Year / Part: II / II
Lecture #3
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
Lecture No. 3
THE SAYYIDS AND LODIS (1414 – 1443 AD and 1451 – 1526 AD)

Concentrated more on tomb of basically two types
 Octagonal in plan with arched colonnade around – for royalties
 Square in plan and of 2 / 3 storey in height – for noblemen

Octagonal type
 Tomb of Mubarak Sayyid (1434 AD)
 Tomb of Muhammed Sayyid (1444 AD)
 Tomb of Sikander Lodi (1518 AD)

Square type
 Shish Gumbad
 Moth – ki – Masjid (1505 AD)

Do not show any significant aesthetic development

Large and impressive boat keel profiled domes – outstanding features

Lodi builders’ remarkable contribution were:
 in raising the dome to certain height with introduction of a second inner
dome in order to make inner chamber proportionate
 tomb becomes a focused central element with formal and elaborate
arrangement

Designation of domed tombs simply as “Gumbads”

Some notable Gumbads are
 Bara – Khan – ka Gumbad (1497 AD)
 Chota – Khan – ka Gumbad
 Bara Gumbad (1494 AD)
 Shish Gumbad
Tomb of Mubarak Sayyid (1434 AD)

Enlargement and refinement of the proportions of Tughlaq prototype

9 m long side of octagon with arched colonnade

The merlons on the parapet and kiosks above the verandahs

15 m high dome squatly placed over 21 m wide octagonal base –
improved in tomb of Muhammed Sayyid a decade later
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
1
Year / Part: II / II
Lecture #3
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
Tomb of Sikander Lodi (1518 AD)

A copy of tomb of Mubarak Sayyid, the kiosks being removed and
replaced by semi – minarets called Gulsastas attached the base

Placement of tomb within a garden, Lodi Gardens in New Delhi – a formal
and elaborate arrangement along with impressive gateways – clue for the
development of “Garden and tomb” of the Mughals
THE SURIS (1540 – 1555 AD)

An Afghan usurper, Sher Shah Sur seizes the throne of Delhi in 1540 AD
for 15 years period – results in Humayun’s exile to Persia

Built Purana Qila or Old Fort (the sixth Delhi) – a walled enclosure of
considerable size forming citadel

Inspired by Lodis – use of Lodi prototype
Tomb of Sher Shah Sur, Sasaram, Bihar (cir. 1540 AD)

Lodi prototype as base for design

Octagonal in plan and raised to the height of 45.6 m up on the square
base of 76 m side

Huge pyramidal mass arranged in five distinct stages

Pillared kiosks in each storey

Located in the unique setting, as placed in the middle of 426.7 m sided
artificially created water body approached through a gateway along a
causeway

Advanced structure till date with great imaginative efforts

The upper structure (tomb) being placed slightly off in diagonal way with
the lower platform probably due to the correction of error in the orientation
of tomb
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS / PROVINCIAL STYLES

Regional manifestation of Indo – Islamic architecture flourishing under the
patronage of various provincial rulers
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
2
Year / Part: II / II

Lecture #3
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
The style being distinct from central / imperial style at Delhi – regional in
character due to effects of local architecture and indigenous art, local
material and craftsmen and aspiration of local rulers

Architectural developments clearly seen in
 Special types of brackets
 Various types of archways
 Style and size of domes and turrets used
Punjab (Multan and Lahore, 1150 – 1325 AD)

Earliest emerging provincial style in the cities of Multan and Lahore

Use of brick along with carved timber beams – trabeated structural system

Brick walls with sloping profile for stability – battered walls

Concentration on tombs
Tomb of Shah – Rukhn – i – Khan, Multan (1320 – 24 AD)

Octagonal in plan with 27.4 m diameter base

Use of battered walls with tapering turrets at each corner of octagon

The tomb rises to height of 35 m with 15.2 m diameter dome

Use of bricks and timber as principle building material

Use of brilliantly glazed tiles to enhance the appearance

Timber beams are carved and laid sunken in walls

Tapering turrets work as both design and structural element

Battered walls helps in retaining the spreading action of dome above

The reducing mass of the pyramidal form helps in achieving structural
stability

Use of clerestory panels to admit light inside

The tomb is in clear contrast against the surrounding desert of Multan and
becomes the point of interest as building also sits on a terrace or high
ground – an attempt of domination
Bengal (Gaur and Pandua, 1300 – 1550 AD)

Use of local materials like timber, bricks, bamboo, glazed tiles
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
3
Year / Part: II / II

Lecture #3
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
Typical Bengal Roof profile being used in Islamic tombs too - the heavy
and continual rain becomes reason behind development of such sloping
roofs in indigenous buildings

Not so impressive and remarkable development however some buildings
are notable like
 Adina Masjid, Pandua, Bengal (1364 AD)
 Dakhil Darwaza, Gaur, (1465 AD)
Adina Masjid, Pandua, Bengal (1364 AD)

A huge Jami Masjid built by Sultan Sikander Shah in his new capital

Consists of courtyard measuring 122 m X 47 m with cloister around,
supported over about 260 pillars and also with no less than 378 brick
domes

five bay cloister in the west and other directions have three bay liwan

Portion of covered area is larger than the open court
Dakhil Darwaza, Gaur, (1465 AD)

Built by Barbak Shah, is the most artistic structure in brick

A triumphal archway 22.8 m wide and 18.2 m high consists of a central
vaulted with guard rooms on either sides

Circular tapering structure at the corners

Reminiscent of Delhi’s Tughlaq style

Certain amount of ornamentation is present in form of flaming suns,
rosettes, hangings lamps, niches, etc.
Jaunpur (1360 – 1480 AD)

City of jaunpur, located 36 km southeast of Varanasi, is said to
beestablished by Firoz Shah Tughlaq in 1360 AD, later comes under the
rule of Sharqi (literally eastern) dynasty

Use of great pylons becomes innovative character

Both Hindu and Tughlaq influence in buildings

Some notable examples
 Atala Masjid, Jaunpur (1408 AD)
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
4
Year / Part: II / II
Lecture #3
History of Eastern Architecture / Islamic Architecture / 2005
 Jami Masjid, Jaunpur (1438 – 78 AD)
Atala Masjid, Jaunpur (1408 AD)

Square shaped mosque with robust appearance

Use of great rectangular pylons in the center of liwan, influence of circular
tapering turrets of Tughlaqs resolved into rectangular shape

Hindu influence is present in bracketed openings

Huge arch springing between two pylons

On the either side of Maqsura pylon are two identical mini – pylons and
three separate gateways are also installed in northern, eastern and
southern liwan
Course Teacher: Ar. Rajjan Man Chitrakar
Architecture Dept. - nec
5