Musafir

Continued from the previous post…

The royal pavilion is also of small dimensions, the main room square and plain. It has windows on the east and west and a pentagonal projection towards the south. There are also projections in the corners which give a look of a star shaped medieval Deccan temple. The beauty of the room lies in its rich decorations and mother-of-pearl work and tile mosaics. The former is fairly intact in the entrance arch, which is built of basalt of a very dark variety. The floral patterns and calligraphic texts have been depicted by inlaying mother-of-pearl of the finest quality. The effect is lovely and is further enhanced by the architect’s choice of the verses which he has inserted in the decorative scheme. 

The pavilion once had a fountain in the middle, the basin on which is now lying in the outer court of the palace between the two flights of steps referred to in the previous post. Like the Mughal kings, the Baridis were also fond of fountains and it can be noticed in laying of waterworks in many of their buildings.

The Rangin Mahal, however beautiful its wood carving and fascinating are its tiles and mother-of-peal work, suffers by the smallness of its dimensions and shows a lack of vision on the part of the builders. But the plan of the structure is so much altered at various periods, that it is difficult to visualize in its original form or to appraise correctly its beauty or defects.

In the basement of the Rangin Mahal there is a series of rooms, which were apparently occupied by guards and the menial servants of the palace. The ceilings of these rooms are vaulted, being massively built with a view to supporting the weight of the royal apartments above.

Rangin Mahal literally means “The Colored Palace”, and this name was apparently given to it on account of its walls being originally decorated with tiles of different hues, traces of which still exist.   It was originally built by Mahmud Shah Bahmani and some of the apartments were rebuilt by Ali Barid Shah, who adorned them with wood carving and mother of pearl works. In modern times, this has been used by the local administration, and several portions have been built which not only mar the general appearance of the building, but makes it difficult to trace its original plan. Today, it is completely barred from entrance and is opened only for dignitaries.

I badly wanted to visit this building right from when I started planning for the trip. I visited the local ASI office which is inside the Fort and asked for permission, which was obviously turned down. My cab driver came to my rescue. We had chosen a time in the morning even before the ASI office opens. There were two ASI workers doing some maintenance work. My driver went over them and talked in such a way that I was an important visitor and wanted to see the place. They gave up after some persuasion. This incident always make me laugh. There is no detailed information about this building over the internet and i am writing this post after a lot of study and comparing with my pictures.

Access to the building is now obtained by two flights of steps which lead to a landing from which, by passing through some rooms, the interior of the palace is reached. One of the rooms opens on a verandah which is modern  but there are two halls at the back which are of the Bahmani period. To the south of this hall, there is another which was originally connected by an opening in the wall. This hall also seems to be from the Bahmani period, and may have been added by Mahmud Shah.

From the court, a view of the upper walls may be had. These were once richly adorned with tile work arranged in arch shaped rectangular panels as you see in the picture above. The color scheme now visible consists of white patterns on a dark blue background. They must have contained others colors also, however due to extreme weather conditions, they totally faded. The designs consists of floral and calligraphic texts exhibiting a highly developed technique and refined taste. The court has a water channel with fountains and a cistern in the middle.

At the southern end of the court is a hall and pavilion built by Ali Barid. The hall originally had two apartments, each containing five bays. The divisions are arranged by means of columns, which are of wood and most beautifully carved. The designs are both Hindu and Muslim. An interesting feature is presented by the ornamental arches. The ceiling of this wooden hall is also extremely beautifully carved.  The walls of the hall were originally decorated with tile work which unfortunately has been destroyed in the course of repairs done in the recent times, but specimens of it may be seen in the spandrels of the doorway which leads to the royal pavilion. This doorway is built at the back of the hall and consist of two arches, one on the outer side and the other inside, with a passage between them. The outer arch is a little larger in size. This arch has a black stone moulding (of rope pattern type) above the imposts, while below are tiny shafts elegantly carved. In the spandrels are lovely floral designs worked out on tiles, and above the doorway is a Persian verse inscribed on the same. The inner arch of the doorway is decorated with mother-of-pearl work, which, inlaid in jet black stone, appears all the more brilliant. Beyond this arch is a square room which served as an antechamber between the royal pavilion and the hall. This room was also once richly decorated with tiles, which are to be seen now only in some places. The designs are floral, with pink, green, blue and yellow colors – all arranged and contrasted most tastefully. The room besides leading to the royal pavilion, has two more rooms attached to it.

To be continued…

Before proceeding further, we will understand how was the city of Bidar during the Bahmani rule.

The city of Bidar, during its initial days must have been of vast extent. A modern writer referring to the rapidity of its erection says “Soon, as if by magic, rose, some miles to the north of Gulbarga, one of the most splendid cities of India or of the world. The great mosque of Ahmedabad Bidar was for centuries unequalled for its simple grandeur and solemnity, and the most delicate beauties of the Ivory mosque, inlaid with gems and mother-o-pearl, was long of the favorite themes with which travelers delighted to illustrate the wealth and prodigality of the realms of the Far East.

