The document discusses the evolution of Islamic architecture in India from the 12th to 16th centuries during the Delhi Sultanate period. It covers the major architectural developments and monuments constructed during the Slave, Khalji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi dynasties. Key monuments mentioned include the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Qutb Minar, Alai Darwaza, tombs of Iltutmish and Sultan Ghari from the Slave dynasty, and Adhai Din Ka Jhopra mosque from the Khalji dynasty. Developments during the Tughlaq dynasty such as tombs of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq,

1. Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture
G. L. Bajaj Group of Institutions, Mathura, U.P.

2.  The earliest appearance of Islamic architecture in India is referred
to as the Imperial style.
 Indo-Islamic architecture may be divided into few phases starting
from the twelfth century to sixteenth century.
 The phases are as follows:
Imperial style
during Islamic era in India
Slave Dynasty (1206-1290 A.D.)
Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320 A.D.)
Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1413 A.D.)
Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451 A.D.)
Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526 A.D)

3.  A number of Delhi Sultanates were in power from 1210 AD to
1526 AD.
 It was founded by Muhammad Ghori who established the Delhi
Sultanate by defeating Prithviraj in the battle, 2nd Tarain in 1192 AD.
 After death of Ghori, Qutb ud-Din became sultan of Delhi and
created the Slave dynasty.
 The sultanate of Delhi was undergone the regular change as five
dynasties rose & fell; namely Slave dynasty, Khalji dynasty, Tughluq
dynasty, Sayyid & Lodi dynasty.
 Under the Khalji dynasty, the reign of Ala Ud-din Khalji brought
the Muslim power to its supremacy.
 Muhammad Bin Tughluq, founder of the Tughluq dynasty was
also a great ruler during Indian medieval history.
Overview

4. Islamic Architecture:
Slave and Khalji Dynasty

5.  Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was constructedby Qutub-ud-din-Aibak
around 1192 AD by the demolished material of Hindu temples.
View of Qutb Complex
Slave Dynasty

6. Plan of Qutb Complex

7.  It is the earliest mosque of Delhi Sultanate.
 It was completed in 1197 A.D. by Qutb-al-din Aaibak who was a
slave of Mohammad Ghari and commander of his army and Governor of his
conquered Indian territories.
 470 columns used in the construction of the mosque from
dismantled Hindu temples in the area.
 The plinth of the principle Hindu shrine was selected by Aaibak for
the site of the proposed Jami Mosque.
Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque

8. Plan of Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque
N
West Prayer Hall
Iron Pillar
Piers of Maqsura
2 Aisles at North
& South Wing
Inner
Court
3 Aisles at Eastern side
Eastern Entrance

9.  The inner colonnades were also not much disturbed and material of
the demolished temples was utilized.
 It largely consisted of exquisitely sculptured pillars, lintels and
corbelled ceilings.
 Qutb Minar was built as symbol of the victory of Muslims over India.
COLONNADE
ENTRANCE

10. Qutub Minar
 Built to serve the purpose of
call to prayer (Azan),
announced by the muezzin.
 Material: Red and grey
sandstone with marble.
 The basic plan is circular .
 Angular and rounded ribs
placed alternately which
has determined its design on
the vertical axis.
 Divided into five stories.
 73 meters (240 feet) tall.
 Tapering from 14.32 meters
(47 feet) in diameter at its
base to 2.75 meters (9 feet)
at its peak.
 A central spiral staircase
with 360 steps.

11.  Plan changes with
each Storey.
 The exterior of bottom
storey have alternate
Angular and rounded
Flutings.
 Second storey only
Semicircular flutings .
 Third has strictly
angular flutings.

12.  circular balconies have ornamented bands adorned with delicate
carvings and inscriptions.
Ornamented bands on Qutb Minar
Floral & Vegetal motifs
in alternate rows
Arabic Calligraphic
Bands
Balcony of Qutb Minar
Stalactite Bracketing/
Honey Comb design

13.  1,600 year old Iron Pillar is installed in the courtyard of the mosque
around 1233 AD.
 Originally it was located in Udayagiri, near in Madhya Pradesh, India
and built under King Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (375-414 AD)
Iron Pilar
The Iron Pillar in the courtyard of the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque

