Infuelnce of islam on architecture

Indian architecture took new shape with the advent of Islamic rule in India towards the
end of the 12th century AD. New elements were introduced into the Indian architecture
that include: use of shapes (instead of natural forms); inscriptional art using decorative
lettering or calligraphy; inlay decoration and use of coloured marble, painted plaster and
brightly coloured glazed tiles. Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque built in 1193 CE was the first
mosque to be built in the Indian subcontinent; its adjoining "Tower of Victory", the Qutb
Minar also started around 1192 CE, which marked the victory of Muhammad Ghori and
his general Qutbuddin Aibak, from Ghazni, Afghanistan, over local Rajput kings, is now
a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Delhi.

In contrast to the indigenous Indian architecture which was of the trabeate order i.e. all
spaces were spanned by means of horizontal beams, the Islamic architecture was arcuate
i.e. an arch or dome was adopted as a method of bridging a space. The concept of arch or
dome was not invented by the Muslims but was, in fact, borrowed and further perfected
by them from the architectural styles of the post-Roman period. Muslims used a
cementing agent in the form of mortar for the first time in the construction of buildings in
India. They further put to use certain scientific and mechanical formulae, which were
derived by experience of other civilizations, in their constructions in India. Such use of
scientific principles helped not only in obtaining greater strength and stability of the
construction materials but also provided greater flexibility to the architects and builders.
One fact that must be stressed here is that, the Islamic elements of architecture had
already passed through different experimental phases in other countries like Egypt, Iran
and Iraq before these were introduced in India. Unlike most Islamic monuments in these
countries, which were largely constructed in brick, plaster and rubble, the Indo-Islamic
monuments were typical mortar-masonry works formed of dressed stones. It must be
emphasized that the development of the Indo-Islamic architecture was greatly facilitated
by the knowledge and skill possessed by the Indian craftsmen, who had mastered the art
of stonework for centuries and used their experience while constructing Islamic
monuments in India.

Islamic architecture in India can be divided into two parts: religious and secular. Mosques
and Tombs represent the religious architecture, while palaces and forts are examples of
secular Islamic architecture. Forts were essentially functional, complete with a little
township within and various fortifications to engage and repel the enemy.

Mosques: The mosque or masjid is a representation of Muslim art in its simplest form.
The mosque is basically an open courtyard surrounded by a pillared verandah, crowned
off with a dome. A mihrab indicates the direction of the qibla for prayer. Towards the
right of the mihrab stands the mimbar or pulpit from where the Imam presides over the
proceedings. An elevated platform, usually a minaret from where the Faithful are
summoned to attend prayers is an invariable part of a mosque. Large mosques where the
faithful assemble for the Friday prayers are called the Jama Masjids.
Tombs: Although not actually religious in nature, the tomb or maqbara introduced an
entirely new architectural concept. While the masjid was mainly known for its simplicity,
a tomb could range from being a simple affair (Aurangazeb’s grave) to an awesome
structure enveloped in grandeur (Taj Mahal). The tomb usually consists of a solitary
compartment or tomb chamber known as the huzrah in whose centre is the cenotaph or
zarih. This entire structure is covered with an elaborate dome. In the underground
chamber lies the mortuary or the maqbara, in which the corpse is buried in a grave or
qabr. Smaller tombs may have a mihrab, although larger mausoleums have a separate
mosque located at a distance from the main tomb. Normally the whole tomb complex or
rauza is surrounded by an enclosure. The tomb of a Muslim saint is called a dargah.
Almost all Islamic monuments were subjected to free use of verses from the Quran and a
great amount of time was spent in carving out minute details on walls, ceilings, pillars
and domes.

Islamic architecture in India can be classified into three sections: Delhi or the Imperial
style (1191 to 1557AD); the Provincial style, encompassing the surrounding areas like
Jaunpur and the Deccan; and the Mughal architecture style (1526 to 1707AD).