Athanasius Nitikin, a Russian Armenian, who visited Bidar in 1470 AD gives a descriptive account. There were villages in short distances and the land was well tilled. The roads were well guarded and travelling secure. The King, with an army of 3,00,000 is well equipped. Artillery is not mentioned but there were many elephants, to the trunks of which scythes were attached in action, and they were clad in bright steel armor. When Aurangazeb invested the city in 1656, the city was described as 4500 yards in circumference, having three deep ditches 25 yards wide and 15 yards deep, cut in the stone.

Monsieur Thevenot, who visited Bidar in 1667 mentions brick walls with battlements and at certain distances, towers on which long cannons are mounted whose mouth is 3 foot wide. He met the then Governor and mentions that “he was carried, and before him marched several men on foot, carrying blew banners with flames of Gold and after them came seven elephants. The Governor’s palanquin was followed with several others full of women.” The walls and defenses were actually constructed during the time of Ali Barid in the years 1555-1558 and later extended and strengthened by a Bijapur Governor Sidi Marjan.

The defenses comprise a glacis, a moat and a scarp. The battlements are loopholed for the use of muskets and guns which can be fired at various angles depending on the approach of the enemy. The total number of bastions is thirty seven and in addition, there are eight batteries on which are placed smaller pieces of artillery. The town can be entered by six gateways, the Shah Gunj Darwaza, The Fateh Darwaza, The Mangalpet Darwaza, The Dulhan Darwaza, The Talghat Darwaza and the Sharzah Darwaza. . The Fateh Gate bears a Persian inscription to the effect that it was constructed by the Subedar of Bidar in 1671 AD. The gate was named so by Aurangazeb when his army marched through it triumphantly in 1656 AD and it was previously called the Nauras Darwaza by Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur. The Shah Gunj gate was constructed in the year previous and it was earlier called the Mecca Darwaza as it faces Mecca. The Talghat gate was constructed in the same year as Fateh. The Sharzah or Lion gate, which is decorated with effigies of Lions cut in the stone buttresses of the gateway was erected in 1682 AD. The Dulhan Darwaza appears to have been rebuilt in recent times, but its wooden door is still missing, and there are, besides, no battlements on the roof of the gateway.

Today Bidar is a busy city all through. However, the best part is it has not lost the royal flavor. The Bidri Ware is still being practiced where there is no other art equal in the world.

References:

1. History of the Decca by J.D.B. Gribble

2. Bidar – Its History and Monuments by Ghulan Yazdani

It is said that people not only should remember you when lived, but also after death. The Tomb of Ali Barid Shah is a fitting example for this statement. Which looks like a simple monument from outside turns out to be one of the most finest examples of Islamic architecture and beauty. As I mentioned in the previous post, there is a two storied gateway which leads to this tomb. There should have been some kind of a pathway, but none exists today and you can only see bushes towards it.

Before we start talking further, we need to know a little about the Barid Shahi dynasty. It was founded by Kasim Barid, who migrated to India during the regime of one of the last Bahmani Kings, Mohammed Shah and later was made as the Prime Minister of the Bahmani Kingdom by Shihamuddin Mohammed in 1492 AD. His son, Amir Barid declared himself the king of Bidar after the fall of the Bahmani Kingdom. However, the for of Bidar was conquered by Ismail Adil Shah of Bijapur and Amir Barid was taken as a prisoner. He was later released and made a feudatory king of the Adil Shahi dynasty.

Amir Barid was succeeded by his son, Ali Barid Shah in 1542 AD and the latter had a prolonged stint as the ruler till 1580 AD. Ali Barid’s rule was marked with wars including the famous Talikota war which saw the end of the Vijayanagar Empire. The dynasty came to an end in the year 1619 AD with Ibrahim Adil Shah-II of Bijapur taking over the area. Even though there was not much done during the reign of the Baridi dynasty, it is to be noted that these kings have contributed to architecture and sculpture in the period that succeeded the Bahmani dynasty.

Baridshahi structures in Bidar are small but very decorative. Colored tablets, wood carvings and pearl shell work are the hall marks of this style. Scholars have found some kind of a synthesis between the Islamic architectural style and those practiced by the Hindu builders/masons in the Baridshahi architecture. This situation is particularly evident in Rangin Mahal and the the tomb built for himself by Ali Barid Shah. Yazdani explores this issue further, in the context of the tomb built for himself by Ali Barid Shah and Kali Masjid also built during the Baridshahi days. Ghulam Yazdani, chief archaeologist of the last Hyderabad Nizam, took a personal interest in preserving the structures and reviving the garden. Yazdani feels that the architecture became more and more decorative/ornamental because of the preferences of the Hindu architects and sculptors. However, he appreciates the attempts at fusion and openness for mutual influences. He contends that the chief characteristics of the architecture of this period are the outcome of the Hindu methods of building and their ideas of decoration. This is a brief account of a minor dynasty which was not politically powerful but had a few kings who were artistically inclined.

