PROVINCIAL ARCHITECTURE

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
•Regional manifestation of Indo – Islamic architecture
flourishing under the patronage of various provincial
rulers
•The style being distinct from central / imperial style at
Delhi – regional in character due to effects of local
architecture and indigenous art, local material and
craftsmen and aspiration of local rulers

• Architectural developments clearly seen in

Special types of brackets
Various types of archways
Style and size of domes and turrets used
Punjab (Multan and Lahore, 1150 – 1325 AD)

•Earliest emerging provincial style in the cities of

Multan and Lahore
•Use of brick along with carved timber beams –
trabeated structural system
•Brick walls with sloping profile for stability – battered
walls
•Concentration on tombs
Tomb of Shah – Rukhn – i – Khan, Multan (1320 – 24
AD)
•Octagonal in plan with 27.4 m diameter base
•Use of battered walls with tapering turrets at each
corner of octagon
•The tomb rises to height of 35 m with 15.2 m
diameter dome
•Use of bricks and timber as principle building
material
•Use of brilliantly glazed tiles to enhance the
appearance
•Timber beams are carved and laid sunken in walls
•Tapering turrets work as both design and structural
element
•Battered walls helps in retaining the spreading action
of dome above
Tomb of Shah – Rukhn – i – Khan, Multan (1320 – 24
AD)
•The reducing mass of the pyramidal form helps in
achieving structural stability
•Use of clerestory panels to admit light inside
•The tomb is in clear contrast against the surrounding
desert of Multan and becomes the point of interest as
building also sits on a terrace or high ground – an
attempt of domination
Exterior view, prior to Exterior view from Exterior view from east
restoration southwest showing Bab al- showing the precinct wall,
Qasim and the tomb mosque (right) and the
complex domed mausoleum

Ground floor plan (left) and site plan

(right)
 Exterior view from east,
with precinct wall and the
eastern gate

Exterior view from south, showing Eastern portal of

main entrance to mausoleum mausoleum
 Exterior detail, octagonal
upper storey with
Exterior detail, looking circumambulatory path for
up the circular sloping the muezzin
buttress that forms each Exterior detail,
corner of the octagonal domed circular
structure buttress bearing a
finial
Exterior detail from upper story,
with glazed tile decoration Exterior detail, glazed tile decoration
at the base of the dome

Interior view Interior detail,

looking up at the shisham wood
dome frame
Interior detail, ornamental screen Interior detail, glazed tilework
BENGAL(Gaur and Pandua, 1300 – 1550 AD)
•Use of local materials like timber, bricks, bamboo,
glazed tiles
•Typical Bengal Roof profile being used in Islamic
tombs too - the heavy and continual rain becomes
reason behind development of such sloping roofs in
indigenous buildings
•Not so impressive and remarkable development
however some buildings are notable like

Adina Masjid, Pandua, Bengal (1364 AD)

Dakhil Darwaza, Gaur, (1465 AD)
BENGAL(Gaur and Pandua, 1300 – 1550 AD)
Adina Masjid, Pandua, Bengal (1364 AD)
•A huge Jami Masjid built by Sultan Sikander Shah in
his new capital
•Consists of courtyard measuring 122 m X 47 m with
cloister around, supported over about 260 pillars and
also with no less than 378 brick domes
•five bay cloister in the west and other directions have
three bay liwan
•Portion of covered area is larger than the open court
North wing of the prayer hall with
the few remaining domed bays Remains of the central nave and
prayer hall viewed from the courtyard

South wing of the hypostyle prayer hall.

