@ India's encounter with Islam dates back to the early age of Islam. From the 10th century to the 12th century, the influence of the Ghazna and Ghur Dynasty, whose main force was in Afghanistan, invaded India from the Northwest. However, the Islamization of India occurred after a sovereign power was established in Delhi at the end of the 12th century. Only a mosque in Badrsvar has been reported as Islamic architecture in India built before the 12th century.
@
1. Explanation by period
2. Explanation by
region
3. Explanation of terms
@@‘Mosque@‘Mausoleum@
@@‘Stone construction technique
@@@@(Grid Type and 12 pillared Type,
Corbelled Arch Style and True Arch Style)
‘The end of the 12th century - The beginning
of the 13th century
@Islamic architecture and remains from the
end of the 12th century to the beginning
of the 13th century include mosques, and mausoleums. Often
existing Hindu and Jain temples were borrowed
or indigenous techniques of stone architecture were borrowed to construct these
buildings. Significant remnants of this kind
include Qutb Masjid
in Delhi and Arhai Din-ka Jhompra Mosque in Ajmer. In these buildings, arch walls were
employed, as if to hide the mosque architecture
built by a
post-beam structure. However, the arches
themselves were not true arches, but corbelled arches, which were made piling up materials horizontally.
These arches were employed as symbols of
Islam and their shape was also used for mihrab showing the direction of qibla, toward
Mecca. In addition, the shape of tower, minaret was employed, and came to take root in this
country.
‘The middle of the 13th century - the middle
of the 14th century
@From the mid-13th century to the mid-14th
century, builders in Delhi mastered the true
arch technique, i.e. True Arch Style, which
is observed in Balban's Tomb. In mosques,
multi-pillared rooms for congregation were constructed, where
arches were uniformly lined up horizontally and vertically to
crown a vault dome on. On mausoleums, a true arch style dome was
crowned. In the westernmost region of Multan, there are some
mausoleums which shows similar features to those in the Middle
East. In addition, iwans and large domes in a style similar to
Middle Eastern architecture appeared in Delhi, examples of which
are Begampur Mosque and Jama'at Khana Mosque. From these,
we can assume that artisans from Iran and
Central Asia came to
India and their techniques were actively
introduced. Some of the
techniques took root in Delhi and mixed with
the native style. By
the late 14th century, multip-pillared rooms
using arch
construction on grids spread in local mosques.
Also seen are a
canopy tomb with a dome built on a square
plan surrounded by
thick walls, and a 12-pillared type tomb
that employs post and
beam construction with a true arch style
dome.
‘Late 14th
century
@Islamic power, whose main force was in Delhi,
extended its control to local areas and Islamic
architecture spread accordingly. When independent
governments were established in Jaunpur and
Bengal in the east, Malwa and Deccan (Gulbarga)
in the south, Gujarat in the west in the
late 14th century, construction of Islamic
architecture started in these areas. As seen
in Jama Masjid in Daulatabad, first came the borrowing of Hindu
architecture, likewise the time that Islamic
architecture was
first brought to Delhi over 100 years ago.
However, the situation
did not last for a long time and each ruler
started establishing
his own style through construction of huge
monuments like Jama
Masjid, which display local influence. Rather
than a local
difference in technique, such development
with rich local
identity may have originated in the fact
that rulers saw
architecture as a method to publicize their
power and felt
propelled to develop their own style.
‘The end of the 14th century - The mid-16th
century
@@
@From the end of the 14th century to the mid-16th
century, new styles
were established in local areas. In addition to the
differences in native architectural culture, architectural style
in local areas reflected the difference in how each local dynasty
viewed architecture and sought a new styles. Subsequently, the
styles came to show diversity. In comparison to this,
architecture in Delhi from the 15th century to the mid-16th
century showed a decline in the momentum to seek large-scale
architecture or new styles, despite the fact that the number of
remnants increased. This can be regarded as a reflection of the
politically and economically unstable conditions, due to the
expedition by the Timur(*) at the end of the 14th century and the
invasion of Afghan tribe later on.
‘The mid-16th century - The 17th century
@A transition in Islamic architecture in India
occurred in the mid-16th century. Great influence
on this was brought by an establishment of
the Great Mughalid Empire, following the
establishment of Mughalid and the extension
of its power to all parts of India, merging
Bengal, Malwa and Gujarat. Also the exerting
influenxe was the Baihmanid Dynasty in Deccan
divided into governments in Golconda, Bijapur,
Bidar and Ahmadnagar. Architecture in Fathepur
Sikri, Allahabad and Agra under the Mughalid assymilates Indian
local styles in their details, although they
are based on the style of the Timur Dynasty,
which is famous in connection with the Mughalid
royal family. The architecture of Golconda, Bijapur and Bidar in Deccan shows a unique regional development
of the Baihmanid style, which was greatly
influenced by the Timur Dynasty, with Hindu
elements added in each Deccan region.
