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Year / Part: II / II
Lecture #1
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
Lecture No. 1
SOURCE OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA
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Muslim invasion in Indian sub-continent results in the establishment of
their capital at Delhi in late 12th century
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Having defeated the Rajputs (Prithviraj Chauhan), a Turkish slave of
Mohammed Ghori, Qutb – ud – din Aibak becomes first king under the
Slave Dynasty
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Totally new religion of Islam was brought to India results in the encounter
of two diametrically opposites principles in terms of religion, rituals, beliefs
and thus in architecture too
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Gradual fusion of two seemingly opposite ideas in the Indian land giving
birth to Indo – Islamic Architecture
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Hindu – ancient, idealistic, visionary, abstract
Islam – younger, realistic, materialistic, concrete
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Muslim ruler’s strong desire and need to erect buildings in the Indian land
 to mark their victory
 for religious purpose
had the beginning of building activities, which later on to be executed in
much variety of both religious and secular buildings

Hindu confined almost entirely to temples but Islamic architecture in India
is represented by many different types of buildings
Religious – Mosques, tombs, minarets
Secular – Town, forts, palaces, houses, gateways, pavilions and gardens
LANGUAGE OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
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Unlike Hindu architecture and their style of trabeated system, Islamic
architecture is essentially arcuated, with use of arch
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much borrowing from Byzantine architecture – esp. cubes and domes
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Two dominant elements used, pointed arch and domical roof form
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Hindus believed in mystique symbolism of god in iconography, Islam
preferred to have straightforward structure with no shrine
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Hindu edifices enjoyed rich sculptural outlining while Islamic architecture
allowed only scripture, floral and geometric patterns
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
1
Year / Part: II / II

Lecture #1
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
Early Islamic building esp. mosques were established over the foundation
of demolished Hindu buildings with the use of material and elements from
them
(in later periods, Muslims started to use brand new material with rich
carvings using Hindu craftsmen)
OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT OF INDO – ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Delhi styles

marked the beginning since 12th century
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the patronage includes
 the slave kings (1191 – 1287 AD)
 the Khalijis (1290 – 1321 AD)
 the Tughlaqs (1321 – 1412 AD)
 the Sayyids (1414 – 1443 AD)
 the Lodis (1451 – 1526 AD)
 the Suris(1539 – 1555 AD)
Regional developments
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Punjab (1150 – 1325 AD)
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Bengal (1300 – 1550 AD)
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Jaunpur (1360 – 1480 AD)
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Hyderabad (16th century)
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Bijapur (1150 – 1325 AD)
The Mughal period (1526 – 1837 AD)
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latest and ripest form of Indo – Islamic architecture
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arrived at true character and achieved greatest splendor
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produced world famous structure “The Taj Mahal”
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
2
Year / Part: II / II
Lecture #1
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
EARLY MOSQUE IN INDIA: FORM AND BASIC REQUIREMENTS

concept derived from home of Mohammed in his birth place at Medina in
Arabia
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a rectangular open to sky courtyard (Sahn) oriented to face the holy
Mecca, surrounded by pillared verandah (Liwan)
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Western wall as the principle element with a recessed arch called Mihrab
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the Minar (tower) to deliver the holy sermon would also be present
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Screen facade and a dome to give necessary effect to the sanctuary
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Porticos and entrance halls as later additions
THE QUTB COMPLEX (1195 – 1320 AD)
Present ruins at the Qutb Complex, Delhi comprised of following buldings /
structures.
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Quwwat – ul – Islam Mosque
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Qutb Minar
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Alai Darwaza (along with the extension of Qutb Complex)
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Alai MInar (Incomplete)
Quwwat – ul – Islam Mosque, Delhi (1195 AD)
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Built by Qutb – ud – din Aibak in response to the need of having a place of
worship on the conquered territory
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Quwwat – ul – Islam literally meaning “the power of Islam”
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Built over the foundation of Hindu temple
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Consists of a rectangular courtyard of size 66m X 46m
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Use of columns, beams and brackets from demolished Hindu temples as
pre-fabricated building elements – defacing the sculpture present
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Superimposition of one column over the another where extra height was
required
The arched screen
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Becomes important architectural element for aesthetic improvement
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Central tall arch with two smaller arches on each side
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Ogee shaped arch constructed in corbelled system – not the true arch
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Edges of the stone rounded off to give smooth effect of the arch
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
3
Year / Part: II / II
Lecture #1
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
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Arch covered with veneer of red sand stone
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Whole façade covered with floral and calligraphy – Islamic decaration
The roof
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Use of dome constructed by corbelling several successive rings of stone –
not a true dome
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Outer surface of dome was made smooth by applying thick layer of lime
plaster
Qutb Minar, Delhi (1199 AD)
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Qutb – ud – din’s most important contribution that turned out to be an
edifice with no parallel in Islamic architecture
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Remains the most eye – catching monuments even today
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A vertical axis or a pole or a shaft built to mark the victory
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Served as minarets for giving a prayer calls (Azaan) by priest
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Also served as a watch tower because of its remarkable height
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14.3 m diameter at base and tapers to diameter 2.7 m
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72.5 m in height and approached by central spiral staircase with 360 steps
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Verticality of the tower is broken by four balconies projected out from
stalactite – like pendentives
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Consists of four storey, each storey being different in section
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The lowest section has stellate or wedge shape flanges with alternating
rounded flutes, second having circular projection, third is star – shaped
while the fourth is simple round
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Faced with red sandstone except for the two uppermost storey faced with
white marble
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Covered with scriptures and decorative patterns
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
4