Qibla wall is lined with multiple mihrab
niches
 The platform is connected
The raised prayer platform to the Badshah-ka-takht,
of the Badshah-ka-takht which was a square
located in the north wing of chamber attached to the
prayer hall exterior of the northwestern
wall

Looking north from the

prayer platform of
Badshah-ka-takht. The Circular stone-faced
platform was the private engaged turrets found at
worship area for the the corners of exterior
kings and the ladies. walls
 Example of a
Example of a
decorative niche Central mihrab
decorative niche
found on the
found on the
western elevation
western elevation
(qibla wall)
(qibla wall)
 Caligraphy detail over
Central nave with fallen central mihrab
barrrel vault

Central mihrab
niche detail
BENGAL(Gaur and Pandua, 1300 – 1550 AD)
Dakhil Darwaza, Gaur, (1465 AD)
•Built by Barbak Shah, is the most artistic structure in
brick
•A triumphal archway 22.8 m wide and 18.2 m high
consists of a central vaulted with guard rooms on
either sides
•Circular tapering structure at the corners
•Reminiscent of Delhi’s Tughlaq style
•Certain amount of ornamentation is present in form
of flaming suns, rosettes, hangings lamps, niches, etc
Jaunpur (1360 – 1480 AD)
•City of jaunpur, located 36 km southeast of Varanasi,
is said to beestablished by Firoz Shah Tughlaq in
1360 AD, later comes under the rule of Sharqi
(literally eastern) dynasty
•Use of great pylons becomes innovative character
•Both Hindu and Tughlaq influence in buildings
Some notable examples
Atala Masjid, Jaunpur (1408 AD)
Jami Masjid, Jaunpur (1438 – 78 AD)
Jaunpur (1360 – 1480 AD)
Atala Masjid, Jaunpur (1408 AD)
•Square shaped mosque with robust appearance
•Use of great rectangular pylons in the center of
liwan, influence of circular tapering turrets of
Tughlaqs resolved into rectangular shape
•Hindu influence is present in bracketed openings
•Huge arch springing between two pylons
•On the either side of Maqsura pylon are two identical
mini – pylons and three separate gateways are also
installed in northern, eastern and southern liwan
Exterior view of the eastern
Exterior view of the southern
courtyard wall with main portal
courtyard wall with portal

View of the western

side of the courtyard,
showing the mosque
portal
View of courtyard
Courtyard view of the mosque portal View of portal of the
northern
wing of the mosque

Courtyard view of the mosque portal

Exterior view of mosque showing qibla wall with

domes and the tapering turrets
Interior view of the prayer Interior view of mosque side
hall: main sanctuary with gallery, with square
mihrab and minbar monolithic columns

Interior view of side

View of mihrab gallery, showing
central room with
mihrab niche
Exterior view of mosque,
showing qibla wall
Corner view of the
mosque side wing,
showing transition from View of the latticed women's
single to double-story section (zenana) at the
spaces mosque

Interior detail of the

women's section
(zenana)

Interior detail of the women's section (zenana)

Jami Masjid, Jaunpur (1438-78AD)
•The Jami Masjid is the largest and the most
ambitious of the Jaunpur mosques.
•It was built in 1470 by Husayn Shah (1458-1483),
the last ruler of the Sharqi dynasty.
•Built on a six meter high plinth, the mosque is
accessed by an imposing flight of steps.
•Its plan, similar to previous Sharqi mosques, consists
of a long rectangular prayer hall occupying the
western side of a colonnaded courtyard.
•The prayer hall is centered around a square
sanctuary, covered by a dome that measures 11.4
meters in diameter.
•Windows pierced into the dome's drum illuminate the
interior. On either side of the sanctuary are barrel-
vaulted galleries that are accessed from three arched
Jami Masjid, Jaunpur (1438-78AD)
•openings along the courtyard facade. The focal point
of the façade is the main portal, which measures 25.7
meters in height and 23.42 meters in width at the
base. Imposing portals such as this one were central
to Sharqi style mosques.
Jami Masjid, Jaunpur (1438-78AD)
•On either side of the sanctuary are barrel-vaulted
galleries that are accessed from three arched
openings along the courtyard facade.
•The focal point of the façade is the main portal,
which measures 25.7 meters in height and 23.42
meters in width at the base. Imposing portals such as
this one were central to Sharqi style mosques.
Jami Masjid, Jaunpur (1438-78AD)