2.Explanation by region@@@@
‘Bengal
In
Bengal, in the construction of Adina Masjid in 1370s, a
great iwan with a tunnel vault was introduced.
It was
unprecedented in Indian Islamic architecture
at that time.
Considering the period and its style, a connection
to Ali Shah
Mosque in Tabriz under the Iranian Il Khanid
Dynasty is assumed.
There was no example following the form of
the great iwan.
However, the form of the sub-prayer room
and tile decorations,
etc. in Adina Masjid was inherited by the
later mosques. In the
15th century in Pandua and from the
late 15th century to the early 16th century
in Gaur, brick mosques with lines of small domes
at the tops and those with great domes with
thick construction walls became a local feature.
Under the Mugharid, some construction details
were taken from Bengal, an example of which
is Bengali Roof. At the same time, the Mugharid
architecture like Lukochori Darwaza, which
was not seen in Bengal, was constructed.
Consequently, the eclectic style of the two
developed.
‘Deccan
In Deccan, Jama Masjid
in Gulbarga constructed in1369 is assumed to have been
built, borrowing an arch technique from Delhi
of the time, judging from its form. However,
it should be noted that this mosque has a
prayer room with a great dome, which was
not popular in Delhi after that period. After
the Baihmanid Dynasty moved its capital to
Bidar in 1428,
Deccan architecture came to be influenced
by the Timur
architecture. It is evident in the use of
crossed arches, tiles
and madrasa at Mahmud Gawan. While from the mid-16th century, Bengal,
Gjarat and Malwa became under the power of
the Mugharid and their architectural style
changed, there is a consistency in the style
in Deccan from the 14th century to the late
17th century.
‘Gujarat
@In Gujarat, presently existing architecture
from the 14th century in Cambhayat and Bharuch
was built using converted materials from
Hindu temples. After the establishment of
the Ahmad Shahi Dynasty and the change of
its capital to Ahmadabad, this conditions
did not change and mosques and tombs with
post and beam structure continued to be built.
Architecture in Gujarat has the strongest
Hindu elements among Indian Islamic architecture.
Jama Masjid
in Ahmadabad built in 1423 is the most prominent. It has
two minarets at either sides of the central
great arch, and a 12-pillared dome in a three-tiered
well hole style. It shows a unique eclectic
architectural style, remaining devoted to
Indian native form. There are some exceptions
where the builders tried to part from this
style. However, an eclectic style ruled this
region until the early 16th century. Nevertheless,
around the time of the Mughalid conquer,
interest in arch structure increased. Consequently,
a new style, which is seen in Sidi Sayyid
Mosque and Shah Alam Mosque, was born.
‘Malwa region
@In Malwa region, which is situated between Gujarat and Delhi, Dhar architecture shows a state in which mosques were still built using converted materials. However, Jama Masjid in Mandu built in the early 15th century shows a unique style that is different from both Gujarati and Ahmadabad style. It is similar to Deccan architecture, particularly in that arches and a great dome are often provided. However, while Deccan buildings are coated by plaster on the surface, Mandu architecture employs stones on the surface. As a result of the use of stone pillars, it looks slender compared to Deccani Pier. There are many buildings built in the period from the mid 15th to the early 16th century in Mandu. Mandu became a favourite place of the Mugalid emperors. An amalgamation of water and architecture seen in Mandu architecture is greatly influenced by the Mughalid garden.
‘The middle reaches of the Ganga
@In the middle reaches of the Ganga between Delhi and Bengal, there are Arhai Kangra Masjid in Varanasi and a unique mosque complex built in the 15th century in Jaunpur. There seems to be an intention to follow Islamic architecture in the Middle East in these buildings, judging by the fact that they have a large iwan-like pylon in the middle of prayer room, and great domes connected to each other behind the prayer room. However, compared to buildings in Bengal, Deccan and Malwa, these structures are regarded as having stronger local influence, using a lot of ashlars, and post and beam structure in corridors, etc. The last examples of this group are the three mausoleums in Sasaram built in the early 16th century. Regarding these mausoleums, a connection with Delhi architecture needs to be considered.
3.Explanation of terms
‘Mosque@‘Mausoleum@
‘Stone construction technique(Grid Type and 12 pillared Type, Corbelled
Arch Style and True Arch Style)@
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