthly utopia in which humans co-exist in perfect harmony with all
elements of nature.
2. Mughal gardens design derives primarily from the medieval Islamic garden,
although there are nomadic influences that come from the Mughals'
Turkish-Mongolian ancestry. Julie Scott Meisami describes the medieval
Islamic garden as "a hortus conclusus, walled off and protected from the
outside world; within, its design was rigidly formal, and its inner space was
filled with those elements that man finds most pleasing in nature.
3. Its essential features included running water (perhaps the most important
element) and a pool to reflect the beauties of sky and garden; trees of
various sorts, some to provide shade merely, and others to produce fruits;
flowers, colorful and sweet-smelling; grass, usually growing wild under the
trees; birds to fill the garden with song; the whole is cooled by a pleasant
breezes.
4. Fountainry and running water was a key feature of Mughal garden design.
Water-lifting devices like geared Persian wheels (saqiya) were used for
irrigation and to feed the water-courses at Humayun's Tomb in Delhi,
Akbar's Gardens in Sikandra and Fatehpur Sikhri, the Lotus Garden of Babur
at Dholpur and the Shalimar Bagh in Srinagar. Royal canals were built from
rivers to channel water to Delhi, Fatehpur Sikhri and Lahore.
1. The fountains and water-chutes of Mughal gardens represented the resurrection and regrowth
of life, as well as to represent the cool, mountainous streams of Central Asia and Afghanistan
that Babur was famously fond of.
2. Adequate pressure on the fountains was applied through hydraulic pressure created by the
movement of Persian wheels or water-chutes (chaadar) through terra-cotta pipes, or natural
gravitational flow on terraces.
3. It was recorded that the Shalimar Bagh in Lahore had 450 fountains, and the pressure was so
high that water could be thrown 12 feet into the air, falling back down to create a rippling floral
effect on the surface of the water.
4. The fountains and water-chutes of Mughal gardens represented the resurrection and regrowth
of life, as well as to represent the cool, mountainous streams of Central Asia and Afghanistan
that Babur was famously fond of.
5. Adequate pressure on the fountains was applied through hydraulic pressure created by the
movement of Persian wheels or water-chutes (chaadar) through terra-cotta pipes, or natural
gravitational flow on terraces.
6. It was recorded that the Shalimar Bagh in Lahore had 450 fountains, and the pressure was so
high that water could be thrown 12 feet into the air, falling back down to create a rippling floral
effect on the surface of the water.
7. Like Persian and Central Asian gardens, water became the central and connecting theme of the
Mughal gardens. Water played an effective role in the Mughal gardens right from the time of
Babur. He was more interested in 'beauty' than 'ecclesiastical prescription. The beauty of
Babur's classic chaharbagh was the central watercourse and its flowing water. Most of these
gardens were divided into four quadrants by two axis comprised with water channels and
pathways to carry the water under gravitational pressure.
1. . At every intersecting point, there used to be a tank. In India, the early gardens were irrigated
from the wells or tanks, but under the Mughals the construction of canals or the use of existing
canals for the gardens provided more adequate and dependable water supply.
2. Thus, the most important aspect of the waterworks of gardens was the permanent source of
water supply. The hydraulic system needs enquiry about the 'outside water source' as well as
'inside distribution of water' in the paradisiacal Mughal gardens.
3. The principal source of water to the Mughal gardens were: (i) lakes or tanks (ii) wells or step-
wells (iii) canals, harnessed from the rivers, and (iv) natural springs.
4. The fountain was the symbol of 'life cycle' which rises and merges and rises again. The Paradise
possessed two fountains: 'salsabil' and 'uyun'. 131 Salih Kambuh, a native of Lahore, described
very artistically the water system and its symbolic meaning in the garden of Shalamar at Lahore
that 'in the center of this earthly paradise a sacred stream flows with its full elegance and
chanting, fascinating and exhilarating nature and passes through the gardens irrigating the
flower beds.
5. Its water is as beautiful as greenery. The vast stream is just like clouds pouring rains and opens
the doors of divine mercy. Its chevron patterns (abshar) are like an institution of worship where
the hearts of believers are enlightened. The Mughals developed hydraulic system by using
Persian wheel to lift the water and obtained adequate pressure necessary for gardens.
6. The main reason behind the location of gardens on the bank of river was that water was raised
to the level of the enclosure wall by Persian Wheel standing on the bank from where it was
conducted through aqueduct, to the garden where it ran from the top of the wall in a terra-
cotta pipe which also produced adequate pressure needed to work the fountains.
Red Fort
1. The Red Fort or Lal Qila (Hindustani: [laːl qiːlaː]) is a historic fort in the Old Delhi
neighbourhood of Delhi, India, that historically served as the main residence of the
Mughal emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on
12 May 1639, when he decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi.
