PROVINCIAL ARCHITECTURE MALWA
BY:ABHISHEK VALLABHANENI ASHISH PRAJAPATI SOURABH JOGI GAJENDRA KUMAR NIDHIN SUDHEER RITTICK MAJI
BY:ABHISHEK VALLABHANENI ASHISH PRAJAPATI SOURABH JOGI GAJENDRA KUMAR NIDHIN SUDHEER RITTICK MAJI
INTRODUCTION
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INDO-ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN MALWA PROVINCE TOOK TOOK PLACE WITH THE INVASION OF MUSLIM RULERS TO THESE AREAS IN LATE MEDEVIAL PERIOD.
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THE PROVINCE INCLUDED CITIES OF DHAR AND MANDU WHERE A LARGE NUMBER OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURES DEVELOPED DEVELOPED DURING SULTANATE PERIOD.
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THE KINGDOM OF MALWA SULTANATE WAS FOUNDED BY DILAWAR KHAN GHURI OF GHURI DYNASTY IN 1392 AND RETAINED DHAR AS THE CAPITAL.
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LATER THE CAPITAL WAS SHIFTED TO MANDU CITY.
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THE MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MALWA REGION ARE CONSTRUCTED IN MANDU REGION.
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THE MAJOR ARCHITECTURES AMONG THEM ARE :
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KAMAL MAULA MASJID (1400)
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THE LAL MASJID (1405)
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THE MASJID OF MALIK MUGHIS (1452)
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TAVELI MAHAL
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JAHAZ MAHAL*
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DILAWAR KHAN’S MOSQUE
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HINDOLA MAHAL*
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HOSHANG SHAH TOMB*
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JAMI MASJID*
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER •
INITIALLY THE ARCHITECTURE IN THIS REGION WERE CONSTRUCTED FROM TEMPLE MATERIALS.
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THEY CREATED NEW ARCHITECTURE ON THE RUINS OF HINDU TEMPLES.
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GRADUALLY THIS PRELIMINARY PERIOD WAS FOLLOWED BY A SPECIFIC STYLE OF BUILDING, REPRESENTED BY THE MONUMENTS OF ISLAM ORIGIN.
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DURING THIS PERIOD THEIR EXPERIENCED ARTISIANS CONSTRUCTED SEVERAL BUILDINGS THAT WERE IN CONTEMPLATION.
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THESE ARTISANS EXPERTLY CONSTRUCTED THE BUILDINGS AT MALWA AND INTRODUCED THE ORIGINAL ISLAMIC ELEMENTS AS WELL AS MOTIFS WHICH HELPED THE BUILDING ART TO ITS DISTINCTIVE
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THESE BUILDINGS WERE WONDERFULLY DECORATED IN WHICH COLOUR PLAYED AN IMP ROLE IN ARCHITECTURAL SCHEME.
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THIS COLOUR CONSEQUENCES WAS OBTAINDE BY TWO METHODS, PARTIALLY BY THE USE OF VARIOUS COLORED STONES AND MARBLE, AND PARTIALLY BY MEANS OF ENCAUSTIC TILES.
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THE PRINCIPAL MATERIAL USED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDING WAS SANDSTONE OF A LOVELY RED SHADE.
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DIFFERENT KINDS OF MABLES AND OTHER STONES OF DIFFERENT TINTS AND TEXTURES WERE ALSO USED
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SEVERAL SEMI PRECIOUS STONES SUCH AS JASPER, AGATE, AND CORNELIAN WERE COMBINED WITH MARBEL IN DECORATION OF THE
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THEY USED POINTED ARCHES IN BETWEEN THE PILLARS IN CENTRAL PORTIONS AS A SCHEME.
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THEY USED PORTICOS WHICH PROVIDE AN AREAL GRACE.
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THE MOSQUES WERE WONDERFULLY PLANNED AND CONSTRUCTED ON THE SAME PRINCIPAL AS THE FOREGOING, DIFFERING ONLY IN THEIR DIMENSIONS AND CERTAIN MATTERS OF ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL.