Street view of the eastern

courtyard portal

View of the western side of the

courtyard, showing prayer hall and
its portal
 Interior view of the
pillared halls on
either side of the
Interior view of sanctuary
Detail view of the View of
courtyard wall prayer hall
prayer hall portal
from street, sanctuary, showing
showing high mihrab and minbar
steps leading and the transition
up to the to dome
veranda
flanking the
side entrance
Gujarat
•Under the rule of Ahmed Shahi (early 15th century)
and Mahmud I Begarha (1459-1511) different types of
mosques, tombs and gateways were built at
Ahmedabad, Dholka and Sarkhej. Ahmedabad is a
city full of architectural masterpieces which include
Sayyid Alam's mosque (1412), Teen Darwaza (1415),
Tomb of Ahmed Shah (1440), Rani-ka-Hujra (1440),
the Jami Masjid (built by the city founder Sultan
Ahmed Shah in 1423), Qutubuddin's mosque (1454),
Rani Sipri Mosque (1505), Sidi Bashir's Mosque
(1510), Rani Rupmati Masjid at Mirzapur (built
between 1430 and 1440) and the Kankaria Lake,
constructed in 1451 by Sultan Qutb-ud-Din.
Jama Masjid of Bharuch (1300),
•Jama Masjid exists on the hilltop of Bharuch Fort.
The most notable aspect of the mosque is that it has
been constructed from the remains of an ancient Jain
temple.
•The mosque depicts a conventional mosque as far
as the construction style is considered.
Jama Masjid of Bharuch (1300),
•The roof [of the mosque] is supported by forty-eight
pillars, in two rows of twelve each in front and one at
the back, with two broken rows of six each supporting
the sides of three domes - the central one about 30
feet in diameter and the side ones about 23 feet
each.
•there are also seven small domes, of about 8 feet
diameter each, over the alternate spaces in the front
aisle, and the same in the back one gives the back, or
street view of the masjid, showing that the floor of it is
considerably above the street level, and that it has
cellars beneath. The backs of the mihrabs and the
windows break the wall at the mosque level."
Sarkhej Roza(Tomb & Mosque Of Ahmad Khattu Ganj
Bakhsh) (Ahmedabad)
•the mosque at Sarkhej has a thick wall in the front
with no arch-shaped entrance and a minar in the
middle.
•It has a flat roof without a well, having 10 flat domes
of 5 spans in width and 2 spans in depth. Surrounding
the 10 domes, there are a total of 40 small domes on
the roof.
•On the east front of the prayer room, facing the large
courtyard, lines of slender pillars, instead of arch-
shaped entrance, are observed.
•The pillars count 120 in total.
•one may feel he is in a Hindu temple. This is also
because the lines of the pillars are similar to those of
the Hindu or Jain temples
Teen Darwaza
•Teen Darwaza is an architectural
marvel. Consisting of gorgeous
arched gates, Teen Darwaza is
one of the longest as well as the
oldest gateways of the
Ahmedabad city.
•It was established in the year 141
A.D. by Sultan Ahmed Shah, who
founded the city of Ahmedabad.
•A grand gateway at Ahmedabad
with three arched gates is an
example of magnificent Gujarati
architecture.
Teen Darwaza