2. Originally red and white, its design is credited to architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who
also constructed the Taj Mahal. The fort represents the peak in the Mughal architecture
under Shah Jahan and combines Persian palace architecture with Indian traditions.
3. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when
he decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi. Originally red and white, Shah Jahan's
favourite colours, its design is credited to architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who also
constructed the Taj Mahal.The fort lies along the Yamuna River, which fed the moats
surrounding most of the walls.
4. Construction began in the sacred Islamic month of Muharram, on 13 May
1638. Supervised by Shah Jahan, it was completed on 6 April 1648.[12][13][14] Unlike other
Mughal forts, the Red Fort's boundary walls are asymmetrical to contain the older
Salimgarh Fort. The fortress-palace was a focal point of the city of Shahjahanabad,
which is present-day Old Delhi. Shah Jahan's successor, Aurangzeb, added the Moti
Masjid (Pearl Mosque) to the emperor's private quarters, constructing barbicans in
front of the two main gates to make the entrance to the palace more circuitous.
1. The Red Fort has an area of 254.67 acres (103.06 ha) enclosed by 2.41
kilometres (1.50 mi) of defensive walls, punctuated by turrets and bastions
that vary in height from 18 metres (59 ft) on the river side to 33 metres
(108 ft) on the city side. The fort is octagonal, with the north–south axis
longer than the east–west axis. The marble, floral decorations and the fort's
double domes exemplify later Mughal architecture.
2. It showcases a high level of ornamentation, and the Kohinoor diamond was
reportedly part of the furnishings.
3. The fort's artwork synthesises Persian, European and Indian art, resulting in a
unique Shahjahani style rich in form, expression and colour.
4. Red Fort is one of the building complexes of India encapsulating a long
period of history and its arts. Even before its 1913 commemoration as a
monument of national importance, efforts were made to preserve it for
posterity.
5. The most important surviving structures are the walls and ramparts, the main
gates, the audience halls and the imperial apartments on the eastern
riverbank.
COLONIAL ARCHIECTURE – 1.
1. Colonization has had a long-lasting impact across the globe. From experimenting with government forms to exploring technology,
the period from the 18th to 20th century has been revolutionary. As the motive of colonization was global supremacy and power, the
Europeans built magnificent structures as testaments of their authority.
2. The structures initially constructed were for the purpose of assisting trade activities. Thus, ports, docks, warehouses, and residential
forts were built along the coast to support Europe’s trade with India. With time and the strengthening grip of the colonial powers,
structures of administrative, religious, and institutional importance were built.
3. The infrastructure in India also improved by constructing concrete roads, bridges, and transit facilities.
Key Elements :
4. Square, symmetrical shape. Formality governs the Georgian Colonial. Both the exterior and interior are traditionally arranged
according to strict symmetry and proportion. This all begins with the centrally located entrance, hallway and staircase around which
the interior rooms are positioned.
5. Five windows across front. "Windows are always rectangular and evenly spaced across the house’s facade," notes Shannon. "The
windows also are traditionally double-hung and multi-paned, typically with nine or 12 panes per sash."
6. Dental moldings along the eaves. Dentils, or tooth-like blocks, began to decorate roof lines as the style became more decorative.
7. Pedimented dormers sometimes jutted from the roof.
8. Flattened columns on each side of door. "Pilasters, shallow columns borrowed from Greek architecture, often adorned the homes'
front elevation. Pedimented dormers jutted from the roof," says Shannon.
9. Shutters. In the South, the shutters tend to be louvered to welcome breezes but thwart the sun. Up North, paneled shutters close
up tight to protect the home from harsh winds, sleet and snow.
1. Raj Bhavan is the official residence of the Governor of West Bengal, located
in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Built in 1803, it was known
as Government House during the Company rule in India and the British Raj.
2. In the early nineteenth century, Calcutta was at the height of its golden age.
Known as the City of Palaces or St. Petersburg of the East, Calcutta was the
richest, largest and the most elegant colonial city of India.
3. After four years' construction it was completed at a colossal cost of £63,291
(about £3.8 million in today's estimate). Wellesley was accused of misusing
of East India Company's fund and was finally recalled back to England in
1805.
4. Government House was designed by Capt. Charles Wyatt on the lines of
Kedleston Hall, the Curzon family in Derbyshire.[10] The building follows a
neoclassical style with distinct Baroque overtones. In a strange coincidence,
a 100 years after its construction started, the most illustrious son of the
Curzon family, Lord Curzon, would come to occupy the building as the
Viceroy and Governor-General of India (1899-1905).
