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43-711: It was built in 1627 by Taj Sultana, the wife of Sultan Ibrahim Adil Shah II . It is located in Bijapur , in the Indian state of Karnataka . The construction process reflects the magnificence of the building since it took more than eight years to finish. It is by far one of the most remarkable artistic achievements of the Adil Shahi dynasty , who established a Sunni Sultanate in Bijapur in the 15th century and ruled for almost two hundred years. Because of its magnificent skyline,

86-547: A couple of lines, the inscriptions dedicated to Taj Sultana are distributed in three locations, each about six lines long. However, most of the Quranic verses mention the Prophet Ibrahim, the sultan's namesake, indicating the centrality of Ibrahim Adil Shah II in the complex. The overseer of the complex's construction work was also mentioned in the inscriptions. His name was Malik Sandal, an Abyssinian eunuch who rose up

129-631: A distinctive base of lotus petals. However, the dome of the mausoleum is larger in diameter. The symbolism of the lotus extends beyond the Islamic sphere to the Buddhist tradition, where it signifies purity and transcendence. The design became popular during the Adil Shahi period as it became associated with their concept of the ideal ruler, inspired by Buddhist sources. The mausoleum has four corner domed towers with six small turrets on each side above

172-442: A family mausoleum, where another four family members were also buried later. Taj Sultana was the second wife of Ibrahim Adil Shah II. However, she was probably aiming at establishing her position as the primary queen of Ibrahim Adil Shah II by embarking on building this masterpiece. Moreover, Taj Sultana's son, Muhammad, eventually reached the throne at the age of fourteen, after a fierce rivalry with his half-brother. Therefore, after

215-524: Is Khedu, who was an expert in Gwaliyai jhilmili ( jali screens crafted in the Gwalior style). The Mughal period tomb of Muhammad Ghaus , built in 1565 AD at Gwalior, is remarkable for its stone jalis . Many of Gwalior's 19th-century houses used stone jalis . Jalis are used extensively in Gwalior's Usha Kiran Palace Hotel, formerly Scindia's guest house. Some of the jalis are in major museums in

258-404: Is also decorated with rectangular carved stone panels, where some of them bear lotuses. The chamber has four entrances with wooden doors, each surrounded by three densely carved calligraphic bands. Each of these doors is also flanked by two windows, which are in turn bordered by three calligraphic bands. The window tympanums show magnificent calligraphic carved stone screens, which are reminiscent of

301-446: Is mostly plaster and stucco, especially in the interior. The qibla wall has several mihrabs, a classic feature of many Indo-Islamic mosques. The main mihrab, however, is distinctive by a small, angled cave-like chamber bearing two rows of miniature mihrab designs on each of its ten sides. The mihrab has an elegant frame of carved stucco. The old city of Bijapur depended primarily on receiving water from two huge water tanks built outside

344-503: The Ahmadnagar Sultanate at Dharaseo, capturing all the artillery and elephants of the enemy army. He ordered other Bijapur generals to surrender the highly valued elephants that they had captured. The generals, along with Chand Bibi, hatched a plan to eliminate Kishvar Khan with help from General Mustafa Khan of Bankapur . Kishvar Khan's spies informed him of the conspiracy. Kishvar Khan sent troops against Mustafa Khan, who

387-457: The temples , screens known as jalis were used to filter and soften the light, encouraging devotion and directing attention to the sacred images. The tradition of using jalis persisted in later Indian architecture , including Hindu and Jain temples. Over time, the designs of jalis evolved, incorporating geometric and naturalistic patterns. With the advent of Islamic architecture in Gujarat ,

430-475: The 21st century, it has gained popularity again as a low-energy building solution for the environmental footprint of energy use by buildings. The earliest sanctuaries in India, dedicated to Buddhism , Jainism and Hinduism , were often dimly lit and confined, resembling natural caves . Worshippers gathered in front of the sanctuaries' doorways for prayers and offerings. To control the harsh daylight entering

473-879: The Ibrahim Rauza complex became commonly known as "The Black Taj Mahal" or "The Taj of the South". It is also listed by the Archaeological Survey of India on the Monuments of National Importance (India) . The word "Rauza" or "Rawza" comes originally from the Arabic word (روضة), which means a garden. Its use for funerary complexes started with the Mausoleum of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina , which