14.  Alauddin Khalji extended the Quwwat-al Islam mosque and added a
new minar to it, just opposite to the Central Arch of the screen of the new
mosque to the north of the existing one.
 Also added the Alai Darwaza : it is the south gateway to the Quwwat
al-Islam mosque.
Expansion Of Qutub Minar

15. Alai Darwaja
 Southern entrance of Qutb complex, located at the South East corner .
 Low height hemispherical dome (34 ft) without shoulder.
 Squinch constructed of true arch.
 Usage of blind alcoves and windows to create two storey illusion.
 Concept of Iwan (huge arched entry) to create a grand entrance
 Successful use of pointed arch till the height of the parapet.
 Blend of red sand stone and white marble as facing material.
Plan of Alai Darwaza

16.  The tomb of Iltutmish probably built by himself for his burial about
1236 A.D, is situated in North West comer of the Quwwat-al-Islam
Masjid at the Qutb Minar complex.
 It is a square building entirely built of red sand stone and grey stone.
 The white marble cenotaph occupies the middle portion of the Hall.
 The squinch was used in the phase of transition.
Tomb of Iltutmis

17. Tomb of Iltutmis

18. Plan of Alai Minar
Alai Minar

19.  After the establishment of Sultanate period, second mosque was
built at Ajmer, named Adhai-'Din-ka-Jhonpra
 The mosque was built by Qutbuddin Aaibak but it was expanded by
Iltutmish in 1230A.D.
 Adhai din ka jhopra mosque was also constructed on the site of a
Hindu temple. It was a great Vaisnava temple.
Adhai-din-ka Jhopra

20.  Adhai-din- ka jhopra mosque also have similar structural features.
There are some minor variations, represented by two small fluted minarets
and an engrailed arch.

21. Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra Mosque
Entrance
staircase
Plan of Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra Mosque
Corner
turret
Open Court

22. Roof of the prayer hall is a
series of shallow
corbelled domes planted
over square pillared bays.
Three standard columns of Hindu temples are
superimposed to gain greater height for the
sanctuary.

23. Sultan Ghari’s Tomb
 It is the first monumental Muslim mausoleum in India.
 It enshrines the mortal remains of Nasiruddin Mahmud, eldest
son of Sultan Iltutmis.
 Iltutmis raised this structure in about 1230 A.D. on the site of a
Hindu temple.

24.  Thus the Sultan Ghari Tomb has a high plinth.
 Strong bastions at comers and high enclosing walls.
 The grave is situated in a basement chamber in the
centre of the open courtyard.
 Having cloisters on its east and west sides.

25. Plan of Sultan Ghari Tomb

26. Islamic Architecture:
Tughlaq Dynasty

27. Tomb of Rukn-i-alam
 The mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e Alam is located in central Multan and
houses the graves of the Sufi saint Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fateh (1251-
1335) and dozens of his disciples and family members.
 Tughluq's rule was energetic but short-lived; upon his death in 1325 he
was buried in Delhi. As his tomb at Multan was no longer needed, it
may have been gifted by Tughluq's heir, Firuz Shah, to the descendants
of Rukn-e Alam, who reinterred the saint there in the 1350s.

28.  The tomb is built in three levels with an octagonal lower story, an
octagonal upper level of smaller dimensions, and a crowning dome.
 The white dome is topped with a segmented series of discs,
reminiscent of the amalaka finial found on many Hindu temples.
 The ground floor features three entrances facing north, south,
and east, with the south originally serving as the main entrance as
it includes a small covered antechamber.
 On the interior of the west side of the tomb chamber is an
elaborately carved and decorated mihrab. Rukn's cenotaph stands
upon a covered plinth at the north-center of the floor with 72 of
graves lined in neat rows to the south.