•The carved doors are finest examples of Islamic

architecture in India.
•Its carved windows have beautiful jali or mesh work that
is a feature of all buildings of the period in Ahmedabad.
Jami Masjid, Ahmadabad
•The Jami Masjid of Ahmedabad is one of the biggest
and oldest mosques of India.J
•Jami Masjid is known for its fine and amazing
architecture. The Mosque has a total of 260 pillars
supporting 15 domes at different elevations.
•The Jami Masjid also had tall minarets, which were
destroyed in an earthquake.
•Centered on a spacious 75 x 66 meters marble
courtyard with entrances on three sides.
• The architecture of the Jami Mosque shows
distinctive Hindu and Jain influence, clearly visible on
the decorations of walls and the niches of the
mosque.
Jami Masjid, Ahmadabad
•One of the distinct features of this Mosque is its royal
gallery with beautiful and intricate stonework.
•There is also a long rectangular ablution tank in the
center.
•The prayer hall of the mosque is a rectangular area
with five symmetrical domes.
Rani Rupmati Masjid
•Rani Roopmati Masjid, with its exquisite details and
the grand Shah Alam complex are a living tribute to
the reign of Muhmad Shah Begra of the 15th century.
•Three domes stand on 12 pillars each, with the
central part so raised as to let in natural light without
direct sunlight.
•Rani Rupmati mosque consists of three domes that
are supported well by lofty pillars.
Hilal Khan Qazi's Mosque, Dholka
•The mosque and courtyard occupies an area of 147
by 142 feet.
•There are small pavilions, or chhatris, on each of the
four corners of the roof, supported on four pillars. The
interior space is structured into five bays with five
corresponding low conical domes, each supported by
eight pillars.
•the centre dome, supported by a second level of
pillars, is raised an additional seven feet.
•The north section of the mosque is separated by a
perforated partition, used by women.
Hilal Khan Qazi's Mosque, Dholka
The cities of Dhar and Mandu of the Malwa province provide examples of distinct
architectural elements in the form of polychromatic ornamentation of buildings, which
was obtained by the use of coloured stones and marble as well as by means of
encaustic tiles. The earliest buildings of this period are the Kamal Maula Masjid (1400)
and the Lat Masjid (1405) at Dhar and the Dilawar Khan Masjid (1405) and the Malik
Mughis mosque (1452) at Mandu. The architectural activity took a new turn with the
establishment of the capital at Mandu, especially under the rule of Hoshang Shah (1405-
1435). Important buildings in Mandu are the Jahaz Mahal (a 120 meter long 'ship palace'
built by Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din-Khilji between two artificial lakes Munj Talao and Kapur
Talao), Taveli Mahal with two wells called Ujali and Andheri Baoli, Hindola Mahal,
Dilawar Khan's Mosque, Hoshang Shah's Tomb, Ashrafi Mahal and the Jami Masjid built
by Mahmud Shah Khilji I. As Mandu or the 'City of Joy' was associated with the romance
of the poet-prince Baz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati, many buildings are devoted to them
like the Baz Bahadur's Palace and Roopmati's Pavilion. The city also has several
gateways like the Delhi Darwaza, the Alamgir and Bhangi Darwaza, Rampol Darwaza,
Jehangir Gate and Tarapur Gate.
Mandu (15th Century)
•Provincial style in Malwa, a western region of India
consists of two cities Dhar and Mandu (twin capital
cities)
•Fortress city at 1000 feet high rocky hill with no
planning as such but dictated by the nature of
landscape
HIndola Mahal (The Swinging
Mahal), Mandu (1425 AD)
•Swinging palace constructed by
Hoshang Shah who had also built
the city wall
•Creates illusion of swaying like a
swing – use of massive sloping
walls – far more stable than
structurally required for this
modest building
•Severe form diluted by typical
Hindu balconies and jharokhas
•T – shaped plan with rectangular
hall measuring 18.2m X 26 m with Hindola Mahal