The tombs of Ali Barid and Khasim Barid are built in the middle of a 30-acre plot Deccan garden. We will first start with the one of Ali Barid.

A monument of striking beauty, and an ever inspiring work place for students of fine arts, is the tomb of Sultan Ali Barid Shah. The structure is nearly 70 feet high. It has a big dome supported by four pillars. It has a grand pavilion based on a high platform built by green granite and laterite rock.

The inside and outside walls of the tomb have been embossed with inscribed tiles. Verses from the Quran are written in Persian script all over the building. Weather changes have peeled off some of the tiles. It has a Shikhara made of an alloy of gold. There are some interesting facts about the tomb. Ali Barid, who ruled between 1542 and 1580, had a keen interest in architecture. He built his own tomb, three years before his death. He reserved spaces for his wives inside the tomb’s main pavilion. He also built some empty tombs for members of his harem outside the pavilion which is in the south-west corner of the platform having several rows of graves. A Persian style char-bagh once surrounded the tomb of which only fragments of enclosure walls and entrance portals remain.

We can understand the beauty of this construction only when we walk inside. Inside of the dome is laid with colored tiles with verses of Quran written in Persian. Each corner of the dome is carved with exquisite carvings on plaster and is a delight to watch. The inner walls are also fitted with colored tiles It is quite extraordinary that this inner beauty has withstood hundreds of years of weather considering the fact that it is open on all sides. Both sides of the entrances are designed with flower panels. We can have a great view of the surroundings from this pavilion, especially the Mosque which we had seen in the earlier post and the tomb of Kasim Barid. The latter is separated by a small doorway which is right in front of Ali Barid’s tomb.

The tomb of Kasim Barid is almost similar to the one of Ali Barid. However, we do not find any colors inside the tomb. Kasim Barid, being an earlier ruler probably did not concentrate much on design. The inner design of the dome is exactly like the former but completely plan. Some of the flower designs are very intact and beautiful. There are some other tombs in this complex, which are unnamed and completely ignored. The structure complex needs maintenance as some of its walls are collapsing. Some people have tried to encroach upon the land around the tomb.

This is just the beginning of an artistic journey across Bidar. A little more need to be understood on the later rulers of the Bahmani dynasty before moving further, which we will do in the next post.

 

Reference: Bidar – Its History and Monuments by Ghulam Yazdani.

Bidar became the capital of the Bahmani Kingdom under the rule of Sultan Ahmed Shah in the year 1431, and it was renamed Ahmedabad Bidar . Till then it was a feudatory of the King of Delhi and was part of many wars till the accession by the Bahmani rulers. Once the place was taken over by Bahmanis, they turned this small province to a massive fortified structure. I can surely say that the Fort in Bidar is one of the greatest ever constructed in India. Having seen the pinnacle of the glory and then the downfall of the empire, this town plays a very important part in the Deccani history and politics.

As we visit the town of Bidar, we will keep the chronology aside and visit the tomb of Ali Barid Shah and the monuments nearby. On the outskirts of Bidar is a fortified complex and some monuments. The wall is beautifully decorated even from outside. Unfortunately, most of the external walls have collapsed. There are small holes in the wall which evidently points to watch holes where guns can be fired from. We need to enter the complex through an arched gateway. There are many monuments inside, in which we will visit the most important. As seen in the picture, there are watch towers at each corner of this complex. There is a doorway which paves way to the inner complex with a path that directly leads to the tomb of Ali Barid Shah, however today, its locked and the external walls are anyway broken. This whole area must have been a very important place, considering the fact that there is the Ali Barid Shah’s tomb and also some very beautiful buildings are present. One more beautiful monument here is a rectangular building which probably should have been a rest place associated with a mosque. It has five arches and an upper level to which one can reach from inside apparently. Parts of this building are broken as seen in this picture. Also, the arches are blocked with steel bars prohibiting entrance. Now we come to one of the most beautiful monuments in this are, the mosque.

Even though this is a smaller construction, we have a glimpse of the beauty of Islamic architecture. Some parts of the upper level has collapsed but overall, the structure is intact and has sustained over the years. The mosque has three arches and the frontal portion is exquisitely carved with flower type decorations on its lintel. One can enjoy their beauty even if looked from a distance as you see in this picture. Archaeological evidence shows that this mosque was constructed before the tomb, so we can assume that this was a very important monument at that time. If you see the arches, they are not totally plain. There are four layers of brick that is cut to form the arch. We can imagine the difficulty in developing this artistic monument. There are various other smaller monuments in this same complex.

We shall talk about other aspects of this complex and the Ali Barid tomb in the next post.