ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

The Provincial style

Gujrat and Jaunpur
 PROVINCIAL ARCHITECTURE: GUJRAT (1300-
MAJOR PERIODS OF THE STYLE
1572 AD)
 First period (14th cent.)
 Second period (15th cent.)
 Third period (1550- 16th cent.)
INTRODUCTION-
 Started when Khilji Dynasty established their governors in
the region.
 Included Bombay presidency with Ahmedabad towards
center.
 Ruled by Ahmad Shahi Sultans- these were powerful rulers
and desired to surround themselves with material
evidences of their might.
 Architecture was independent until the Ahmad Shahi
dynasty fallen down to Mughals.
 Amalgamated Hindu and Islamic architecture.

REASONS FOR GOOD ARCHITECTURE-

 Got most accomplished artisans of india in their

region.
 Unrivalled aesthetic resources in their region.
FIRST PERIOD (first half of 14th cent. A.D.)
 Transition phase of demolition of temples
followed by reconversion of building materials.
 Buildings don’t have definite character because
of having formative and experimental
appearance.
 Materials of Hindu temples were used.
 Walls were built of original masonry while pillars
would be used as they were.
 Ex- Jami masjid, Bharuch, Jami masjid,
Cambay.

JAMI MASJID, BHARUCH

 Planned and constructed as per mosque principles

was largely made of parts of temple.
 Courtyard in center, surrounded with three gateways.
 The sanctuary is open pillared structure like a verandah.
 The 48 pillars of sanctuary are bracketed and divide the
sanctuary in three parts.
 Square sunk coffer ceilings are decorated with
geometric patterns.
 MIHRAB
 The walls surrounding the sanctuary are cut out of stone for
construction. Hence, the earliest example of stone masonry.
 The three mihrabs on west wall and stone traceried windows are built
in indigenous manner.
 The Islamic pointed arch is introduced under lintel in mihrab.
 Sanctuary roof consists of beams supporting 3 large and 10 smaller
domes.

JAMI MASJID, CAMBAY-  Built in the year 1325 A.D.

 Local artisans were reinforced by a group of artisans from Delhi to build this
structure.
 The sanctuary of the mosque has an enclosed facade with a screen of
arches.
 The shape and position of the arches, the masonry consisting of alternate
broad and narrow courses.
 The overall architectural treatment is reminiscent of the architectural style
of Delhi under the Khilji dynasty.
 The arrangement of pillars inside the archways of the facade borrowed
from the Ajmer type of mosque.
 The pillars have been enriched by an engrailed arch similar to one found
in temples, a motif which later figures prominently as the flying arch within
the central openings of mosque facades in Gujarat.
 On south side of mosque is burial tomb, square in shape and built of
marble.
THE PILLARS HAVE BEEN ENRICHED BY AN ENGRAILED ARCH SIMILAR
TO ONE FOUND IN TEMPLES, A MOTIF WHICH LATER FIGURES
PROMINENTLY AS THE FLYING ARCH WITHIN THE CENTRAL OPENINGS
OF MOSQUE FACADES IN GUJRAT.

 Facade of liwan composed of

blank screen walls consisting one
large central arch and two
smaller subsidiary arches.

 The eastern gateway in the middle of

eastern cloisters is re- erected temple
portico with a dome added on for
Islamic effect.

JAMI MASJID, CAMBAY

INTERIOR VIEW OF SANCTUARY
 SECOND PERIOD- (FIRST HALF OF 15TH CENT. A.D. )
 Art approaching early consummation with slightly
tentative quantities.
 Designing of buildings got more directional and
assured.
 Also known as Ahmad Shahi period.
 Ex- Jami Masjid, Ahmedabad.

JAMI MASJID, AHMEDABAD-

 Built by Sultan Ahmad Shah in 1423.

 Most of the architectural effect is concentrated i
sanctuary.
 Sanctuary consists of around 300 slender pillars, closely
set at an average intercolumniation of 5'.
 The columns are symmetrically arranged to form 15
bays across the long axis of the hall.
PLAN A. PRAYER ROOM
B. SANCTUARY(300 PILLARS)
 Each is surmounted by a dome and connected to the
C. ZENANA Wnext through a columned interspace.
 Columns are symmetrically arranged to form 15 bays
across the long axis of hall.
 THERE 14 DOMES THAT

ARE
CONSTITUTE THE INTERIO OF
R
LIWAN.

THE CLOISTERS THAT DEFINE THE COURTYARD

ON THREE SIDES ARE FORMED BY FLAT ROOF
AISLES AND A SERIES OF TWENTY- ONE
DOMES OVER OCTAGONAL COLUMN BAYS.