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THE COMMON FEATURE FOUND IN THE BUILDINGS IN THIS REGION ARE, ARCHED CHAMBERS, ARCHED PORTICOS AND A SERIES OF STEPS
EXAMPLES – JAHAZ MAHAL
JAHAZ MAHAL •
JAHAZ MAHAL CAME TO CHARACTERIZE AN ELEGANCE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE SYMBIOSIS OF INDIGENOUS AND OUTSIDE INFLUENCES IN LATE MALWA DESIGN.
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JAHAZ MAHAL IS A HAREM CONSTRUCTED BY GHAIS-UD-DIN.
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STRETCHED OUT ON A NARROW STRIP OF LAND BETWEEN THE TWO LAKES, MUNJ TALAO TO THE WEST AND KAPUR TALAO TO THE EAST, THE JAHAZ (SHIP) MAHAL (PALACE) IS AN APPROPRIATE NAME FOR THIS BUILDING.
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THE PALACE IS A DOUBLE STOREYED, RECTANGULAR STRUCTURE THAT IS 361 BY 56 FEET (110 BY 17 METERS) LONG AND 33 FEET (10 METERS) IN HEIGHT. THE WALLS ARE 3 FEET (0.86 METERS) THICK.
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STRETCHED ALONG THE NORTH-SOUTH AXIS, MOST OF THE BUILDING IS EXPOSED IN THE SUMMER TO THE COOL SOUTHWEST BREEZE.
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THE MAIN ENTRANCE IN THE EAST FAÇADE IS A RECESSED GOTHIC ARCHED OPENING.
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ON EACH SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE ARE SIX ARCHED OPENINGS THAT ARE PROTECTED BY A CONTINUOUS CHHAJJA (AWNING) SUPPORTED ON STONE BRACKETS.
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ABOVE IT IS A WIDE BAND OF PLASTER CARVED IN RELIEF WITH FALSE ARCHES AND FLORAL MOTIFS OF A FIVE-LEAF PATTERN.
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THE GROUND FLOOR CONSISTS OF THREE LARGE HALLS MEASURING 56 BY 36 FEET (17 BY 10.96 METERS) EACH, SEPARATED BY CORRIDORS MEASURING 12 BY 36 FEET (3.65 BY 10.96 METERS) AND SMALL ROOMS MEASURING 10 BY 36 FEET (3.04 BY 10.96 METERS) AT THE ENDS.
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THE MAIN ENTRANCE LEADS INTO THE MIDDLE HALL THAT HAS A PAVILION ATTACHED, WHICH PROJECTS OUT INTO THE MUNJ TALAO.
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THE PAVILION IS 18 FEET SQUARE (5.48 METERS SQUARE) FROM THE EXTERIOR, BUT IS UNIQUE IN THE INTERIOR BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL, DEEPLY RECESSED EQUILATERAL ARCHED WINDOWS, WHICH CREATE A STAR SHAPED INTERIOR.
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THE PAVILION HAS A SECOND LEVEL THAT IS ACCESSED BY THE TERRACE. HERE THE SQUARE PAVILION HAS AN ARCHED OPENING ON EACH SIDE AND A DOMED CEILING THAT IS DECORATED WITH BANDS OF AZURE AND YELLOW TILES.
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AT TERRACE LEVEL THERE ARE TWO RECTANGULAR PAVILIONS AT EACH END. THEY EACH MEASURE 40 BY 13 FEET (12.19 BY 3.96METERS) AND HAVE THREE ARCHED OPENINGS TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH AND ONE TO THE EAST AND WEST.
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INSTEAD OF A SINGLE ROOF STRUCTURE, THE ROOF HAS BEEN BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE SECTIONS. THE OUTER SECTION HAS A HEXAGONAL
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THE MIDDLE SECTION IS A DOMICAL VAULT INTERNALLY AND A CYLINDRICAL CUPOLA EXTERNALLY.