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516-703: The Prophet himself called a Rawda (Rawza). The term was then adopted in Iran for the mausolea of Sufi saints and became significantly popular during the Ilkhanid period. Afterwards, the term reached India under Persian influence and became used for most Islamic funerary structures, not limited to Sufi shrines. Ibrahim Adil Shah II , the sultan this complex was named after, was one of the great patrons of art and architecture in Bijapur. During his reign, Bijapur reached its peak in terms of economic and artistic development. Since

559-420: The cenotaphs stand out with their curved imposing design. Although the cenotaphs vary in size, their design is fairly similar. The outer appearance of the mosque shares many features with the mausoleum including the dome, the four slender minarets, the turrets and the ornate crenelations. It is more of a traditional style of a series of arches, leading to pendentives bearing squinch-net-like design, reminiscent of

602-542: The city. The Ibrahim Rauza complex received water from the Western tank coming from a nearby village called Torvi. The Ibrahim Rauza complex bears a series of water structures including a cistern, a trough, feeder channels and, most prominently, a fountain between the mosque and the mausoleum. the remains of at least thirteen water features still exist in the complex despite being out of use. Ibrahim Adil Shah II Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1570 – 12 September 1627)

645-421: The completion of the complex, according to an interpretation of two Persian lines in the mausoleum. The lines say "She spent one and a half lakh huns , but nine hundred more were added thereto," which Hutton interpreted as Sandal adding nine hundred huns of his own money. Since the inscriptions took the lead role in ornamenting this complex, the calligrapher's signature was also inscribed on its walls. His name

688-499: The confinement of criers who read the khutba in the Shia form. The Adil Shahis under his rule left a tradition of cosmopolitan culture and artistic patronage whose architectural remains are to be seen in the capital city of Bijapur . After the death of Ali Adil Shah I in 1580, the kingdom's nobles appointed Imran Ibrahim, son of Imran Sayzada Tahmash Adil Shah and nephew of Ali Adil Shah I, as sultan. At this time, Ibrahim Adil Shah II

731-400: The connecting road between Bijapur and Nauraspur, the new city built by Ibrahim Adil Shah II . The overall space is contained by an almost square wall dotted with cells including residential rooms, a kitchen and a storeroom, surrounding the main features of the complex, which are the mausoleum and the mosque. Both are raised on a plinth and connected to the outer wall by a pathway leading from

774-496: The death of her husband, Taj Sultana, who held the foremost position of the Queen Mother, must have sealed her position in the court and become even more powerful. Not only do the inscriptions mention Taj Sultana as the actual patron, but also the emphasis given to her across the inscriptional programme suggests that she might have built the mausoleum for herself. While Ibrahim Adil Shah II and Zehra Sultana were commemorated in

817-411: The hanging eaves, the arcades lead to a double veranda, where the inner one is topped by a flat roof. The ceiling of the outer veranda is plain while the inner veranda's ceiling is highly decorated with stone carvings showing the typical Indian motifs of floral medallions within a square. The ceiling panels also feature the swastika element, which is a repeated motif in the mausoleum. The pillars leading to

860-481: The iconic Indian Jali , making them a distinct innovation. The doors are made of teakwood . Inside the burial chamber lie six stone cenotaphs of Ibrahim Adil Shah II and his family members including his wife Taj Sultana; the patron of the complex. The interior stands in striking contrast to the heavily ornamented façade since it is almost devoid of any ornamentation. However, its monumental size of forty-two feet square and thirty-three feet high and utter simplicity make

903-477: The influential Timurid tradition. The mosque still has some distinctive features such as a stone-carved lotus medallion connected to a stone-carved chain hanging from the ceiling. The minarets could also have had hanging carved chains similar to the ones still preserved in the Kali Masjid, Jalna , although they are now lost. Unlike the tomb, which is mostly made of stone, the mosque's main decorative material

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946-408: The inner veranda are rectangular, their shafts are highly decorated with floral carvings and their capitals show a curvilinear design. The four sides of the burial chamber bear four engaged columns on each side, reflecting the same decoration programme of the pillars. The chamber appears to be rising on its own plinth, giving the engaged column a shorter almost square-like appearance. The plinth itself

