Lecture 27

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:20]I welcome you in the third part of this lecture in which I'll be talking about architecture. So, so long so far we have not we have entered this particular journey in which I talked about the temples, the palaces, the forts and the skill craftsmanship. So this is the last part of the architecture in which we'll be uh diving into the whole Islamic architecture related to mosque and the famous monuments in Indian heritage. So the overview of the session um in this particular session you'll be able to identify what are the key features and the historical significance of major mosque and monuments in India and later on you will be able to illustrate with different example of architectural elements such as the domes the arches and the minates in Indian Islamic structure. So now let's explore another uh beautiful architecture that is mosque.

[00:01:22]So if you want to understand mosque you have to understand because just in the previous lecture I talked about temples right how basic architecture was also uh being uh you can say blessed with spiritual energy as well. So these are the architecture that that a person is emotionally attached to, spiritually attached to. So it always plays a very important role when we talk about India's architectural history and how it basically highlights the um the country's religious and cultural diversity. So if you look into the historical uh development so it spans um and it can it can back date to 7th to 12th century that is early medieval period. So which was greatly influenced by the Arab the Persians and the central Asian. So the chairman Juma uh Juma mosque in Kerala is thought to have established in the 17th century and it is one of the uh India's earliest and most prominent mosque and its design emphasizes the usage of wood which was inspired by the traditional Kerala architecture.

[00:02:36]Then if you look into let's travel a little uh forward and let's enter the Delhi Sultenate. So in this 13th and 16th century uh Delhi sultenate it saw a considerable change in the mosque building and the striking example is the Kutub minar complex in Delhi which contains the Kuwatul Islam mosque uh which was built by the slave dynasty.

[00:03:00]Now this mosque also includes um Hindu and Jan architectural elements such as pillars, the tombs to create a synthesis of Indo-Islamic characteristics.

[00:03:10]Then the Kilgs and the Tougluk dynasties considerably enhanced the mosque building and the Kilgji monarch built the Kilgi mosque uh in Alai Darwaza which is uh remarkable for its lofty arches and spectacular domes. Now during the Tul era the striking example is the Ferroia Kotla mosque which was uh created and it had a blended uh blended uh you can say aura of um awan and Islamic architectural characteristics.

[00:03:42]Then coming to the Mughal empire that is around 16th to 18th century. This was a golden period of mosque building and barber he was the first one to build the Barbrey mosque in Iayodhia in 1528 which was later because of contentious and was it was uh um became very contentious at that time and it was finally demolished.

[00:04:02]Then the Jamaa Masjid in Delhi is also the most renowned Mughal mosque which was commissioned by the emperor Shah Jaha in 1656.

[00:04:10]Even this has this very striking uh you know wide um courtyard, the three towering domes and the two minerids and the Jamaa Mazjid is a stunning symmetrical design. Then the emperor Shajahas Moti Mazjid Moti meaning pearl mosque in Agra fort is another notable example.

[00:04:29]Then coming to the deck and sultenates we are traveling further you can say south and the regional variation that took place in 14th 17th century. So the gold goombbas in uh Bij Japur is one of the most spectacular example with the world's second largest dome and a unique whispering gallery. Okay. Now entering into the colonial era that is around 18 to 19th century. This is where the now you can see the influence of British and uh European influences because of trade and because of colonization uh that was taking place. So the core you can say the Islamic features however were kept but then there was also uh you can say like indoor um sarasinic architectural style which arose which integrated aspects of Indian Islamic and building and western cultures. So the the architecture at that time the example that you can give is of Victoria memorial in Kolkata and the Taj Mel palace in Mumbai.

[00:05:27]Then coming to to postindependence period that is around 20th century till present. Now the the variations now you see that the mosque architecture in India has evolved since independence. We have traditional Islamic design features in modern mosque which are frequently blended with the contemporary components. So the two well-known examples are the Nisamuin Murka's mosque in Delhi and the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad.

[00:05:54]So what did the early mosque architecture actually look like? Right.

[00:05:58]So the first mosque which was established by the Arab traders and the missionaries in the 17th and 18th century. So at that time the early structures were were very simple. It was a single room building with a it would be a a sahen which they call it as a courtyard made of bricks and stones and u as Islam spread over across country mos architecture adapted to regional materials. whatever material was uh available in that particular region, whatever craftsmanship was there, that was reflected in that particular um the architecture of that mosque. Then the Cheramun Juma Masjid in Kerala which was built in 629 which is considered as the first mosque in India and this reflects the K Kerala's traditional architecture and what was it the sloping roads the wooden interiors and and even the mosque was renovated several times up the dag but still it serves as an active place for worship and it houses an ancient oil lamp till now which it is said to have burned continuously for over thousands of years. Then another striking example is the Kadal Karay Pali mosque in Tamil Nadu. Even this was built by the Arab traders at that time. And uh another notable you can say the the rich Islamic heritage which uh the the monuments um of that particular period was also the Ahmed Ner mosque, the Kadria mosque complex, the tomb of Shwa Shawaldin and Kudba Perapali and Kudba Surupali mosque there in Tamil Nadu. Now these structures actually illustrated the fusion of Indian Islamic styles and forms an architectural link between south India and the Islamic Far East.

