This document provides an overview of provincial architecture in the Deccan region of southern India during the Bahmani and Qutub Shahi dynasties. It discusses the Gulbarga, Bidar and Golkonda phases, highlighting key structures from each period. In Gulbarga, it describes the fortified Gulbarga fort and the Jami Masjid mosque built in the 14th century with a unique amalgamation of Persian and Indian architectural styles. In Bidar, it outlines the 15th century Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan educational complex and the Solah Khamba mosque. It also examines the Bai Harir-ni-Vav stepwell in Gujarat with its five underground

1. Provincial Style- I

2. • Gulbarga, Bidar, Golkonda, Bijapur and
Khandesh
• Rulers in the Deccan largely ignored the local art
and produced an independent style of their
own
• Influences in this style come from two main
sources:
1. Delhi style: Due to the forced migration of
Muhammad Tughlaq from Delhi to
Daulatabad, many influences of Tughlaqian
Delhi were brought to the south.
2. Persian Style: Due to the migration of Persians
to southern India via sea.
Provincial architecture: Deccan

3. Deccan style can be divided into 3 main phases:
1. Gulbarga Phase (Bahmani Dynasty)- Laying the foundations
of the style.
2. Bidar Phase (Bahmani & Barid Dynasties)- After moving the
capital of the Deccan sultanate from Gulbarga to Bidar, the
style developed under the Bahmani and later the Barid
dynasties.
3. Golkonda Phase (Qutub Shahi Dynasty): The capital of the
Deccan sultanate finally moved to the southern city of
Golkonda, the stronghold of the ruling Qutub Shahi dynasty.
Provincial architecture: Deccan

4. Gulbarga

5. • It was built by sultan Ala-ud-din-bahamani in 1327
• Materials used are granite and lime mortar
• Area- 0.5acres and periphery length-3km
• It is well fortifies with double fortification
• A 90ft(27.4m) wide double moat surrounds the fort
• The fort is a monumental structure highly fortified with
16 towers
• Wall is 50ft(15.2m) thick
Gulbarga fort

6. Gulbarga fort
A
B
D
C

7. Gulbarga fort

8. Gulbarga fort

9. Gulbarga fort

10. Gulbarga fort

11. Jami Masjid

12. Jami Masjid
• Commissioned by Mohammad Shah I of Bahamani dynasty with
rectangular shape with Mihrab on west end with trefoil arch
• No courtyards and minarets but courtyard arcade of pointed arches
on three elevations.
• The style is neither Persian nor Indian, but both are amalgamated so
as both can be unidentifiable.
• The structure measures 216' X 176', with cloisters on three sides and a
spacious sanctuary with a dome on the western side.
• The central area is filled in with rows of aisles forming 63 bays, each
roofed by a cupola
• 27 Vaulted barrel roof above bays
• 250 arches and 140 square pillars
• Stone masonry with lime mortar
• Huge domes- squinches and small dome- pendentives of archway

13. Jami Masjid
• The dome is supported on the clerestory by
means of squinches, some of the arches
being gracefully foliated.
• Other constructional methods such as
oversailing courses of masonry and vaulting
are used in the aisles. This indicates a ripe
technical knowledge and experience of the
builders.
• The cloisters consist of a series of single
archways of a very wide span.
• In the middle of the northern cloister is a large
archway with the entrance which breaks the
symmetry of the design.
• The building has very little in terms of
ornamentation.

14. Jami Masjid
• Trefoil arch is on Mihrab
• Interior archways have
Moorish stalactite
(honeycomb work)
and pendentive
bracketing
• The mosque has
neither a courtyard nor
a hauz which are
found in traditional
mosques.
• The mosque is a
mixture of Persian and
Indo-Islamic
architecture

15. Jami Masjid

16. Jami Masjid

17. Bidar - Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan

18. Bidar - Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan

19. Bidar - Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan

20. Bidar - Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan
Built in A.D. 1472 by
Mahmud Gawan, a
Persian scholar and
minister of Mohammed
Shah II.
It was an Islamic
college having lecture
halls, library, mosque
and ample
accommodation for
both students and
professors.

21. Bidar - Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan • The building covered a
rectangle 205' X 180',
with a quadrangle in
the centre onto which
opened the halls and
chambers which
surrounded it on all
sides.
• Externally, three of the
sides have prominent
octagonal projections
in the middle which are
covered by a 'Tartar'
dome.
• The fourth side contains
the entrance and has
two tall minars in three
stages, one in each
corner.

22. Bidar - Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan
• The entire elevation is in
three storeys of arched
openings surmounted
by a wide parapet
• Most of the surface
treatment is composed
of colour produced by
glazed tiles. Schemes in
white, green and
yellow showing floral
patterns and
arabesques. A great
emphasis is placed on
decorative inscriptions.

23. Bidar - Madrassa of Mahmud Gawan
The foundations of the
building show that sheets of
lead were interposed
between courses of masonry
to prevent damp from
injuring the tiled surfaces.

24. Bidar – Jami Masjid – in Bidar fort
Also known as Solah khamba
mosque
From the name itself its
understood that the
monument is based on
sixteen distinct pillars and
has an enormous structure
altogether.

25. Bidar – Jami Masjid
A large well situated behind
the southern wall of the
mosque is a major attraction
Solah khamba mosque

26. Structure is 77ft( 23.46m) wide,295ft(
89.8m)long.
The mihrab in the middle of the liwan is
enclosed within a square compartment over
which rises a stiled Gulbarga type dome

27. Vavs - Gujurat

28. Vavs - Gujurat
• Stepwells, called vav in Gujarati, are
integral sources of water in the dry, arid
state of Gujarat.
• Acting simultaneously as shelters for
villagers, travellers and animals
• An underground well, a gradually
descending stepped passage leading
towards the well and, often, open hall-like
pavilions built into the passageway
• This passage may be additionally flanked
by embellished walls with carved
sculptures, shrines and niches.

29. Vavs - Gujurat
• Stepwells were excavated several stories
underground in order to reach the water
table, the level at which the soil or rock is
always saturated with water
• Islamic versions had more sedate
adornment and often incorporated
arched side-niches
• Both architectural types had cylinder
wells where water-gathering pulley
systems were sometimes employed.

30. Bai Harir-ni-Vav
• Also known as Dhai or
Dada Harir-ni-Vav, is a
stepwell built between
1485–99 CE by
a dhai (nurse)

31. Bai Harir-ni-Vav
• Built in sandstone
• Stepwell is five
stories deep
• Octagonal (8-
sided polygon) in
plan at the top

32. Bai Harir-ni-Vav

33. Bai Harir-ni-Vav
• The entrance to the stepwell has a domed canopy,
with the steps from the porch gradually descending
through five underground storeys towards the well,
which is 196 feet long and 40 feet wide at ground
level.
• Each storey features a covered gallery supported by
beams and columns accessible through the corridors
extending from each landing.
• The intricate carvings on all the beams, columns
and parapets bear Hindu motifs such as lotus rosettes,
diamonds and chequered geometric patterns, as well
as Islamic designs replete with vines and floral
creepers.

34. Bai
Harir-
ni-Vav

35. Bai Harir-ni-Vav