Page 50 - SST Class 07

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A Journey Towards

Cultural Assimilation

Sultanate era marked the evolution and develop- in Mehrauli of New Delhi. Here, some 27 Hindu
ment of a new-type of Hindu-Muslim architecture and Jain temples built previously during Tomars
in which decorative exuberance of the Hindu and Chauhans were destroyed. Using the same
architecture was toned down and its place was material in haste, the new mosques and minars
taken by new elements such as use of geometri- were built. Due to hasty process of their making,
cal shapes, calligraphy, inscriptional art, etc. the structural techniques of archs and dome were
However, the elements of Hindu architecture still not used. Many of these building collapsed later
formed the basis of new architectural style. This but, few of them are standing there even to this
was mainly because of three reasons. Firstly, the date. The important monuments in Qutub
Muslim rulers had to employ Indian architects Complex are as follows :
and masons; secondly, early mosques were built Alai Darwaza
by demolition of temples and the Muslim rulers
Mamluk Dynasty did not employ true Islamic
used the same material of Hindu temples in architecture styles and used false domes and false
making their mosques and tombs. Thirdly, rather arches. The first example of the true arch and
than building new monuments from scratch, the true dome is in Alai Darwaja located in Qutub
early Muslim rulers resorted to convert the Hindu Complex. It was built by Ala-ud-Din Khilji in
and Jain temples into mosques by making few 1311 AD.
alternations here and there.
From Delhi Sultanate era, we see the beginning
of use of the false arch and false domes (such as
Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque) to true arch and
domes (begins from Alai Darwaja) and reached
its mature phase as Indo-Islamic art in the
Mughal era.
While numerous square-plan mausoleums were
built in Delhi, the new form of octagonal plan
with a surrounding colonnade was developed
from the last stage of the Sayyid through the Alai Darwaza
Lodi rule. This is the best represented by Qutub Minar
Muhammad Shah’s Tomb (1443) and Sikandar
The minar is originally inspired by the Afghan
Lodi’s Tomb (1517/8) in Lodi Gardens.
architecture. It was to be built as a Victory Tower,
BUILDING MONUMENTS
to commemorate the victory of Muhammad
The starting point for the development of the
Ghori. Its construction, as we all know, was
Delhi Sultanate architecture was Qutub Complex
started by Qutub-ud-Din and was finished by

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