989-613: The joint attack. The Habshi generals realised that they could not defend the city alone and tendered their resignations to Chand Bibi. Abu-ul-Hassan, a Shi'a general appointed by Chand Bibi, called for the Maratha forces in the Carnatic . The Marathas attacked the invaders' supply lines, forcing the Ahmednagar-Golconda allied army to retreat. Ikhlas Khan then attacked Dilavar Khan to seize control of Bijapur. However, he

1032-490: The main dome, the slender minarets, and the lotus-bud finials. These elements borrow from the overall structure, in a treatment called self-imaging, which was inspired by Hindu architecture . The crenelations on the rooftop and the stone brackets supporting the hanging eaves show a mixture of classical Islamic stylized vegetal ornamentation along with Indian elements such as the hanging bosses. All of these elements were finely carved in stone, showing exquisite craftsmanship. Under

1075-418: The mausoleum is the focus of artistic craftsmanship in the complex. It is slightly bigger than the mosque and is adorned with exquisite stone carvings, including calligraphic perforated stone carved windows ( Jali ). The whole complex bears a significant amount of calligraphy not seen elsewhere in the Islamic monuments of the Indian subcontinent. Both the mausoleum and the mosque have a bulbous dome, which has

1118-484: The military ranks and became a prominent figure in Ibrahim Adil Shah's court. Malik Sandal was thought to be involved in designing the complex, although recent scholarship has positioned him as only the overseer of the project or the "sar-i kar". He was extremely loyal to Taj Sultana and he continued to manage the project even after her death. He is also thought to have contributed a sum of his own money towards

1161-409: The outer gateway to a stair flight flanked by two domed pillars. Between them is a basin and a fountain in addition to a cistern underneath. The plinth is not at the centre but is positioned rather slightly towards the northeast. The interior plans of the mosque and the mausoleum are significantly different from each other despite the similarity of their outer appearance. The mosque, which is located on

1204-506: The period's best musicians and dancers because the king was famous as a great connoisseur and patron of music. He spoke Marathi , Dakhani , Urdu and Kannada languages fluently, and like his predecessors, employed several Hindus in top posts. Ibrahim II wrote the book Kitab-e-Navras (Book of Nine Rasas) in Dakhani . It is a collection of 59 poems and 17 couplets. According to his court-poet Muhammad Zuhuri , he wrote it to introduce

1247-425: The right side for the viewer entering the complex from the outer gate, is of a hypostyle plan with three rows of arcades in the prayer hall, each consisting of five bays. The mausoleum, on the other hand, consists of a rectangular structure, surrounded by two concentric rectangles of pillars forming a double veranda. Although the mosque and the mausoleum share similar design features, especially their overall profiles,

1290-464: The same width or smaller than the thickness of the stone, thus providing structural strength. It has been observed that humid areas like Kerala and Konkan have larger holes with overall lower opacity than compared with the dry climate regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan . With the widespread use of glass in the late 19th century, and compactness of the residential areas in modern India, jalis became less frequent for privacy and security matters. In

1333-474: The sultan was buried in this outstanding complex, it was long thought that he was also its patron. However, the Persian inscriptions on the mausoleum's walls reveal that the complex was built by his wife Taj Sultana either originally for herself or for her husband. Yet, with the early death of Ibrahim Adil Shah II and his daughter Zehra Sultana and their entombment in her mausoleum, the complex was transformed into

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1376-521: The theory of nine Rasas , which occupies an important place in Indian aesthetics , to acquaint people who knew only the Persian ethos. The book opens with a prayer to Sarasvati, the Goddess of learning. [REDACTED] Media related to Ibrahim Adil Shah II at Wikimedia Commons Jali A jali or jaali ( jālī , meaning "net") is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen , usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through

1419-441: The unidentical arches beneath them. The three central arches are almost identical in size, flanked by other significantly smaller ones, while the outermost arches are almost identical to the central three. This arrangement is a quite distinctive feature in the mausoleum.   The upper parts of the mausoleum and the mosque are the focal point of microarchitectural elements such as the small turrets, bearing small domes identical to

