BIDAR

　Bidar is situated at the centre of the Deccan plateau and it is 100 km north-east of the former capital of the Baihmani Dynasty, Gulbarga. The fort is at the north of the town and extends 1.2 km to the south-east and 1 km to the north-south. It is spindle-shaped, having six entrances and being surrounded by moats. The palace complex of the Dynasty is situated in the south. Solah Khamb Masjid is situated in this area too. The town of Bidar is adjacent to the south wall of the fort and it is surrounded by hexagon-shaped walls. In the walled town, Jama Masjid, Mahmud Gawan Madrasa, and a few khangahs and talims remain. The mausoleum of the royal family of the Baihmani Dynasty is in Ashtur village, north-east of the east gate of Bidar town. The mausoleum of a grandson of Nimat Ullah is on the way to Ashtur village. The mausoleum of the Barid Dynasty extends in south-west of the town.(Naoko Fukami)　　　　　 →Detailed Explanation　　

1. SOLAH KHAMB MASJID (1423/4) 2. MAHMAD GAWAN MADRASA (1472/3) 3.ASHUTUR TOMBS　(Middle of 15th C. to early 16th C.) 　a)ASHTUR 　b)TOMB OF AHMAD SHAH BAIHMANI (c.1435) 　c)TOMB OF ALA AL-DIN BAIHMANI (c.1457) 　d)TOMB OF HUMAYUN BAIHMANI ( c.1461) 　e)TOMB OF HUMAYUN'S WIFE (Middle of 15th C.) 　f)TOMB OF MAHMUD SHAH BAIHMANI (c.1518) 　g)TOMBS OF WALI ALLAH (c.1525)& KALIM ULLAH (c.1527) 　h)TOMB OF SULTAN MUHAMMAD �V 　i)TOMB OF SULTAN NIZAM SHAH 　j)TOMB OF SULTAN AHMAD SHAH'S QUEEN 　k)TOMB OF SULTAN AHMAD SHAH �U 　l)TOMB OF SULTAN ALA AL-DIN�U 　m)TOMB OF SULTAN AHMAD SHAH �T'S PRINCE 4. TOMB OF ALI BARID (c.1580)

1. SOLAH KHAMB MASJID

This mosque was built by a governor dispatched to this area, who was called Muhammad. He was the second son of Ahmad Shah Baihmani. From a historical inscription discovered by the archaeological department, the year of founding is assumed to be 1423/1424. This is the oldest mosque in Bidar district that seems to have been built as Jama Masjid in the fort. It has a similar form and structure to old mosque remaining in Gulbarga. This mosque was also known as Zanani Masjid. This name came from the fact that it was originally situated within the Zanana area at the south-east of the old fort. (Matsuo Ara) 　→Detailed Explanation 　→ List of photos

▲View from northeast

2. MAHMAD GAWAN MADRASA

This madrasa is in an area between Madras Road running from the north to the south and Uthaman Ganj Road, at the north side of a Chaubara crossing of the Bidar city centre. It was built by the Iranian Prime Minister, Mahmud Gawan, who came from Gilan. This kind of form and structure are not rare in Iran and other areas but are rarely seen in South Asia, making this building precious. In design and actual workmanship, there seems to have been a large direct influence from Iran. In fact, it is said that Mahmud Gawan had close contact with his hometown and the west after he settled in India. (Matsuo Ara) 　→Detailed Explanation 　→List of photos

▲View from the east

3.ASHUTUR TOMBS

a)ASHUTUR
	In Ashutur, a small village at the east of Bidar, remain numerous mausoleums and tombs that entomb rulers of the Baihmani Dynasty. (Matsuo Ara) At the north and south side of a road at the centre running from the east to the west, mausoleums form a line . Lisring them from the west to the south; North line from the west to the east.(Naoko Fukami)
▲View from the west

b)*Ahmad Shah(9th BS.1422-35) c)*Ala al-Din(10th BS./1435-57) d)*Humayun(11th BS.1457-61)　　　　 e)*Humayun's Wife f)*Mahmud 2nd(14th BS./1482-1518) g)*Kalim Ullah(18th Baihmanid Sultan/1525-27) g)*Wali Ullah(17th BS./1522-25) h)Muhammad Shah 3ｒｄ(13th BS./1462-82) i)Nizam Shah(12th BS./1461-63) 　　　j)Ahmad Shah's Wife k)Ala al-Din Shah 3rd(16th BS.1521-22) l)Ahmad Shah 2nd(15th BS.1518-21)　m)Ahmad Shah's Son *are those explained in this text.