rooms at back in two floors

•Served as durbar (audience hall) and royal
apartments
•The plan of the Hindola Mahal is a T-shape,
•main hall measuring 30m x 18m x 12m high. Its
lateral walls are 3 meters thick and further reinforced
by massive inclined buttresses that angle over 77
degrees. These highly inclined buttresses give the
Hindola Mahal (Swinging Palace) its name. T
•On each exterior of the long sides of the main hall
are six recessed arches which hold doors in their
lower sections and three slabs of open-work stone
windows to let in air and light. A high wall holds
battlements on the roof of the building.
Hindola Mahal
Jahaz Mahal, Mandu (1460 AD)
•Built by Khalji king Mohammad Khalji
•Literally a ship palace – for being located between
two lakes
•Two storied palace with airy and fanciful kiosks on
terrace
•East – west oriented structure measuring 110m X
15.2m
•Building character: more lively and lighthearted,
expression of leisure life
•Style towards lightly elegant and fanciful mode –
open air baths on terrace – broad flight of steps adds
liveliness
•Use of glazed colorful friezes
•The ground floor consists of three large halls
measuring 56 by 36 feet each, separated by corridors
measuring 12 by 36 feet (3.65 by 10.96 meters) and
small rooms measuring 10 by 36 feet (3.04 by 10.96
meters) at the ends.
•The main entrance leads into the middle hall that has
a pavilion The pavilion is 18 feet square (5.48 meters
square) from the exterior, but is unique in the interior
because of the unusual, deeply recessed equilateral
arched windows, which create a star shaped interior.
Tomb of Hoshang Shah, Mandu
•A square tomb located behind western wall of Jami
Masjid and built entirely in white marble
•Massive dome sited at top seems to be too large for
the square base – not quite successful in proportion
•Shah Jahan after deciding to Taj Mahal had sent his
architects to study this mausoleum as preliminary
research
•Probably the idea of placing small domes around the
central one in Taj Mahal was inspired by this tomb
Tomb of Hoshang Shah, Mandu
Jami Masjid, Mandu
•Inspired by the great mosque
of Damascus, this humongous
structure is striking in both its
simplicity and architectural
style-with large courtyards and
grand entrances.
Char MInar, Hyderabad (1591
AD)
•A monumental structure erected as
a triumphal archway – zenith of
Galconda style
•Built by Mohammed Quli Qutb
Shah to mark the end of dreaded
epidemic plague
•Built on square base of side 30.4m
with four 57m high minarets at each
corner and with dome in center
•Each of four facades consist of
ogee arch of span 11m
•Above central arch rises a series
of diminishing storey
Char MInar, Hyderabad (1591
AD)
•The first storey consists of arcaded
triforium, second has small arches
while the final storey consists of
perforated balusters
•Entire conception is inventive and
spirited
Bijapur (16th and 17th Century)
•Patronage by Adil Shahi dynasty
•One of the few cities that have the most profuse
display of fine buildings in India
Ibrahim Ka Rauza, Bijapur (1615 AD)

•Rauza: a combination of tomb and mosque in India

•Built by Ibrahim Adil Shah I, consists of two main
buildings, a tomb and a mosque with other
accessories all within a square enclosure
The Tomb

•A square tomb structure measuring 35m in side is

raised on a plinth and surrounded by double
verandah
•Additional minarets are provided at each corner of
dome and also around the roof
•Dome has petal like base
Gol Gumbaj, Bijapur (1656 - 60 AD)
•Tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah, the most remarkable
and the largest building in India – immensity of the
size was the major concern
•It has simple architectural form, a great cube along
with octagonal turrets at every corner and a large
hemispherical dome on top
•Each of the mail wall space (except for the northern
façade) consist of three shallow arches, the central
being punched to form a gateway
•Cornices are projected casting a deep shadow
supported over richly carved brackets
•Over the cornice is the arcade with small arches
topped by small merlons
Gol Gumbaj, Bijapur (1656 - 60 AD)
•The dome exhibits a typical regional character with
bud like appearance enhanced by foliation at base
The Interior
•The interior forms the largest uninterrupted floor
space in the world with the largest dome placed
above
•A well proportioned large chamber with intersecting
arches to create an octagon on which a circular rim
has been projected to support the dome – the
concept behind was not architectural but daring
structural engineering
•The load of the dome is transferred onto the walls by
setting its inside well 3m behind the rim
•The dome is constructed in horizontal courses of
brick with thick mortar in each course thus forming a
mono block of lime concrete with brick reinforcement
•The entire thickness of the shell is about 3m
•It appears that no scaffolding had been used as
sailing courses of brick would require no formwork
except when the crown of the dome was constructed
Dimensions
•Height of building: 60.9m form GL (20 storey
structure of modern time)
•Inside central height: 53.9m
•Inside side height: 40.9m
•Side of the base: 62.5m (outside)
•Springing height of dome: 33.3m
•Dia. of dome: 44m (outside), 38m (inside)
•Total area of hall: 1672.80 sq. m. (larger than that of
Roman Pantheon having floor area of 1453.90 sq. m.)
Geometry
•Little of architectural excellence
•Outer surface lacks pleasing architectural
composition
•Octagonal turrets contribute little to the elegance of
elevation

Gol Gumbaz: Mausoleum of

Muhammad 'Adil Shah, Bijapur, India
East façade viewed from northeast
 Carved petal
motif and
ornamental
minaret at the
Detail of corbel base of main
supporting the cornice dome

Looking along the parapet