LECTURE 09

PROVINCE OF GUJARAT:
FEUDALISM IN CENTRAL INDIA
AD 1299 - AD 1550

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

CONTENT
PART A: CONTEXT
1. INITIATION AND DEVELOPMENT
2. GENESIS OF IDEOLOGY
3. BUILDING TYPOLOGY
4. SPATIAL ORGANIZATION
5. ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
6. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALS

PART B: RELEVANT BUILDING EXAMPLES

PART C: EXAMPLES FROM PRESENT PERIOD
PART D: LEARNINGS FROM THE LECTURE
AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

1. INITIATION &
DEVELOPMENT
Western sea coast in high state of civilization before
subjugation by Mohammadans
Islamic architecture influenced by Hindu architecture
Allaudin Khalji captured capital city Karnavati in AD 1299
from Karna Waghela
Gradual decline of Hindu power followed by rule of
Muslim Governors from Delhi
Local rulers declared independence at the time of
Tughlaqs
Muslim rulers appropriated themselves to the beautiful
Gujarati style for preparation of their mosques and
tombs
AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

2. GENESIS OF
IDEOLOGY
Muslim rulers as rich as Jaina kings for the revenue from
sea trades
Due to lack of interest of Muslim rulers, Hindu & Jaina
craftsmen developed their style Mohammadan
Architecture of Gujarat
Needed to introduce pointed arch to the style and delete
the figurative sculptures

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

3. BUILDING TYPOLOGY

MOSQUE
TOMB
RAUZA
VAV
MINARETS

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

B. RELEVANT BUILDING
EXAMPLES
JAMI MASJID AT BHAROCH
JAMI MASJID AT CAMBAY
MINARETS
JAMI MASJID AT AHMEDABAD

RAUZA OF SARKHEJ
WELL RETREAT OF ADALAJ
JAALI OF SIDDHI SAYYID

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID AT
BHAROACH
Earliest building efforts, columns of Hindu temples,
replanted octagonally for 3 corbelled domes, 30 ft. dia.
Domes separated by flat roofed aisle and surrounded on
all four sides by aisles of equal width
Long western wall and two short sides of solid masonry
Walls with arched and trellised apertures for ventilation
Eastern wall with Hindu chajja below its parapet

Courtyard defined by walls, added to liwan

Proportioned front colonnade, chajja and domes in
accordance with meticulous geometry of Hindu buildings
AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID AT
BHAROACH

PLAN OF JAMI MASJID AT BHAROCH

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID AT
BHAROACH

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID AT
CAMBAY
Emulation of Jamat Khana Masjid built at Delhi during
the rule of Ala-ud-din Khalji.
Liwan Faade composed of blank screen wall with
central arch & two subsidiary ones with merlon parapet
Fourteen domes over the interiors of liwan
212 ft. X 252 ft. hall with flat roofed aisle and a series of
twenty one domes over octagonal column bays
Entrance gateway in middle of eastern cloisters: virtually
re-erected temple portico with dome added on for
Islamic effect
Sub structure of Umer Bin Ahmed Kazaruni outside the
southern cloisters
AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID AT
CAMBAY

VIEW OF MOSQUE AT CAMBAY

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID AT
CAMBAY
PLAN OF MOSQUE
AT CAMBAY

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID AT
CAMBAY

DETAILS FROM MOSQUE AT

CAMBAY
AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

MINARS
Minarets, feature of Islamic Architecture
at Gujarat
Inspiration from Tughlaq style: circular
buttresses flanked by central arched
pylon
Neither style nor structural details
devised for minarets

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID,
AHMEDABAD
Jami Masjid for imperial ceremonials
Processional Kings Way, connecting palace gates
with northern side of mosque
Triumphal arch Teen Darwaza, entrance gateway to
royal square of citadel
Completed in AD 1423, measures 382 ft. X 258 ft.
Architectural theme of design scheme is contrast
Solid, walled & buttressed central triple-arched
composition flanked by airy lightness of peri-styler
verandas
Alternation & interplay of light & shade among frontal
columns visible through arches of central pylon
AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID,
AHMEDABAD

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID,
AHMEDABAD
210 ft. X 950 ft. liwan consists some 300 tall slender
pillars
Central shaft of space rising vertically through two tiers
of flanking balconies.
Central dynamic volume roofed by large corbelled dome
resting over an octagonal ring of columns

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAMI MASJID,
AHMEDABAD
All eight facades filled
in with panels of
jaalis
Balconies
provided
sufficient
zenana
apartment for ladies
Central bay as open
shaft generating cool
air currents
Upper storey of two
mysteriously shaking
minarets destroyed in
an earthquake

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

RAUZAS OF GUJRAT
Ahmed Shahs tomb adjacent to Jami Masjid,
rationalized the concept of Rauza
Rauza consists of tomb and mosque confronting one
another, complementary in design
Rauza of Sayyid Usman at Usmanpura, suburb of
Ahmedabad
100 ft. square mausoleum, inner ring of twelve columns
to hold up the central dome
Central enclosure surrounded by two concentric aisles
formed by bunching columns in clusters of four
Small dome planted at each corner to complete
panchatayana plan form
AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

SARKHEJ RAUZA
Mohammed Shah, built tomb for Sheikh Ahmed Khattri,
at Sarkhej ,six miles SW of Ahmedabad, in AD 1441
Sarkhej, picturesque suburban retreat with palaces,
gardens, pavilions, gateways, large artificial lake
Tomb and mosque built in honor of Sheikh added to
grandness of Sarkhej
Appeal of both structures lies in sumptuous largeness
rather than architectural details
Mosque, 225 ft. X 157 ft., with variety of Hindu columns

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

SARKHEJ RAUZA
Equally huge tomb with columnar sq. hall of 104 ft. side
Central domed portion of hall enclosed within an
unusual brass framed screen
Small pavilion in front of tomb structured on 16 tall,
graceful shafts, devoid of any ornamentation
Roofed with nine small domes, internally & externally
pleasing mode of roofing
Central bay as open shaft generating cool air currents
Upper storey of two mysteriously shaking minarets
destroyed in earthquake

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

SARKHEJ RAUZA

LAYOUT
PLAN OF
GARDEN
SUBURBS
AT
SARKHEJ

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

WAV, WELL RETREAT

In Ahmedabad, well retreats, shelters from summer heat

These wavs of Gujarat were not merely erections over

the well shaft but took the form of extensive
subterranean galleries of a highly architectural order.
Well shaft with flight of steps leading to water level.
Series of underground compartments one over other,
arranged around the shaft.
Pillars, capitals, railings, wall surfaces & cornices all
profusely sculptured.
Prominent examples: Adalaj ni wav, Bai Hari ni wav,
Ahmedabad (AD 1499), Bhamaria well on outskirts of
Mahmudabad
AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

ADALAJ NI WAV

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

ADALAJ NI WAV

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAALIS OF SIDDI SAYYID

Ahmedabad remained the pivot of Gujarat Muslim
Empire
Siddi Sayyid Mosque, built in AD 1515, entire faade of
mosque liwan was installed
Customary minarets relegated to the northern and
southern extremities
Sober and handsome structure, no means of great
architecture
Jaali infill panels in arched aperture in western wall of
liwan, masterpiece of art

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

JAALIS OF SIDDI SAYYID

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

PART C:
CONTEMPORARY
EXAMPLES

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16

PART C:

AR. SONIA MAHESHWARI; FOD @ MUJ; ACADEMIC SESSION 2015-16