1462-598: The use of calligraphy , geometry or natural patterns. This form of architectural decoration is common in Indo-Islamic architecture and more generally in Indian architecture . It is closely related to mashrabiya in Islamic architecture. According to Yatin Pandya, the jali allows light and air in while minimizing the sun and the rain, as well as providing cooling through passive ventilation . The holes are nearly

1505-485: The use of jalis expanded and became a prominent feature in mosques and tombs, following the same symbolic importance of light in Islam . The adoption of jalis in Islamic buildings shows a fusion of architectural styles and motifs from Hindu, Jain, and Islamic traditions, largely influenced by the guilds of masons working for patrons across different cultural backgrounds. Early jali work with multiple geometric shapes

1548-469: Was Sayyid Naqi al-Din al-Husaini, and he signed his name several times either in square or triangular frames in various locations in the complex. The complex is located just outside the main Western gate of the old city of Bijapur , which is called the Mecca Darwaza. The location is significant because the gate, as its name indicates, used to lead to the main pilgrimage route. It was also located on

1591-597: Was Sultan of the Sultanate of Bijapur and a member of the Adil Shahi dynasty. Under his reign the sultanate had its greatest period as he extended its frontier as far south as  Mysore . He was a skilful administrator, artist, poet and a generous patron of the arts. He reverted to the Sunni orthodoxy of Islam, but remained tolerant of other religions, including Christianity . However, during his reign high-ranking Shiite immigrants became unwelcome and in 1590, he ordered

1634-459: Was Vidya or learning, music, and Guruseva (serving the teacher). He was a devotee of Banda Nawaj, the Sufi saint of Gulbarga . He composed a prayer to him to bestow Vidya or learning and charitable disposition. He founded a new township at Nauraspur to give concrete shape to his idea of a musical city. He had a temple built inside the precincts of the palace that still exists. Bijapur attracted

1677-494: Was a nine-year-old boy. Kamal Khan (a Deccani general) seized power and became the regent. Kamal Khan showed disrespect to the Dowager queen Chand Bibi , who felt that he had ambitions to usurp the throne. Chand Bibi plotted an attack against Kamal Khan, with help from another general, Haji Kishvar Khan. Kamal Khan was captured while fleeing and was beheaded at the fort. Kishvar Khan was the second regent of Ibrahim. He defeated

1720-841: Was built by carving into stone, in geometric patterns (first appearing in the Alai Darwaza of 1305 at Delhi besides the Qutub Minar ); later on, the Mughals used very finely carved plant-based designs (as at the Taj Mahal ). They also often added pietra dura inlay to the surrounds using marble and semi-precious stones. In the Gwalior Fort near the Urwahi gate, there is a 17-line inscription dated Samvat 1553 mentioning names of some craftsmen and their creations. One of them

1763-555: Was captured and killed in the battle. Chand Bibi challenged Kishvar Khan, who had her imprisoned at the Satara fort and tried to declare himself the king. However, Kishvar Khan was already unpopular among the rest of the generals. He was forced to flee when a joint army, led by General Ikhlas Khan, marched to Bijapur. The army consisted of forces of three Habshi nobles: Ikhlas Khan, Hamid Khan and Dilavar Khan. Kishvar Khan attacked Ahmednagar unsuccessfully and then fled to Golconda . He

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1806-605: Was defeated and Dilavar Khan became the supreme ruler from 1582 to 1591. He was the last regent of Ibrahim. Ibrahim II is known in Indian history as Jagadguru Badshah. He loved music and played musical instruments. For him, the Tanpura personified learning – "Ibrahim the tanpurawala became learned due to grace of god, living in the city of Vidyanagari" (Vidyanagari is the earlier name of Bijapur.) He composed poems on his wife Chand Sultana, his Tanpura Motikhan and his elephant Atish Khan. Ibrahim II publicly declared that all he wanted

1849-531: Was killed in exile by a relative of Mustafa Khan. Chand Bibi was then declared the regent. Ikhlas Khan became regent for a short time, but he was dismissed by Chand Bibi shortly afterwards. Later, he resumed his dictatorship, which was soon challenged by other Habshi generals. Taking advantage of the situation in Bijapur, Ahmadnagar's sultan allied with the Qutb Shahi of Golconda to attack Bijapur. The troops available at Bijapur were not sufficient to repulse

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