5. Curzon described the Government House as “without doubt the finest
Government House occupied by the representative of any Sovereign or
Government in the world.
1. The architectural plan comprises a central core with four radiating
wings. The state rooms located in the central core are accessed
from the outside by a flight of grand steps on the north.
2. On the south is another portico surmounted by a colonnaded
verandah with a dome above. The four wings accommodate the
various offices and residential quarters along with four sets of
staircases.
3. The plan of the wings allows for a great deal of natural ventilation
in the spaces while also permitting views across the gardens. The
wings are decorated with large coats of arms.
4. The Raj Bhavan covers an area of 7,800 square metres (84,000
square feet) and is surrounded by a compound of 11 hectares (27
acres).
5. The Raj Bhavan has six gateways, one each on the north and south
and two each on the east and west. The four gates on the east and
west have grand archways topped with lions, while the minor
archways on the side are topped with sphinxes.
6. The three-storeyed Raj Bhavan building has a huge central area
consisting of large halls having curved corridors on all four sides
radiating to detached wings, each constituting a house in itself.
Including public halls, there are about 60 rooms in the building.
1. Chhatrapati Sivaji Terminus (officially Chhatrapati Sivaji Maharaja Terminus since
2017, formerly Victoria Terminus, Bombay station code: CSMT (mainline)/ST (
suburban)), is a historic railway terminus and UNESCO World Heritage Site in
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
2. The terminus was designed by a British architectural engineer
Frederick William Stevens from an initial design by Axel Haig, in an exuberant
Italian Gothic style. Its construction began in 1878, in a location south of the old
Bori Bunder railway station, and was completed in 1887, the year marking
50 years of Queen Victoria's rule.
3. During its construction, a marble statue of Queen Victoria was installed in the main
façade of the building, in a canopy under the clock. In the 1950s, authorities had
begun to remove statues of the British figures from government buildings and
public spaces based on a directive from the Government of India.
4. Most of the statues, including that of Queen Victoria, were sent to Victoria Gardens
(later renamed Rani Baug) where they were left lying on the grass in the open until
at least the 1980s.
5. A Right to Information report was filed, but had no records of the missing statue
being exported out of India. Historians now believe that the statue was smuggled
out, sold by politicians, or destroyed. The symbol of Progress, another statue,
featured on the top of the dome, is often mistaken for that of Queen Victoria.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
1. The station building is designed in the High Victorian Gothic style of architecture. The building exhibits a fusion of influences from
Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture and classical Indian architecture. The skyline, turrets, pointed arches, and eccentric
ground plan are close to classical Indian palace architecture.
2. Externally, the wood carving, tiles, ornamental iron and brass railings, grills for the ticket offices, the balustrades for the grand
staircases and other ornaments were the work of students at the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art. The station stands as an
example of 19th-century railway architectural marvels for its advanced structural and technical solutions. The CSMT was constructed
using a high level of engineering both in terms of railway and civil engineering. It is one of the first and finest products of the use of
industrial technology, merged with the Gothic Revival style in India.
3. The centrally domed office structure has a 330-foot-long platform connected to a 1,200-foot-long train shed, and its outline provides
the skeleton plan for the building. CSMT's dome of dovetailed ribs, built without centering, was considered as a novel achievement of
the era.
4. The interior of the building was conceived as a series of large rooms with high ceilings. It is a utilitarian building and has had various
changes required by the users, not always sympathetic. It has a C-shaped plan which is symmetrical on an east–west axis. All the sides
of the building are given equal value in the design. It is crowned by a high central dome, which acts as the focal point. The dome is an
octagonal ribbed structure with a colossal female figure symbolizing Progress, holding a torch pointing upwards in her right hand and a
spoked wheel in her left hand.
5. The side wings enclose the courtyard, which opens on to the street. The wings are anchored by monumental turrets at each of their
four corners, which balance and frame the central dome. The façades present the appearance of well-proportioned rows of windows
and arches. The ornamentation in the form of statuary, bas-reliefs, and friezes is exuberant yet well controlled. The columns of the
entrance gates are crowned by figures of a lion (representing Great Britain) and a tiger (representing India).
1. The main structure is built from a blend of India sandstone and limestone, while high-quality Italian marble was used for the key
decorative elements. The main interiors are also decorated: the ground floor of the North Wing, known as the Star Chamber, which is