30.  Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq Shah, was a Turk nobleman who succeeded the
Khaljis in 1321 A.D.
 The ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty, a keen architect, he added a new capital
city in Delhi.
 The fortified town of Tughlaqabad, with high bastions and 13 gateways,
the third city of Delhi, was the creative genius of Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq.
 Across the main entrance to the south of the octagonal fort is the red
sandstone tomb of Ghiyas-ud-Din himself.
Tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din-Tughlaq

31. Irregular pentagon
in plan. The layout
was dominated by
the topography of
the land.
Tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din
Elevated cause way
connection
Plan of the Tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq

32.  The most striking part of its
composition is the determined slope
of the outer walls, as these are
inclined at an angle of seventy-five
degrees, suggesting the converging
sides of a pyramid.
 Its square base is sixty-one feet wide
and the entire height of the structure,
including its sandstone finial, is over
eighty feet.
 A restrained use of marble on the
walls of the self-built tomb gives this
fortress like structure a distinguished
look.
 A white marble dome with a circular
sandstone marks the crowning glory of
this exquisite tomb.
 Originally, the tomb was built within a
vast artificial reservoir of rain water
and was also connected to
Tughlaqabad by a causeway.

33. Firoz Shah Kotla
 Firoz Shah Kotla ground is the only remnant of its past glory.
 He is also credited with founding the cities of Jaunpur, Fathehbad &
Hissar.

34. Firuz Shah Kotla
(Fortress of Firuz Shah Tughlaq)
 Popularly known as Feroz's palace.
 Erected on the bank of the river Yamuna because of availability water.
 Consists of three rubble-built walled rectangular enclosures.
 An irregular polygonal plan with its eastern wall in one
alignment.
 The eastern wall was built on the bank of the River Yamuna.
 The central & largest enclosure had an imposing main gateway from
the western direction and bastions on either side flanked it.

35. Ashokan Pillar on top of Hawa Mahal at Firoz Shah Kotla
 Ashokan Pillar
(Ashok Lat) is made of
sandstone, but so
polished that looks like
metal.
 Called as Minar-
i-Zarin (gold or gloden) as
ornamented by Feroz
Shah.
 In the afternoon
on a bright day it glitters
like gold.
Ashokan Pillar

36. Plan (left) and Section (right) of Hawa Mahal at Firoz Shah Kotla

37.  Located just next to
the Ashokan Pillar.
 Built on a series of
underground cells and
made of quartzite stone,
covered with lime stone.
 Surrounded by a
large courtyard with
cloisters and a Prayer
Hall.
Jami Masjid at Firoz Shah Kotla
Jami Masjid

38.  Located northwest
of the Ashokan pillar,
just in the center of
the garden.
 It has subterranean
apartments served as a
cool retreat in summer
and was used by persons
of royal lineage.
 A large underground
drain for the water
towards its eastern
side.
Baoli (step well) at Firoz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Baoli (step well)

39.  The word Khirki prefixed to masjid is an urdu word that means widow and
hence is also called the Masjid of windows.
 Entrance of Khirki Masjid is from south.
 The masjid,which is an a quadrangular shape, was built as a fortrss with an
unusual fusion of Islamic and traditional Hindu architecture.
Khirki Masjid

40. KHIRKI MASJID

41.  Instead of a one big open courtyard, the mosque has four smaller square
courtyards measuring 30 ft x 30ft. due to the modern day construction found
all around, little sunlight filters in through the lattices on the upper floors.
 Another interesting aspect of this mosque is its design of terrace. Partitioned
into 25 squares of equal size, each square has 9 domes on each side,
measuring 81 in all & these blocks are altered by 12 flat roofs, giving a very
distinct shadow upon the interiors. One can take the eastern flank stairs to
reach the roof and a visit is imperative to comprehend the mathematical
beauty of its design.

42. Hauz Khas
 The name Hauz Khas in Urdu language is derived from the words
HAUZ: water tank (or lake) and KHAS: the royal- the ROYAL TANK.
 The water body was built by Khilji. But it was de-silted during the
reign of Firuz Shah Tughlaq.
 Several buildings (mosque and madrasa) and tombs were built
overlooking the water tank.
 Firus Shah Tughlaq’s tomb pivots the L-shaped building complex
which overlooks the tank.

45. Tomb of Firoz Shah
 There are four graves inside the tomb, one is of Firuz Shah and two
others are of his son and grand son.
 The main feature of the tomb is its solidity and lack of decoration.

46.  The dome with a square plan – 14.8
m (48.6ft) in length and has a
diameter of 8.8 m (28.9 ft).
 The tomb with a square chamber is
made of local quartzite rubble with
a surface plaster finish.
 The door, pillars and lintels were
made of grey quartzites while red
sandstone was used for carvings of
the battlements.
 The doorway depicts a blend of
Indian and Islamic architecture.
 Another special feature, the stone
railings are provided at the
entrance of the tomb from south.
 Squinches and muqaranas are seen
in the interior walls of the tomb.