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THE THREE PAVILIONS WITH THEIR VARIED ROOF FORMS, ALONG WITH THE DOMED KIOSK POSITIONED AT THE TERRACE LEVEL OVER THE MAIN ENTRANCE, PREVENT THE PALACE FROM BEING A MASSIVE, RECTANGULAR BLOCK STRETCHING ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE.
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THEY BREAK UP THE HORIZONTALITY OF THE BUILDING AND ADD INTEREST TO THE PROFILE. THE PICTURESQUE IMAGE OF THE PALACE IS FURTHER EMPHASIZED BY THE REFLECTION OF THE PAVILIONS IN THE WATER, GIVING IT A ROMANTIC TOUCH.
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AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE TERRACE IS A BATH SIMILAR TO THE CISTERN ON THE GROUND FLOOR, BUT SMALLER IN SIZE, 39 BY 37 FEET AND 7 FEET DEEP (11.8 BY 11.3 METERS AND 2.1 METERS DEEP).
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IT HAS BROAD STEPS LEADING INTO IT AND A LANDING FOR THOSE NOT ADEPT AT SWIMMING. WATER IS BROUGHT VIA A CHANNEL THAT RUNS ALONG THE FRONT OF THE TERRACE.
HINDOLA MAHAL
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BUILT BY HUSHANG SHAH, PROBABLY AROUND A.D. 1425 AS A DURBAR HALL.
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THE WALLS ARE INORDINATELY THICK AND SLOPE LIKE THOSE OF A CASTLE. THE SLOPE OF OVER 77 DEGREES GIVES A SWINGING APPEARANCE TO THE BUILDING, HENCE THE NAME.
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THE PLAN IS 'T' SHAPED. THE UPRIGHT STEM BEING THE MAIN HALL (WHICH WAS BUILT FIRST), AND THE CROSS BAR IS A TRANSVERSE PORTION ADDED LATER.
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THE STRUCTURE WAS PROBABLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE ZENANA PLACE AS ANOTHER STOREY ABOVE THE MAIN HALL, WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN THE BULK AND STRENGTH OF THE WALLS.
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Main Hall •
OBLONG BUILDING 110' X 60' AND 35' HIGH.
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EACH OF THE LONG SIDED HAS 6 SUNKEN ARCHES WITH A DOORWAY BELOW AND A WINDOW ABOVE. THE SHORT SIDE HAS 3 SIMILAR ARCHES. THE CENTRAL ONE IS THE ENTRANCE.
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THE INTERIOR IS A LARGE HALL 881/2' X 24 1/2' AND 32' HIGH WITH 5 TRANSVERSE POINTED ARCHES SUPPORTING THE FLAT ROOF.
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THE FLAT ROOF RESTED ON TIMBER BEAMS WHOSE SOCKETS ARE STILL VISIBLE, THOUGH THE TIMBER PORTIONS THEMSELVES HAVE DISAPPEARED.
PLAN
Transverse Building •
IT IS IN THE SAME DIMENSIONS AS THE MAIN HALL, BUT IN TWO STOREYS.
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IT IS IN A LESS FORMAL STYLE WITH SOME ORIEL WINDOWS OF ARTISTIC DESIGN.
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THE GROUND FLOOR CONSISTS OF A CRUCIFORM GALLERY, A SHORT ARM OF WHICH OPENS INTO THE MAIN HALL. THERE ARE ALSO SUBSIDIARY PASSAGES NOT CONNECTING WITH THE GALLERY AND ENTERED BY A SEPARATE DOORWAY.
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THE FIRST FLOOR OVERLOOKS THE MAIN HALL THROUGH AN ARCHED OPENING. IT CONSISTS OF A LONGITUDINAL HALL OF 70' X 40' DIVIDED INTO 3 AISLES BY 2 ROWS OF PILLARS AND A TRANSVERSE CHAMBER WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN A RETIRING ROOM.