still used as the booking office, is embellished with Italian marble and polished Indian blue stone. The stone arches are covered with
carved foliage and grotesques.
2. Internally, the ceiling of the booking hall was originally painted blue, gold and strong red on a ground of rich blue with gold stars. Its
walls were lined with glazed tiles made by Maw & Co of Britain. Outside, there are statues representing Commerce, Agriculture,
Engineering and Science, with a statue representing Progress on the central dome of the station.
1. The Madras Club was founded on 15 May 1832 as a European men-only club. Its first
President was one H. Chamier.The Adyar Club was founded in 1890.In contrast to the
Madras Club, the Adyar Club gave membership to women.
2. Originally started as a Europeans-only club, the Adyar Club started admitting Indians
as members in 1960.The two clubs merged in 1963 under the name "Madras Club".
Since the merger, the Madras Club has been admitting Indians as its members.
1. Mayo Hall is a government building located in the center of Bangalore. It was built to
honor the memory of Lord Mayo, the 4th Viceroy of India. It offers a panoramic view of the
city's Parade Grounds and Ulsoor Lake on one side, and the Bangalore Race Course and
Brigade Grounds on the south.
2. This two-story structure is known for its ornate furniture and architecture. It is adorned by
chandeliers, Greek cornices, Tuscan columns, stone arches, wooden floors and beautiful
furnishings. It became a popular tourist attraction.
3. Mayo Hall houses several departments of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Bangalore's
administrative body. The government's Kempegowda Museum is located on the upper
floor. It was established in 2011, and is dedicated to Kempegowda, the founder of
Bangalore. The museum has Kempegowda's statue as well as artistic renderings from his
time.
4. Mayo Hall was a part of a larger design to develop the cantonment into an integrated civil
and military station. Accordingly, around the mid-1800s, a series of developmental
activities began.
5. The army that defeated Tipu Sultan in the 4th Mysore War was relocated from the swamps Mayo Hall (Bangalore)
of Srirangapatana to the more temperate Bangalore in 1809. The crown's administrative
staff and the army's families began arriving, after sailing around the Cape of Good Hope.
Tradesmen also arrived in this manner and contributed to the westernization of Bangalore.
6. Lord Mayo (christened Richard South well Bourke) was appointed the Viceroy and
Governor-General of India. In the period 1869–1872, he traveled extensively in India and
was greatly impressed, and stated that Britain should hold India "as long as the sun shines
in heaven".
1. On a visit to Port Blair's prison, Lord Mayo was stabbed to death by
Sher Ali, a Pathan life convict, the only Viceroy to be murdered in
office. The convict who killed him did so to avenge his father's death
in the First Anglo-Afghan War.
2. As a tribute to this administrator, a commemorative building was
erected on the South Parade on a flat ground with trees, flowering
bushes and a low wall on the south side. Terraced lawns surrounded
the two-story building. It cost around ₹45,000, a sum raised largely
through public donations.
3. Mayo Hall was inaugurated by the British Resident on 6 June 1883.
The Bangalore District Gazetteer noted that "The building in elevation
is remarkable for its composition of architrave and pedimented
windows, varied with key-storied arches, beautifully executed
consoles, balustraded ledges and typical Greek cornice."
4. Inside the building, framed pictures of the British nobility and notable
citizens could be found in the hall. On the first floor, Italian
chandeliers and ornate furniture were installed.
5. The late Kora Chandy described the Mayo Hall as "one of the most
elegant public buildings of the era in Southern India." Several Greco-
Roman elements and influences are apparent in the building:
architrave and pediment windows, key-stoned arches, balustrade
ledges, beautiful consoles, Greek cornices, Tuscan columns, and
wooden floors.
Lutyens' Delhi : Rashtrapathi bhavan.
1. Lutyens' Delhi is an area in New Delhi, India, named after the British
architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944), who was responsible for much
of the architectural design and building during the period of the
British Raj, when India was part of the British Empire in the 1920s and
1930s and 1940s. This also includes the Lutyens Bungalow Zone.
2. Sir Edwin Lutyens, the architect of Delhi, designed 4 bungalows in the
Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate, (Viceroy House Estate); now, these
bungalows lie on the Mother Teresa Crescent (then Willingdon
Crescent). Lutyens, apart from designing the Viceroy's House, designed
large government building and was involved with town planning.
3. Lutyens led a group of architects in laying out the central administrative
area of the city, with the charge of retaining one-third of the area as
green space. At the heart of the city was the impressive
Rashtrapati Bhawan (formerly known as Viceroy's House), located on
the top of Raisina Hill. The Kartavya Path (formerly Kingsway and
Rajpath) connects India Gate (formerly known as All India War
Memorial) to Rashtrapati Bhawan, while Janpath (formerly