47. Tomb of Telangani
 The tomb of
Tilangani (1369)
was the first such
tomb of the
octagonal form
in India.
 The tomb of Rukn i Alam in Multan is
the only earlier example of an
octagonal form in the subcontinent.

48.  An octagonal passageway runs around the central chamber, and
supports eight small domes, one on each side of the octagon.
 The central octagon rises up higher than the apex of these domes,
and supports the main central dome, capped by a decorative finial.
 Each of the faces of the outer octagon (passageway) is pierced
by three arched openings.
 The tomb of Tilangani is tucked away inside the present day
Nizamuddin village.
 Only small parts of the original wall can be seen through the
concrete jungle all around.
 Even the tomb is in a very poor state of repair.
 Lack of awareness amongst even the local residents about the
immense historical and architectural importance of the tomb results
in very little respect for the structure.
 A number of haphazard additions and alterations also appear to have
been carried out without any knowledge or concern for the
architectural language of the original structure.

49. Islamic Architecture:
Sayyid Dynasty

50. Sayyid Period
 The Sayyid period was too short to evolve elaborate buildings,
but the octagonal tombs of the time possess a distinct
architectural character.
 More than 50 Domes Were Constructed during Sayyid and Lodhi
Dynasties.
 Most important examples are:
1. Tomb of Mubarak Sayyid.
2. Tomb of Muhammad Sayyid.
3. Tomb of Sikandar Lodhi.
4. Tomb of Sher Shah Suri.

51.  The Mubarak Sayyid Tomb is octagonal in plan with a massive dome
and eight octagonal roof kiosks (chhatri) on each side.
 The roof kiosks occupy the middle of the sides and stone buttresses
are set at the corners of structure.
 This design gives the tomb a pyramidal effect as a whole.
 The funerary mosque stands near the tomb, it is assumed that the
tomb and mosque once stood within precinct walls.
Tomb of Mubarak Sayyid

52.  This beautiful tomb is Octagonal in plan with dome.
 It is located near south-west corner of lodhi garden.
 Architecture follows style of tomb of Telangani and Tomb of
Mubarak Shah Sayyid with modifications .
 Central dome surrounded by chhatris in the middle .
 Each octagonal side has a three-arch openings with Inclined
columns at corners.
Tomb of Muhammad Sayyid

53. Islamic Architecture:
Lodhi Dynasty

54. Lodhi’s Style
 Sikander Lodhi established the city of Agra and made it as his capital.
 The Lodhis introduced the concept of double dome built upon other,
leaving some space in between.
 Two different types of tombs with octagonal and square plans began
to be constructed.

55.  The tomb of Sikander Lodi is built without kiosks and has a double
dome -a Persian concept – an inner and outer shell.
 On each of the octagonal side are arched verandahs.
 The tomb is the focus of an elaborately landscaped garden within a
walled enclosure and gateways on all four surrounding sides.
 This maqbara is similar in design to the Muhammad Shah Sayyid
Maqbara, except that:
1. A large wall enclosure
surround the tomb,
of which the western
wall serves the purpose
of a mosque.
2. There are no chhatris
around the dome.
3. The dome is a double-dome.
4. At the top of the dome,
there is a lotus.

56. Islamic Architecture:
Sher Shah Regimes

57. Sher Shah Regimes
 In 1537, when Babur's son Humayun was elsewhere on an expedition,
Sher Khan over ran the state of Bengal and established the Sur dynasty.
It is octagonal plan topped by a dome surrounded by ornamental domed kiosks.

58.  The tomb of Sher Shah is placed on an
artificial lake, connected by means of
causeway to the mainland.
 The form is pyramidal in five distinct
stages.
 The shape of the structure changes at
each level from a square basement to
octagonal tiers and a circular dome.
 The height increases with kiosks at each
angle, the plan being octagonal in shape.
 The lower storey is in the form of a
verandah having triple arches in each of
its sides with a projecting chajja and a
high parapet with merlon motifs.
 An error in orientation of the tomb along
the cardinal axis was corrected after the
lower platform has been built.
 This correction results in the curious
diagonal relationship between the lower
and upper plans.