[00:07:48]And you can guess what was the reason how did that influence from that far east entered south India. So it's nothing but the the the trading the trade route that was established that allowed the cultural exchange. Right now this is the image of the cherum jum mazjid um that was built in Kerala in 629 by Malik uh dinar the first mosque in um India. So you can see the sloping roofs right and the wooden interiors and um like I said many times the the mosque has been renovated but and still now this place is um suitable for worshiing.

[00:08:28]Then the Islamic mos architecture if you look at the notable example that I can um that you can see even with the images I'm trying to um show you is the time period that is from uh 1200 AD to 1500 AD we see that the architecture was greatly influenced by Persian Islamic uh architectural style. So the arch, the domes, the minerate in just in a little while I'll be explaining all these terms also and how the other uh the use of ornate decorative elements such as calligraphy was also there. Some geometrical patterns were also there. So during this period, Kalis islam mosque in Delhi which was built in uh 11 193 AD. So this mosque features a large central dome, four smaller domes and numerous arches and pillars. Then another example of the mosque architecture from this period is the Adai uh Gonpra mosque in Ajmir. Okay. And during that time we also see the Ali Dwaza in Delhi and gold compass in Pijapur and the Jami Masjit in Pedar.

[00:09:35]There are among the other examples and you can see in this image also that how the whole architecture during that time the beautiful arches the calligraphy and the geometrical pattern it formed a basic you know elements the basic characteristics of the mosque at that time.

[00:09:54]Then the Mughal mosque architecture it would somewhat it started differing and how did it differ because Mughal mosque started typically using red sandstone and white marbles and they had more larger you can say it was characterized by more they had larger domes towering minates and a very spacious courtyard.

[00:10:15]So the hallmark of Mughal architecture you can say that it is supported by intricate geometrical pattern calligraphy and even the inlaid precious stones and the outward the display of the arches and elaborate ornamentation was also there. So the Jamajit in Delhi it was built by Shanaha in 17th century.

[00:10:33]It stands as one of the finest example of Mughal mosque architecture and also the Moti Masjid and the Taj Mahal in Agra.

[00:10:42]Now the modern mosque architecture. Now what was the difference between uh the modern uh mosque architecture with time we saw that the features remained the same the arch the domes the minates and this many features like courtyard the gardens fountains was also introduced and intricate geometrical and floral pattern that actually highlighted the Islamic artistry. Now the modern mosque also emphasized more open space because to accom accommodate more people there was abstract forms and even curved surfaces that play um with light and you know to create that spiritual ambiencece as well. And then of course the modern amenities were are now also being provided in the mosque like air condition the sound systems and the you know the sustainable technology like high um energy efficient lightning and water conservation system. So the notable example example is the Tajul Mazjid in Bopal which is one of the largest masjid in uh the mosque in India.

[00:11:45]So this is these are the different images of the mosque. You have a mosque in Sinakar cold and you can see this the marble that is being used the space that the courtyard or the sah that the open space for people to come and pray. Now let's have a look at the elements. So what are the different elements of a mosque? So the first element is the minret. That is the one striking thing that once you see a mosque the most recognizable feature is the minate. It's a tall slender tower usually positioned to one of the more corners of the mosque. And traditionally it is the mer climb on the minerit to call the faithful prayer that is the other and nowadays we have loudspeakers right but in earlier times there were no loudspeakers. So they used to you know go on the elevated height of that mosque and that that's where they used to uh stand and you know call out for the prayer. So [snorts] architecturally the mineral serves both as a functional and also as a symbolic purpose. So it acts as a visual focal point. It represents the presence of Islam in that particular area and it often enhances the skyline of the city with it graceful height and the integrate design. The second thing is the dome that is koba. It is a very significant architectural element which is crowning the main prayer hall of many mosque. So it's like it basically you can say symbolizes the world of heaven and creates a very spiritual atmosphere within the mosque. So beside the symbolic meaning it also serves as a practical function also. How? Because it improves the eostic the sound system and of course the natural lights also that filters through the small opening at at its base.

[00:13:28]So the dome is another uh visual spec uh splendor of the mosque which is a central feature in the Islamic architecture. Then comes me right. So it's a semi-ircular niche which is built uh into the kibla wall of the mosque. So the kibla indicates a direction of Mecca in which the Muslims they face during a prayer and it is usually the most honor ornately you can say decorated part of the mosque featuring beautiful calligraphy tile work inlay work also and carved stone and mehab does not have a physical function like holding any objects or any kind of figures there but it serves as a spiritual focal point for worshippers. Okay.