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JAMI MASJID
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STARTED BY HUSHANG SHAH AND FINISHED BY MAHMUD I IN A.D. 1440.
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MOSQUE COVERS A SQUARE OF 288' SIDE, PROLONGED ON EASTERN FRONT BY ANOTHER 100' BY A PROJECTING DOMED ENTRANCE HALL AND A WIDE FLIGHT OF STEPS.
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THERE ARE ALSO TWO SUBSIDIARY ENTRANCES TO THE NORTH, ONE FOR THE PRIESTS AND THE OTHER A PRIVATE ENTRANCE FOR THE ZENANA.
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BEING RAISED ON A HIGH PLINTH, THIS ENABLES THE FRONT SIDE OF THE BASEMENT TO CONTAIN A SERIES OF ARCADED CHAMBERS TO BE USED AS A SERAI.
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THE ENTRANCE HALL BEARS TRACES OF EXQUISITELY COLOURED BORDERS AND PANELS IN GLAZED TILES. THE DOMED GATEHOUSE RESPONDS TO THE THREE SIMILAR DOMES OF THE SANCTUARY ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE COURTYARD.
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THE COURTYARD IS A SQUARE OF 162' SIDE, SURROUNDED BY ARCADED AISLES. ELEVEN OPENINGS ON EACH SIDE FORMING A FACADE FOR THE PILLARED HALLS BEYOND.
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THE PILLARED HALLS ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH ARE 3 AISLES DEEP, THAT ON THE EAST IS 2 AISLES, WHILE THE WESTERN SANCTUARY IS 5 AISLES DEEP.
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IN ADDITION TO THE 3 LARGE DOMES AT TOP THE SANCTUARY, THE ENTIRE ROOF IS COVERED WITH A SYMMETRICAL PATTERN OF CYLINDRICAL CUPOLAS, ONE OVER EACH BAY OF THE INTERIOR, THUS MAKING 158 IN ALL.
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SCULPTURED MIHRABS ARE PRESENT AT REGULAR INTERVALS IN THE QIBLA WALL WITH AN ELEGANTLY DESIGNED MIMBAR IN THE CENTRAL BAY.
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THE OVERALL DESIGN OF THE MOSQUE GIVES AN APPEARANCE OF QUIET SOLEMNITY, RELYING MAINLY UPON THE SIMPLE BROAD TREATMENT OF ITS CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS, ESCHEWING ORNAMENTATION APART FROM THE MIHRABS AND MIMBAR AND SOME RESTRAINED COLOUR DECORATION.
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HOSHANG SHAH TOMB
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CONCEIVED AND PARTLY BUILT BY HUSHANG SHAH, COMPLETED BY MAHMUD I IN 1440 A.D.
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THE TOMB STANDS IN A SQUARE ENCLOSURE CONTIGUOUS WITH THE WESTERN WALL OF THE JAMI MASJID AT MANDU, APPROACHED BY A DOMED PORTICO ON THE NORTH, WITH A PILLARED CLOISTER ON THE WEST FOR DEVOTIONS OR ACCOMMODATION.
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THE TOMB ITSELF IF A SQUARE STRUCTURE OF 86' SIDE, WITH 30' HIGH WALLS SURMOUNTED BY A LARGE CENTRAL DOME WITH A CUPOLA ON EACH CORNER, STANDING ON A SQUARE PLINTH OF 100' SIDE.
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THE WALLS ARE FACED WITH WHITE MARBLE RELIEVED BY OCCASIONAL PATCHES OF COLOUR.
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THERE ARE TRIPLE OPENINGS ON TWO OF ITS SIDES, WITH THE CENTRAL ARCHWAY ON THE SOUTH PROVIDING THE ENTRANCE, WHILE THE OTHER TWO SIDES ARE PLAIN, UNINTERRUPTED WALLS.
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