Some Aspects of Indo-Islamic Architecture Notes in English Class 11 Fine Art Chapter-8 Book-1

In the 7th and 8th centuries CE, Islam spread to regions like Spain and India through merchants, traders, saints, and conquerors. Though Muslims began building in places like Sind and Gujarat by the 8th century, large-scale Islamic architecture in India started with the Delhi Sultanate in the 13th century. While earlier Indian architecture used trabeate techniques (pillars, brackets, lintels), Islamic builders introduced the arcuate system with arches, voussoirs, keystones, and domes resting on pendentives and squinches—allowing large, open interiors. Indo-Islamic architecture emerged as a blend of local and Islamic elements, marked by a fusion of styles. Hindus decorated temples with sculptures due to their belief in multiple divine forms, while Islamic art avoided living forms, favoring arabesque, geometric designs, and calligraphy.

TYPOLOGIES OF STRUCTURES

To meet both religious and secular needs, a variety of architectural structures were built over time, including mosques, Jama Masjids, tombs, dargahs, minars, hammams, gardens, madrasas, sarais (inns), and Kos minars (milestones). These expanded the architectural landscape of the subcontinent. Such buildings were commissioned by wealthy patrons—rulers, nobles, merchants, and devotees. While Indo-Islamic architecture showed strong Saracenic, Persian, and Turkish influences, it also absorbed many Indian architectural and decorative elements. The final form of structures often depended on available materials, local craftsmanship, and the patron's aesthetic sense. Religion played a key role, but architectural borrowing across cultures was common.

CATEGORIES OF STYLES

The study of Indo-Islamic architecture is conventionally categorised into the Imperial Style (Delhi Sultanate), the Provincial Style (Mandu, Gujarat, Bengal, and Jaunpur), the Mughal Style (Delhi, Agra, and Lahore) and the Deccani Style (Bijapur, Golconda). These categories help in understanding better the specificities of architectural styles rather than putting them in immutable slots.

ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCES

Among provincial styles, Bengal and Jaunpur architecture are notably distinct. Gujarat's architecture shows strong regional influence, as patrons incorporated local temple elements like toranas, mihrab lintels, bell-and-chain motifs, and carved tree panels into mosques, tombs, and dargahs. A prime example is the 15th-century white marble dargah of Shaikh Ahmad Khattu at Sarkhej, which significantly influenced later Mughal tomb architecture.

DECORATIVE FORMS

Indo-Islamic architecture featured intricate surface decoration using plaster incision, stucco, stone carving, and painting. Floral motifs, including local and Persian varieties, were common—lotus buds adorned arches, while trees like cypress and chinar decorated walls. Ceilings displayed elaborate floral designs also seen in textiles and carpets. Tiles in blue, turquoise, green, and yellow were used from the 14th to 16th centuries, along with techniques like tessellation and pietra dura for wall panels. Lapis lazuli sometimes decorated interiors. Other elements included arabesque, calligraphy, relief carvings, and jalis. Arches ranged from plain to trefoil designs, with spandrels bearing medallions. Roofs combined central domes, chatris, small minarets, and were crowned with an inverted lotus and pinnacle.

MATERIALS FOR CONSTRUCTION

The walls of Indo-Islamic buildings were very thick and mostly built using easily available rubble masonry, later covered with chunam (lime plaster) or dressed stone. A wide variety of stones like quartzite, sandstone, buff, and marble were used. Polychrome tiles added decorative finishes to the walls. From the 17th century onwards, bricks became common, offering greater structural flexibility and reflecting increased use of local materials in construction.

FORTS

1. Importance of Forts in Medieval Times

Forts symbolized the power and sovereignty of a king. Losing a fort often meant the loss of independence or having to accept the authority (suzerainty) of the conqueror. More than just military bases, forts also served as royal residences and administrative centres, playing a central role in governance and control.

2. Common Features of Medieval Forts

Forts were often built on commanding heights to ensure better visibility, strategic defense, and to provide ample space for palaces and administrative buildings. Their elevated position also helped to impress and awe the population. These forts typically had multiple layers of defense, such as concentric walls (like in Golconda), complex entrances, and confusing pathways to deter invaders. Inside, they included water reservoirs, temples, and residential areas, functioning as self-contained cities.

3. Major Forts and Their Special Features

• Golconda Fort (Telangana) was built with concentric circular walls, providing layered defense—invaders had to breach multiple walls to enter the inner fort.

• Daulatabad Fort (Maharashtra), formerly Devgiri, featured strategic defenses like staggered entrances to block war elephants, twin forts (one inside the other, placed higher), and maze-like paths designed to confuse attackers, often leading to traps or deadly falls.

• Gwalior Fort (Madhya Pradesh), perched on a steep hill, was nearly impossible to scale and housed many residential and administrative buildings. Even Babur, critical of much in India, was deeply impressed by this fort.

• Chittorgarh Fort (Rajasthan), the largest fort in Asia, served as a seat of power for centuries. It is famed for its victory towers (stambhas), numerous water bodies, and stories of legendary bravery and sacrifice, making it a rich source of folk tales and heroic legends.

4. Decorative and Artistic Aspects

Forts were not merely military structures—they also housed palaces with rich architectural and decorative styles. These palaces displayed a blend of regional and foreign influences, showcasing artistic fusion in their design. Many forts stand as examples of combined artistic traditions, reflecting the cultural richness and diversity of their time.

MINARS

Minars, or towers, were prominent features in medieval Indian architecture, serving both practical and symbolic purposes. The most striking examples are the Qutub Minar in Delhi and the Chand Minar at Daulatabad Fort. Used for the azaan (call to prayer), their great height also represented royal power. The Qutub Minar, built in the 13th century, stands 234 feet tall with five storeys, made mainly of red and buff sandstone and some marble, featuring ornate balconies and inscription bands with foliated designs. The 15th-century Chand Minar is 210 feet tall with four storeys, once decorated with chevron tiles and Quranic verses. Though it resembles Iranian structures, it was built by both local and foreign craftsmen.

TOMBS

Monumental tombs over the graves of rulers and royals were a prominent feature of medieval Indian architecture. Notable examples include the tombs of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, Humayun, Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan (Delhi), and Akbar and Itmad-ud-Daulah (Agra). These tombs symbolized eternal paradise, with Quranic inscriptions and paradisiacal elements like gardens or water bodies. Structures like Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj Mahal followed the charbagh (four-part garden) layout. While representing peace and the afterlife, these grand tombs also reflected the power and glory of the rulers buried within.

SARAIS

An interesting feature of medieval India was the sarais, which surrounded cities and were spread across the subcontinent. Built on simple square or rectangular plans, sarais served as temporary lodgings for travelers, pilgrims, merchants, and traders—both Indian and foreign. These public spaces brought together people from diverse cultural backgrounds, promoting cross-cultural interaction, mutual influence, and the development of syncretic cultural practices among the masses.

STRUCTURES FOR COMMON PEOPLE

A notable aspect of medieval Indian architecture was the fusion of styles and techniques in non-royal spaces. This blend was seen in homes, temples, mosques, khanqahs, dargahs, gateways, pavilions, and bazaars, showcasing a rich mix of cultural and artistic influences in everyday public and private life.