The
walls of the mosque, decorated with a wide range of
arabesque designs and geometric patterns are a reflection
and reproduction of nature and God's creations. The
most important wall in the mosque, and also the mostly
decorated one, is the wall facing the qiblah. The mihrab,
is a small niche in the centre of the qiblah wall of
the mosque that indicates the direction to Mecca. The
mihrab in the mosque of Bijapur Deccan, with its colourful
and golden decorative details, and that of the mosque
of Islamabad, shaped as an open book in which Sura 55
is engraved, are among the most remarkable mihrabs ever
made.
a
vast rectangular structure with graceful arches, is
still in use, the Gagan Mahal, which house royal residences
and the Durbar Hall, is today in ruins, its roof has
collapsed and plaster is peeling off its high walls.
A towering grand arch, flanked by two narrower arches,
still stands. They flank the royal residence on the
two sides and the Durbar Hall in the middle, proceedings
where could be watched by the public through the grand
arch.
The mosque is considered one of the finest architectural
examples of the Adil Shahi period of Bijapur (1490-1686)
which became one of the local sultanates after 1518
when the Deccan based Bahmanids were dissolved into
five local sultanates. Construction of the mosque began
in the city's eastern quarter, in 1576 under Ali Adil
Shah I (r.1558-1580). Ali Adil Shah used the money from
the booty gained in the Raksas-Tagdi (Tali Kota), where
the united army of Muslim kings defeated Rama Raja in
1565, to finance the construction of this mosque.
Jamia
Masjid Bijapur A Distance View.
It
is the largest mosque of Bijapur and probably south
India, covering an area of 54, 250 square feet. The
main entrance gate is from the east, though the north
gate is used more frequently. The ground plan is a
large rectangular structure measuring 492 by 262 feet
(150 by 80 meters) with a square courtyard of 164
feet (50 meters).
A passage from the eastern gate leads into the courtyard,
which has fountains and a large reservoir in the center.
The perimeter walls are articulated on the exterior
by two orders of superimposed arches. The lower ones
are ornamental while the upper ones form a continuous
open gallery that runs along three sides of the mosque
and courtyard. The arches of the gallery facing the
courtyard have fine proportions and simple lines.
There are also several windows of pierced stone-work
carved in a variety of pattern. It is said that the
Raja of Satara built these side-walls connecting the
original mosque or main prayer hall to the eastern
wall.
Jamia
Masjid Bijapur The prayer hall inside the Mosque.
The prayer hall on the west side has a façade
of seven bays, each bay having an arched opening.
The arches are equal in size, while the central arch
is delineated through delicate arabesque patterns
in stucco. The prayer hall is crowned by an elegant,
well-proportioned dome. It has a diameter of 57 feet
(17.4 meters) and rises to 120 feet (36.6 meters)
from the ground. The dome is given even greater vertical
prominence by its small ornamental balustrade at the
base. The continuity of the balustrade is broken at
intervals of three arches by a guldasta (slender ornamental
minarets). The dome is capped by a metal terminal
upholding the symbolic crescent that proclaimed the
Adil Shahi's dynasty Turkish origin. By 1686 the mosque
was mostly completed. Though two minarets meant for
the east façade were never built and neither
were the parapets of the gallery around the courtyard
adorned with the usual merlons.
Jamia
Masjid Bijapur One of the entrance for mosque.
The interior of the mosque has refined clean lines
with minimal decorative elements. The plan of the
prayer hall is a large, measuring 230 by 118 feet
(70 by 36 meters), and is divided into five bay that
are parallel to the west (qibla) wall. The roof is
supported by massive square piers. The multiple lines
of arches reach the floor to form the surface of these
piers, lending the prayer hall a gothic air. The central
bay is a square space of 82 feet (25 meters). The
mosque can accommodate 5,000 worshippers at a time.
The floor was divided, on the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb,
into 2,250 rectangular inlays that mimic prayer rugs.
Jamia
Masjid Bijapur The Mehrab Of the mosquue, one of the
most beautiful mehrab of the mosques in the wolrd
decreated with gold and Other colors
When the mosque was built, it was conspicuous for
its austerity of decoration. Ali Adil Shah I (r.1558-1580)
was Shi'ite and the sect preferred not to decorate
in their places of worship. Muhammad Adil Shah (r.1627-1656)
was a Sunni and it was probably during his reign that
and elaborate mural decoration was added near the
mihrab. An inscription to the right of the mihrab
supports this view and also records a large addition
of teakwood made to the ceiling. The mihrab was also
gilded and decorated in black and gold. It was then
inscribed with Persian verses. The jamiya Mopsque
built by Sultan Ali Adil Shah. The mosque was so designed
that the voice of the Khateeb could be heard at the
far corners of the hall. European were awa sruck with
Engineering skills of its Architecture.
Six Persian inscriptions
found in mihrab are translated as:
1. Put no trust in life; it is short
2. The passing world has no rest
3. The world pleases the senses
4. Life is the best of gifts, but it lasts not.
5. Malik Yaqub, a servant of the mosque and the slave
of Sultan Muhammad finished the mosque
6. This gilding and ornament were done by order of
Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah, A.H. 1045.
The
unfinished Jami Masjid started in 1565 A.D. has an arcaded
prayer hall with fine aisles supported on massive piers
has a impressive dome.
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For References plase visit Refrence Page
Sources:
Alfieri, Bianca Maria. 2000. Islamic Architecture of
the Indian Subcontinent. London: Laurence King Publishing,
Verma, D.C. 1990. Social, Economic and Cultural History
of Bijapur. Delhi: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Dehli,
Volwahsen, Andreas and Henri Stierlin (Ed.). 199-. Islamic
India. Lausanne, Germany: Benedikt Taschen Verlag GmbH,
86, 87, 88. |