Queensway), which crosses it at a right angle, connects South End Road
(renamed as Rajesh Pilot Marg) with Connaught Place. Currently,
Droupadi Murmu is the President of India, and stays in the official
house of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
1. The Secretariat Building, which house various ministries of the
Government of India including the Prime Minister's Office, is beside
the Rashtrapati Bhawan and was designed by Herbert Baker. Also
designed by Baker was the Parliament House (also known as
Sansad Bhavan), located on the Sansad Marg, running parallel with
the Rajpath. Two magnificent cathedrals in the area, the Anglican
Cathedral Church of the Redemption and Catholic
Sacred Heart Cathedral were designed by Henry Medd.
New Parliament House, New Delhi
1. The Parliament House in New Delhi is the seat of the
Parliament of India. It houses the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,
which are lower and upper houses respectively in India's bicameral
parliament.
2. It is located on Rafi Marg, which crosses the Central Vista and is
surrounded by the Old Parliament House, Vijay Chowk, India Gate,
National War Memorial, Vice President's House, Hyderabad House,
Secretariat Building, Prime Minister's Office and residence,
ministerial buildings and other administrative units of the Indian
government.
3. The New Parliament House was first used for official business on 19
September 2023 during the Parliament Special Session, with the
name designation Parliament of India.
4. The old parliament architecture built in 1927 was designed by the
British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker;[14] and it
was largely influenced by Hindu Chausath Yogini Temple, Mitaoli.
5. The new complex has a hexagonal shape and it is built next to the
existing complex and is almost equal in size to the former one.
6. The design of this Parliament building resembles the Vijaya Temple
of Vidisha.
1. The building is designed to have a lifespan of more than 150 years. It is designed to be
earthquake resistant while incorporating architectural styles from different parts of
India. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers have large seating capacities to
accommodate more members in the future.
2. The complex has 888 seats in the Lok Sabha chamber and 384 seats in the Rajya
Sabha chamber. Unlike the old parliament building, it does not have a central hall. The
Lok Sabha chamber is able to house 1,272 members in case of a joint session. The rest
of the building has four floors with offices for ministers and committee rooms.
3. The building has a built area of 20,866 square meters (224,600 sq ft) (including its
open-sky area of 2,000 square metres (22,000 sq ft) for a banyan tree), which makes it
10% smaller in size than the existing old circular building of 22,900 square metres
(246,000 sq ft) (diameter 170.7 metres (560 ft)) including its open sky area of 6,060
square metres (65,200 sq ft), split into three sectors.
4. The Parliament House has three entrances, named Gyan Dwar (knowledge gate), Shakti
Dwar (power gate), and Karma Dwar (karma gate).There are six guardian statues that
man the three entrances, namely, Gaja, Ashwa, Garuda, Makar, Shardula, and Hams.
5. A foucault pendulum is suspended from the ceiling of the central foyer. This pendulum,
created by the National Council of Science Museums in Kolkata, is the largest of its kind
in India, standing at a towering height of 22 meters and weighing an 36 kg.
6. As it rotates on its axis, the pendulum almost reaches the floor, hanging from a skylight
positioned at the top of the Constitution Hall. Its presence symbolizes the integration
of India's concept with the vastness of the cosmos.
1. The Lok Sabha chamber at the new building also houses the Sengol.
2. The gallery Shilp Deergha (crafts gallery) was conceptualised with
eight themes: Parv (festival), Swabalamban (self-
reliance), Prakriti (nature), Ullas (joy), Gyan
(wisdom), Samrasta (harmony), Astha (faith), and Yatra (journey).
About 255 crafts were sourced from around 400 artisans from
across the country.
India Gate :
1. The India Gate (formerly known as All India War Memorial) is a war memorial located
near the Kartavya path on the eastern edge of the "ceremonial axis" of New Delhi,
formerly called Rajpath. It stands as a memorial to 84,000 soldiers of the Indian Army who
died between 1914 and 1921 in the First World War.
2. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the gate evokes the architectural style of the ancient
Roman triumphal arches such as the Arch of Constantine in Rome, and later
memorial arches; it is often compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and the
Gateway of India in Mumbai.
3. The memorial gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, who was not only the main
architect of New Delhi but also a member of the Imperial War Graves Commission and
one of Europe's foremost designers of war graves and memorials.
4. The India Gate, which has been called a "creative reworking of the Arc de Triomphe" has a
span of 30 feet (9.1 m) across the larger opening and lies on the eastern axial end of
Kingsway, present-day Kartavya Path, the central vista and main ceremonial procession
route in New Delhi.
5. The 42-metre-tall (138 ft) India Gate stands on a low base of red Bharatpur stone and rises
in stages to a huge cornice moulding above a frieze with sunburst motifs. The shallow