[00:14:13]Then comes uh uh member. Member is a pulpit or a race platform which is located next to the mea. Now it is used by the imam who's the u head the leader of the prayer and he delivers the sermon which is known as the hudba. Now especially during the Friday uh congregational prayers we find that the fudba is being delivered and the member usually consist of a like a short flight of stairs and which is leading up to a small platform which is enclosed. So what is it symbolizing? It is symbolizing authority authority and knowledge as it is a place that the imam he gets you know he guides the community through religious uh teaching and moral instructions as well. Then comes the prayer hall where the you know where the all the people they arrang they they they assemble themselves for the for worshiing which is also known as musalah right they gather to perform the prayers and the worshippers they line up in straight rows they face the tabla the mhab and uh this is the the hall design it emphasizes unity equality and humility as everyone stands side by side regardless of the status regardless of their wealth Right. Then moving forward is the courtyard or sahen. Okay. That is a very traditional you can say feature of a a mosque and it's an open air gathering for the worshippers. Not only that, it also accommodate accommodates uh you know large number of uh worshippers especially during occasions like Friday prayers the large congregation um that that assembles which also functions as a social and communal space for learning for discussion for for resting and also for celebration during Eid time.

[00:15:58]Then comes abulation abulution area that is the voodoo area. This is where the Muslim must carry a voodoo by you know ritual cleansing involving washing specific part of the body and for this purpose the mosque it is designed as an ablation area. Okay. So we have water tabs there fountains and basin. So Islam it emphasizes on purity and cleanliness for both physical and spiritual as a prerequisite to worshiing. Then also there is madrasa or you can say educational space for children also. So every mosque will have will become this will also become the center of learning.

[00:16:39]So here they learn Quran they they they study Hadith, Arabic, Islamic law and under the guidance of the scholars. So historically mosque also served as the earliest uh you can say the institution of education in the Muslim world reinforcing the connection between faith and knowledge.

[00:16:57]So this is all about mosque. Now coming to the last part of the architecture that is the monuments.

[00:17:04]So now we have traveled right from palaces to forts to temples to mosques.

[00:17:10]So now you can understand the rich cultural heritage and the diverse history of our country. So these monuments which I'm going to discuss right now, it stands as a silent witness to our country's glorious past and it reflects the artistic excellence, the architectural ingenuity and the spiritual depth of different areas um and spiritual um depth of different eras and dynasties as well.

[00:17:38]So among them of course you have the ancient monuments like the Ajanta Laura caves in Maharashtra, the Sanji stupa in Madhya Pradesh, the the Konach Sun temple in Oda which exemplify the spiritual the artistic achievement of early Indian civilization.

[00:17:56]Now if you travel to the medieval period of course we have the Taj Mahelagra which is now the UNESCO's world heritage site. It's a masterpiece. is an iconic symbol of love and of art um architectural brilliance. Then of course we have another masterpiece like red fort him tomb. We have gold gumbas um mosque in Bijapur and the charminar in Hyderabad.

[00:18:19]Then if you travel um to you can say to Jaipur or Jodpur or Pune there we see the the Rajpur the Marata's architecture. It also produced grand forts and palaces. You sawing when in the earlier lecture I gave you the example of Amber fort, the Mirangar fort in Jodpur, the Shaniar V in Pune. These are the monuments not only served as a stronghold but also as a center of governance and of culture. Now in the colonial era we see that there's another dimension of India's monuments like the British architecture which introduced neocclassical. It introduced Gothic and Indo uh Sarasinic styles right so we have the Victoria memorial in Kolkata the gateway of India the Rashabati bhavan and so on so today India's monuments are not just historical sites they're the living symbols of its unity and diversity and it is still attracting attracting millions and millions of visitors around the world and it plays such a vital role in promoting the tourism the the cultural education and our national pride as well.

[00:19:28]So now quickly looking at the ancient monuments of India, we have the Buddhist architecture. We have the stupas, the pillars um and the rock edit edicts, the Sanchi stupas in Madhya Pradesh which is one of the earliest and the finest example of Buddha. Even the rock cut uh caves and temples the Ajanta Laura caves in Maharashtra uh Kailasa temple it is a marvel carved from just a single rock and it is showcasing both artistic and engineering excellence then even remember we saw about the Hindu temple architecture how the Gonakan temple the Minhakshi temple it highlighted grander it highlighted the devotion of early uh Indian builders by the integrate you can say carving and symbolic design. Now in the medieval monuments of India, we have the Rajput architecture like just like the Amber fort I talked about, the Mirangar fort, the Chittor uh fort which exhibited strong defense designs and ornate courtyard and detail uh fre um frescos.