b) TOMB OF AHMAD SHAH BAIHMANI

The tomb of this ninth sultan (reign 1422-35), as well as that of his empress, is situated at the east end of the mausoleum complex remaining in Ashtur. Having a large high dome and a square plan, this tomb is assumed to have been built in 1436 and it is one of the earliest mausoleums of the Baihmani rulers in Bidar, and has the most majestic appearance. The outside walls are decorated on all four sides by Iranian arch-shaped niches in various sizes and are divided in three tiers. The first and second tier have four arches and the top tier has seven. The most significant feature of this tomb is a decoration inside the tomb chamber and on some squinches. The coloured patterns on the domed ceiling in Iranian style are especially splendid. (Matsuo Ara) →Plan and List of Photos

▲View from the southwest

c)TOMB OF ALA AL-DIN BAIHMANI

The tomb of Ala al-Din Ahmad II (reign 1436-57), the first son of Ahmad Shah Wali, and who became the 10th sultan after succeeding his father, is situated nearly adjacent to the tomb of his father, Sultan Ahmad Shah, to the west. It is assumed to have been built in 1458. This majestic tomb is also built on a square plan and has a large dome, however, its outside walls have a special feature. The walls are decorated by five arches in different sizes which are framed by black stones. The central arch is the highest and the two arches on the sides are different in height but still maintain symmetry. On the walls, black basolt and tiles are used. The upper part of the arches is decorated uniquely by patterns including diamond shapes, which give a simple tone to the building as a whole and are effective from a decorative standpoint. (Matsuo Ara) →Plan and List of Photos

▲View from the south

d) TOMB OF HUMAYUN BAIHMANI　

The tomb of the eleventh Sultan Humayun (reign 1457-61) is also in this Ashtur mausoleum complex, to the west of his father's tomb. Currently most parts have collapsed and only its north-east part including remnants of a dome remains. However, it is still easy to see that the original building was majestic one on a square plan with a high dome. There are scholars including Dr. Yazdani who suggest that the special feature of this tomb is the arches on the walls that are seen in buildings from the Gulbarga and Barid Shahi period, unlike tombs built earlier than this one. (Matsuo Ara) →Plan and List of Photos

▲View from the south

e) TOMB OS HUMAYUN'S WIFE

This is the tomb of the empress of the eleventh sultan Humayun. As her title Malika Jahan, "Empress of the world" suggests, she is a woman who grasped power when her children Nizam Shah and Muhammad Shah II reigned as the twelfth and the thirteenth sultan. Her tomb is situated at the south side of the tomb of Humayun on the same axis at the south side of the road, between the tombs of her children and that of her husband Humayun, which are in decay. It is interesting to observe the location of these four tombs as it suggests the relationship of the four. This tomb is built on a square plan with a dome at the top, and smaller than that of her husband and sons. However, the tomb is majestic, having three arches of the same height on each side and the battlement around the roof. (Matsuo Ara) →Plan and List of Photos

▲View from the southeast

f)TOMB OF MAHMUD SHAH BAIHMANI

This fourteenth sultan (reign 1482-1518) acceded to the throne when he was 12 years old and was in reign for 36 years, despite the fact that real power was seized by senior statesmen. In other words he was a puppet ruler. Compared to the unfinished tombs of his predecessors of the last two reigns, also young emperors, this tomb on a square plan with a dome on the roof looks majestic. There are scholars who suggest that he had this tomb built before his death, as he saw the tombs of his predecessors unfinished; this may be an interesting fact that suggests an event symbolizing the power struggle of rulers and the foundation of their tombs. The high and deep dome supported by an octagonal drum is in a lofty style. Also, all the four facades are decorated by a large wide arch at the centre flanking small arches in three tiers. This gives the exterior a majestic look. The south wall with the arched entrance does not have any decorative patterns, though arches on each tier have their own features. It gives the wall an interesting look. (Matsuo Ara) →Plan and List of Photos

▲View from the southwest

g)TOMBS OF WALI ALLAH & KALIM ULLAH

The tomb of the 17th sultan Wali Allah and the 18th sultan Kalim Ullah, the last sultan of the Baihmani Dynasty, form a line at the west side of the great tomb of the 14th sultan Mahmud Shah. The one closer to the tomb of Mahmud Shah is that of the 17th sultan and the one to the west of the former is of that of the 18th sultan. These two tombs are of nearly same size and both have similar form and structure, being built on a square plan and having octagonal conical roofs. The only difference seen in these tombs is the details of arch-shaped entrance at the south. There is a possibility that the battlement remaining on the roof of the tomb of Wali Allah was not originally seen on the roof of the tomb of Kalim Ullah. (Matsuo Ara) →Plan and List of Photos

▲View from the south;at the left Kalim ullah(18th 1525〜27） 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 at the right Wali ullah(17th 1522〜25)

4. TOMB OF ALI BARID

	The mausoleum of the Barid Dynasty extends to the outskirts of Bidar town in the south. The tomb of Ali Barid is situated at the centre of the aforementioned area. The approaches extend in four directions from this building and the tomb is designed to be the centre of Chahar Bagh. (Naoko Fukami) 　→Detailed Explanation 　→Plan and List of Photos
▲View from the south

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