domed bowl at the top was intended to be filled with burning oil on anniversaries, but
this is rarely done. The memorial-gate hexagon complex, with a diameter of about 625
metres (2,051 ft), covers approximately 306,000 m2 (3,290,000 sq ft) in area.
1. The India Gate structure is oblong, with a large archway on each of
the four faces, but the arches on the long sides are larger and
higher. The arches on the shorter sides are blocked at the bottom,
with doorways, but open higher up. Technically the four arches
make the building a tetrapylon.
2. There is a large ornament in stone above the blocked bottom of
the arches on the shorter sides. Mouldings run around the building
at the levels from which both sizes of arch rise, and the keystones
of the arches protrude slightly. The top of the keystones on the
short sides' arches touch the bottom of the moulding at the base
level of the higher long sides' arches. The ceilings and undersides of
the arches are decorated with well-spaced coffers.
3. The cornice of the India Gate is inscribed with Imperial suns while
both sides of the arch have INDIA, flanked by the dates MCMXIV
('1914'; on the left) and MCMXIX ('1919'; on the right). Below the
word INDIA, in capital letters, is inscribed:
Inscription at top of the gate
4. To the dead of the Indian Armies who fell and are honored in 1. 13,313 names are engraved out of which 12,357 are Indian. [1][2]
France and Flanders, Mesopotamia and Persia, East Africa, Gallipoli Access to read the names on the memorial is restricted,
and elsewhere in the Near and Far East and in Sacred Memory also though they can be seen on the
of those whose names are here recorded and who fell in India on Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) website,
the North West Frontier and during the Third Afghan War. which lists the names with their respective date of death, unit
name, regiment, place on gate where name is inscribed,
location, and other information)
Se Cathedral : COLONIAL ARCHIECTURE – 4.
1. The Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina, known as Se Cathedral, is the cathedral of
the Latin Church Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and the seat of the
Patriarch of the East Indies. It is part of the World Heritage Site,
Churches and convents of Goa located in Old Goa, India.
2. The word Sé is Portuguese for See. The Se Cathedral was built to commemorate
the victory of the Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque over a Muslim army,
leading to the capture of the city of Goa in 1510. Since the day of the victory
happened to be on the feast of Saint Catherine, the cathedral was dedicated to
her.
3. The architecture style of the Se Cathedral is Portuguese-Manueline. The exterior
is Tuscan, whereas the interior is Corinthian. The church is 250 feet (76 m) in
length and 181 feet (55 m) in breadth. The frontispiece stands 115 feet (35 m)
high.
4. The Se Cathedral's tower houses a large bell known as the "Golden Bell" on
account of its rich tone. It is said to be the largest in Goa, and one of the best in
the world. The main altar is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria, and there are
several old paintings on either side of it. On the right there is a Chapel of the
Cross of Miracles, where a vision of Christ is said to have appeared in 1619.
There are six main panels, on which scenes from the life of Saint Catherine are
carved. There is a huge gilded reredos above the main altar.
5. The Se Cathedral also houses a baptismal font made in 1532 which was used by
Saint Francis Xavier in order to baptise several Goan converts.
1. The Basilica of Bom Jesus (Portuguese: Basílica do Bom Jesus; Konkani: Borea
Jezuchi Bajilika) is a Catholic basilica located in Goa, in the Konkan region of
India. The iconic church is a pilgrimage centre and recognised by UNESCO as a
World Heritage Site.
2. Construction work on the church began in 1594 , but still no one was able to
put a cross upon the church. The church was consecrated in May 1605 by the
archbishop, Dom Fr. Aleixo de Menezes. This world heritage monument has
emerged as a landmark in the history of Christianity.
3. The church is one of the oldest in Goa and in India. The floor is of marble inlaid
with precious stones. Apart from the elaborate gilded altars, the interior of the
church is simple. The main altar holds a large statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola,
the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
4. The mausoleum was designed by the 17th-century Florentine sculptor
Giovanni Battista Foggini. It took ten years to complete. The casket containing
his body is made of silver. The holy relics of the saint are displayed every ten
years during the anniversary of the saint's death. His liturgical feast is 3
December.
5. On the upper level, overlooking the tomb is the Bom Jesus Basilica Art Gallery,
containing the works of the Goan surrealist painter, Dom Martin. Author and
fellow Jesuit Anthony De Mello was also from Goa and mentions the basilica in
his writings.
The Baroque style main altar is gilded and bears the
Upon entering, we can witness beautiful woodwork statue of Ignatius of Loyola standing between Solomonic
and carvings which adds further attraction to the pillars above which is the name of Jesus in the IHS
history of the location. monogram and the Holy Trinity.