[00:20:31]Now coming to the Dravidian architecture in south India we have the Chola the Pandia dynasties which developed spectacular temples such as the uh Brihad Deshwara temple and the Vitala temple in Hampy. Now these temples it features towering gopurams. Remember these the different characteristic of a temple the mandubs and the richly carved sculptures which represents divine themes as well. So the Islamic Indo um architecture which is notably the example that I gave you of Kutub Minar, Allay Dalwaza these are all these are all we can you can say they were the early arrival of the Delhi Sultenate and later the ML also and under the Mul emperor the fusion of Persian of Central Asia and Indian tradition took which was more celebrated at that time and it was more manifested during in their architecture. So we have the Taj Mahel, the Redford, Fatipur, Sikri and Humay to the colonial uh monuments of India. If you want to categorize the colonial, you can categorize the gateway of India, the Victoria memorial uh of Kolkata Kolkata, the Mysore Palace in Karnataka and the Chhat um uh and the Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus in Mumbai which is a UNESCO world heritage site.

[00:21:58]Then the modern monuments of India, we have the Indian gate, we have the lotus temple and the state or the statue of unity in Gujarat. Now this is reflecting basically our national identity, the technological innovations and the contemporary you can say aesthetics.

[00:22:15]It's combining all that and um you know providing both the functional as well as the uh the symbolic aspect as well. Now you have to understand the UNESCO world heritage site and you should feel proud that when we talk about UNESCO the world heritage site that is designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical and scientific or other forms of significance. So India in itself has 42 world heritage sites out of which 34 are cultural, seven are natural sites and one is mixed category. So the first uh site listed um as a world heritage site is the Agra for then the Taj Mahel then theora caves and Ajuna caves and so on.

[00:23:02]So here you can have a just you can take a pause pause the video and look at the list of the different um monuments that have been categorized by UNESCO world heritage and the year in which they were they have been uh designated as the world heritage. So the different years are also given along with it. So this is another the list is still continuing. It's a long list.

[00:23:28]You can take a pause and you can get the examples of this. Right?

[00:23:34]So this is just a quick you can say birdeye view and the detail of the famous monuments of India before I end this lecture because let's have the you know um let's look let's delve into the the beauty of our Indian culture and look at the beautiful monuments the Taj Mahel which is situated in India the Kutum Banar in Delhi then coming to the red fort which is also in Delhi which also represents India's deep history and cultural legacy we have the mysuit pan palace or Amba Villas Palace is one of the beautiful architectural wonders of India. Then we have the Konak Sun temple. You can see the beautiful stunning ancient monument in India. And then we have Fatipo Sikri which were did very close to Agra which is another historic city which was established by Mok Emperor Akbar at that time. Then we have gateway of India in Mumbai. A a well-known landmark and the mo one of the most famous monuments you can say of India and the Victoria memorial in Kolkata. Another striking you can say stunning marble structure honoring Queen Victoria. Then Charminar in Hyderabad a well-known landmark and one of the iconic famous structure of India. So the Ajenta and Allora caves in Maharashtra are important or you can say um heritage sites in India as well. So these are the few very few images and a brief descriptions of the uh monuments that have been present. So no need to travel you know abroad just to look at the heritage look at the culture and you know and just rever the just you know sink in the beauty of uh the the nature beauty and of course how man has created these beautiful monuments. All you have to do is travel to these places. So make a list of yourself for yourself and you can you know like make it a point that in at least in your lifetime visit these monuments and let's appreciate this our Indian culture and our um Indian architectural skills that are present here. So to conclude the India's architectural landscape, it stands as a splendid testimony to its rich cultural religion and artistic heritage. Right?

[00:25:52]And we have seen the earliest mosque from the medieval period to the grand um Mughal masterpiece and modern monuments of national pride. So these monuments and moss not only presents uh represents artistic excellence and the engineering ingenuity but it also it's emboding something special something very spiritual something very holistic you feel so whole you feel so attached to it also has a political and cultural narrative of their time so preserving and studying these architectural treasures allows us to appreciate India's diversity continuity and unity qualities that continue to inspire future generations and generations that um that will follow uh after you also and the values and how you're supposed to protect our cultural heritage as well.

[00:26:42]>> So I hope you have enjoyed this very detailed you can say um lecture on on the on one topic that is architecture.

[00:26:51]So now you can imagine the weightage that how elaborate and even in this the three parts of this lectures I tried to you know compress as much as I can and bring about the best uh the best out of our Indian culture and heritage so that you are able to appreciate right so I wish you all the best and um I'll be seeing you again um in another topic that I'll be discussing related to Indian ethos and till then you take care of yourself and have a nice day.

[00:27:23]Bye-bye.

[00:27:25][music]