Sharqi architecture
Encyclopedia
Sharqi architecture or Jaunpur architecture is a type of Indo-Islamic architecture
.
was founded by Malik Sarwar, a noble of Feroz Shah Tughlaq, in 1394. In the wake of Timur
's invasion and sack of Delhi, Jaunpur took over from the capital as centre for scholars and writers.
Under Sharqi rule, architecture developed under a provincial influence that resulted in an Indo-Islamic style noted for its characteristic arched pylons in the center of the facades, two storey arcades, monumental gateways and the unifying use of the depressed four-centered arch with a fringe of ornament.
Jaunpur fell to Sikander Lodi of Delhi in 1479 and many of the buildings, except the mosques, were destroyed.
The surviving architecture of Jaunpur consists exclusively of mosques. Moreover, all the surviving buildings produced unders the Sharqis are located in the capital city of Jaunpur.
The Sharqi architecture of Jaunpur carries a distinct impact of Tughlaq style, the battering effect of its bastion
s and minaret
s and the use of arch
-and-beam
combination in the openings being the two most prominent features. However, the most striking feature of the Jaunpur style is the design of the facade
of mosques. It is composed of lofty propylons with sloping sides raised in the centre of the sanctuary screen. The propylons consist of huge recessed arch framed by tapeing square minars, of exceptional bulk and solidity, divided into reqisters. The best examples can be seen in Atala Masjid
(built in 1408) and Jama Masjid
.
Evidently, the propylon was the key note of this style and occurs in no other manifestaion of Indo-Islamic architecture.
. This mosque is considered as a perfect example of early architecture.
are there which do not shed much light except for the names of some kings of Kannauj
.
Indo-Islamic Architecture
Islamic contribution to architecture in the Indian subcontinent is far reaching and undeniable. New modes and principles of construction were developed reflecting the religious and social needs of the adherents of Islam.-Masjid and Mandir:...
.
Start
The Sharqi kingdom of Jaunpur, Uttar PradeshJaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
Jaunpur is a city and a municipal board in Jaunpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Jaunpur district is located to the northwest of the district of Varanasi in the eastern part of the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. According to the 2001 census, Jaunpur district had a population...
was founded by Malik Sarwar, a noble of Feroz Shah Tughlaq, in 1394. In the wake of Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
's invasion and sack of Delhi, Jaunpur took over from the capital as centre for scholars and writers.
Under Sharqi rule, architecture developed under a provincial influence that resulted in an Indo-Islamic style noted for its characteristic arched pylons in the center of the facades, two storey arcades, monumental gateways and the unifying use of the depressed four-centered arch with a fringe of ornament.
Jaunpur fell to Sikander Lodi of Delhi in 1479 and many of the buildings, except the mosques, were destroyed.
The surviving architecture of Jaunpur consists exclusively of mosques. Moreover, all the surviving buildings produced unders the Sharqis are located in the capital city of Jaunpur.
Architectural features
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s and minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
s and the use of arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
-and-beam
Beam (structure)
A beam is a horizontal structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting bending. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads, own weight, span and external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment.- Overview...
combination in the openings being the two most prominent features. However, the most striking feature of the Jaunpur style is the design of the facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
of mosques. It is composed of lofty propylons with sloping sides raised in the centre of the sanctuary screen. The propylons consist of huge recessed arch framed by tapeing square minars, of exceptional bulk and solidity, divided into reqisters. The best examples can be seen in Atala Masjid
Atala Masjid, Jaunpur
Atala Masjid or Atala Mosque is a 15th-century mosque in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of the chief tourist attractions in Jaunpur. The mosque bears the evidences of the times in which it was built...
(built in 1408) and Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid, Jaunpur
Jama Masjid or Jami Masjid or Bari Masjid or Friday Mosque of Jaunpur is a 15th-century mosque in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India...
.
Evidently, the propylon was the key note of this style and occurs in no other manifestaion of Indo-Islamic architecture.
Atala Masjid
The oldest and the grandest of the Sharqi mosques and a striking archetype of Sharqi design is still unrenovated and only in slight disrepair. In 1408 AD, Ibrahim Shah Sharqi built the Atala Masjid. In this mosque, beautiful galleries were built with artistic walls. Its height is more than 100 feet (30.5 m). There are three huge gateways for entrance. The total perimeter of the mosque is around 248 feet (75.6 m). Its construction was started by Firoz Shah in 1393 AD. A courtyard is surrounded on three sides by pillared walls, and on the fourth by a high-ceilinged prayer hall. At the centre of the prayer hall is a domed sanctuary, and in front of the sanctuary a tall ornate portal, almost like a gopuram. The portal hides the main dome, a unique feature of Sharqi architecture. In the Atala Masjid, the gorgeous portal rises twenty-three metres, covered with ornate botanical engravings, creepers and flowers rather than the geometric detailing or calligraphy that you thought exhausted the Islamic lexicon of motifs.Jama Masjid
The Jama Masjid, built in 1470 by the last of the Sharqis, is a proud and sombre place, presaging the fall of the dynasty in less than a decade. The mosque sits atop a six-metre plinth, and the flight of steps leading up to it is steep, underlining your increasing proximity to heaven as you ascend. The courtyard of the Jami Masjid is spacious, plain, silent, with a central fountain and a pair of rustling date-palms, a very desert oasis. The sky above it is an unbroken vault. With a height of more than 200 feet (61 m) this mosque near Purani Bazar on the Shahganj road is an important monument of the Sharqi period. Its foundation has been laid at the time of Ibrahim Shah's rule and its construction was completed in various phases. It was finished during the reign of Hussain Shah. This mosque is very artistic and attractive. Its southern gateway is 20 feet (6.1 m) above ground level. The eastern gateway was destroyed by Sikandar Lodi. The outer boundary of the mosque is around 320 feet (97.5 m) on the east west and 307 feet (93.6 m) on the north-south side. The decorations, its engravings in the Egyptian style, the curves of its arches, the uniqueness of the Lotus, sunflower and rose motifs.Jhanjhari Masjid
This mosque is in the Sipah locality of Jaunpur on the northern bank of River Gomti. This was built by Ibrahim Shah Sharqi at the time of construction of Atala and Khalis mosques. It was the place of saints and pundits. Within this mosque there are some extremely beautiful arches. This arch is around 35 feet (10.7 m) high and 32 feet (9.8 m) wide. Despite being relatively small, this mosque is extremely beautiful. After its demolition by Sikandar Lodi, quite a lot of stones from here have been used in the Shahi BridgeShahi Bridge, Jaunpur
Shahi Bridge or Munim Khan's Bridge or Akbari Bridge or Mughal Bridge or Jaunpur Bridge is a 16th century bridge over river Gomti in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.-Location:...
. This mosque is considered as a perfect example of early architecture.
Masjid Lal Darwaza
This mosque was built in 1455 AD. It has three gateways and a courtyard. On two of its pillars some inscriptions in Sanskrit language and Pali languagePali language
Pāli is a Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is best known as the language of many of the earliest extant Buddhist scriptures, as collected in the Pāi Canon or Tipitaka, and as the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.-Etymology of the name:The word Pali itself...
are there which do not shed much light except for the names of some kings of Kannauj
Kannauj
Kannauj , also spelt Kanauj, is a city, administrative headquarters and a municipal board or Nagar Palika Parishad in Kannauj district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city's name is traditionally derived from the term Kanyakubja . Kannauj is an ancient city, in earlier times the capital...
.
External links
- Islamic Architecture in India in the Introduction to Islamic Architecture
- Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 1999 By Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland; Jaunpur and Zafarabad Inscriptions By Major W. Vost, I.M.S.