 The main sanctuary contains one

hundred pillars supporting the roof
that were evidently taken from
Hindu and Jain temples.
 SANCTUARY EXTERIOR-
 Combination of two types of sanctuary facades, the
screen of arches and the pillared portico.
 The screen is on center and portico on wings.
 The juxtaposition of the two elements creates contrast
between the volume and strength of the wall surface and
the depth and airy lightness of the colonnade.
 The large central archway has large moulded buttresses of
minarets on either side.
 Two smaller archways are placed on either side of the
central one.
 Directly visible through the archway is the colonnade of
the interior with its engrailed arch springing lightly from its
SANCTUARY EXTERIOR slender columns.
SANCTUARY INTERIOR-
 The sanctuary is a hypostyle hall of 64 mX30 m.
 It consists of 300 slender pillars, closely set at an average
intercolumniation of 1.6m.
 The columns are symmetrically arranged to form 15 bays
across the long axis of the hall, each surmounted by a
dome.
 The central compartment of the nave rises up to 3 storeys,
the side aisles are 2 storeys and the rest of the hall is single
storeyed.
 Nave is composed of two pillared galleries one above the
SECTION other.
SIDI SAIYYED MOSQUE 1573

• It was constructed by Sidi Saeed or Sidi Saiyyed who was

basically a sultan in Shams-Ud- Din Muzaffar Shah’s army.
• The front of the mosque is actually fairly simple with two
minarets on the northern and southern extremities (the
minarets have fallen now and only the base exists).
• Completely arcuated and gained recognition due to its
amazingly carved windows having ten stoned
latticework around the rear archesdows representing the
style of Indo-Saracenic type referred to as 'jali'.
• Just when it was getting completed, Ahmedabad fell to PANORAMIC VIEW OF SIDI SAIYYED MOSQUE
the Mughals, and the last window in the center of the
back wall was left without a jali.
• The walls of rear are filled with stones which are square
shaped as well as pierced panels spotted in geometrical
designs.
• It comprises of ten windows in the semi circular shape
which appear to be quite appealing as they are
accentuated by the beautiful mesh which covers them.
• There are a total of eight arched windows which are
adorned with stone carved intricate jalis.
• There are majestic floral designs accompanied by
architectural works formed in a unique way which
distinguishes this mosque from others.

JALIS OF SIDI SAIYYYED MOSQUE

 • In the western walls of liwan, jali infill
panels in arched aperture were
inserted.
W
• The usual appearance of the mosque is
depicted by the yellow color, which is
commonly found in the shrines found in
the vicinity.

PLAN OF SIDI SAIYYED MOSQUE

THE SCREEN IN THE MOSQUE FOR EXPRESSING THE

THOUGH USAGE OF FIGURATIVE SENSUOUSNESS THE ARTIST HAS
ELEMENTS IS ANIMATED BY A CHOSEN THE INTERTWINING SECTION
SENSUALITY THAT BELONGS ONLY TRUNKS, BRANCHES, LEAVES OF
TO A FEMALE HUMAN FORM PLANTS AND TREES AS HIS Eight square piers supporting the arches from
SUBJECT the interior of the mosque, four visible from
one side.
 JHULTA MINARET SIDI BASHIR MOSQUE 1452

• Built in Ahmedabad (Gujrat), mainly known for its unique

architecture.
• This pair of minarets is a part of Siddi Bashir mosque.
• The minarets start swinging if a little pressure is applied on any one
side of mosque.
• The reason for such building may be that to avoid falling of
minarets due to earthquakes.
• Each of the minaret is three storey tall and is intricately carved.
• The minarets have stone balconies and are probably 100’ high.
• The vibrations at the base of minarets gets amplified and
transmitted through air tunnels between the two towers resulting
in shaking of the other one.
• No trembling occurs in the passageway between two minarets.

THE JHULTA MINARETS

THIRD PERIOD- (Second half of 15th cent. A.D.)
 This is the most magnificent aspect of the style.
 Most of the development in this phase happened under
Sultan Mahmud I Begarha (1458-1511).
 Mahmud Begarha-I founded three main cities Bitwa,
Mehmudabad and Champaner.
 Major ex- Jami Masjid, Champaner.

 JAMI MASJID, CHAMPANER 1513

 Built with the Jami Masjid at Ahmedabad as model except
on a smaller scale.
 The entire structure is a rectangle of 270' X 180'. A bit less than half the space is taken
up by the sanctuary.
 The entire structure is rectangle and the courtyard is

surrounded by a range of arched cloisters, one aisle deep.

 The entrance pavilion projects from the center of each of
the north, south and east cloisters.
 Sanctuary facade is of enclosed type containing 5 pointed N
PLAN
archways with two slender minarets flanking the central
 The women’s chamber is placed at the northern end
opening.
of the transept.
 Sanctuary is a pillared hall, total mosque measuring 86.4 m
 Each storey is accessed by a staircase in the minarets.
X 57.6 m, containing 176 pillars.
 Around the galleries are provided stone seats with
sloping backs.
  The nave rises to 65' in height through 3 storeys and
covered by a dome.
 The second floor is restricted to a large pillared gallery with
an octagonal well.
 The ornamentation of the minarets is restricted to their
buttress like bases, with the five stages above left mostly
unadorned.
 The level of the first floor is continuous with the roof of the
rest of the building, forming a wide terrace for
circumambulation among the cupolas with a square well
above the nave.
SECTION

The ornamentation of the minarets is restricted to their

buttress like bases, with the five stages above left mostly
unadorned.

On the whole, the frontal screen is more or less economically

treated, relieved only by 3 oriel windows, one above the
central arch and two on the minarets.

VIEW OF FACADE
VIEW OF MOSQUE FROM SOUTH
VIEW OF ABOVE FROM OCTAGONAL OPENING IN CENTER