Islamic Architecture

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ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

4. THIS STYLE DEVELOPED IN INDIA IN KNOWN AS INDO- MUSLIM OR INDO-ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE.

5. THE ARCHITECTURE IS CHARACTERIZED ACCORDING TO THE AVALABILITY OF BUILDING MATERIALS IN DIFFERENT

EARLY PHASE - 1 (SLAVE AND KHILJI PHASE)

EARLY PHASE - 1 (SLAVE AND KHILJI PHASE)

3. Their architecture lacks the influence from Hindu temple architecture

2. The Mosque was completed by Ibrahim Shah Sharqi of the Jaunpur

2. The Adina Mosque was commissioned in 1373. Its construction

3. The design of the mosque incorporated Bengali, Arab, Persian and

4. It makes it hard to see the characteristics it holds without standing

2. The Solah Khamba Mosque or sixteen columned prayer hall is the

3. This Mosque is about 90 m long and 24 m wide. The outer

4. It was an important Mosque as the Friday prayers and state

2. It was built by Bahamani Sultan Mohammad Shah after he defeated kapaya

3. The arches design of Jamia Masjid Gulbarga reflects in the interiors of

3. It is essentially square in design, though chamfered on the edges to appear

2. She stands as the only wife of Akbar buried closed to him.

4. The hall also consist tombstones of Shakr-un-Nissa Begum and

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