Mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah, Sultan of Bijapur
Gol Gumbaz (lit. 'Round Dome'),[1] also written Gol Gumbad ,[2] is a 17th-century mausoleum located in Bijapur , a city in Karnataka , India . It houses the remains of Mohammad Adil Shah , seventh sultan of the Adil Shahi dynasty , and some of his relatives. Begun in the mid-17th century, the structure never reached completion. The mausoleum is notable for its scale and exceptionally large dome. The structure is an important example of Adil Shahi architecture.
The building is one of those put by
Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate.
[3]
History
The construction of the Gol Gumbaz began in the mid-17th century, during the close of Mohammed Adil Shah reign, which was from 1627 to 1656.Sufi saint;
Richard Eaton views this as suggestive of the close relationship between the ruler and the saint.
[4] The mausoleum was never completed; construction may have halted in 1656 due to Mohammed Adil Shah's death that year.
[2]
Architecture
Deccan,
[5] and one of the largest single-chamber structures in the world.
[1] The architect of the structure is not known.
[6] Bianca Alfieri asserts that the building's size was a conscious decision made by Mohammed Adil Shah in order to rival the architecture of the
Ibrahim Rauza , the tomb of the ruler's predecessor
Ibrahim Adil Shah II .
[1] Alternatively, Elizabeth Merklinger suggests that the size was an attempt to assert the stature of the Adil Shahi dynasty, in light of its later absorption by the
Mughal Empire .
[7]
The mausoleum is contained in a larger walled complex, with other buildings such as a mosque, a naqqar khana , and a dharmshala .[1]
Plan and exterior
Plan of the Gol Gumbaz
Despite the grand nature of the monument, the plan of the Gol Gumbaz is simple. It is a cube 47.5 m on each side, topped by a hemispherical dome of diameter approximately 44 m domed octagonal towers, each divided into seven floors and topped by a bulbous dome, line the four corners of the cube. The levels of the towers are marked by arcades and contain staircases within.[2]
The walls of the structure are built of dark grey
merlons. Leaves surround the base of the mausoleum's dome, hiding the joint between the dome and its drum.
[1] [2]
Interior
Cenotaphs in the mausoleum.
The interior is a huge single chamber that is approximately 41 m across and 60 m high.cenotaphs of Mohammad Adil Shah, his younger wife Arus Bibi, his older wife, his favourite mistress Rhamba, his daughter, and a grandson. The cenotaphs mark the location of the actual tombs, which are found in a crypt underneath and accessed by a staircase under the western entrance of the mausoleum. Though typical of Indian Muslim tombs,
[7] this is the only instance of such a practice in Adil Shahi architecture.
[2] Mohammad Adil Shah's cenotaph is covered by a wooden canopy; Michell and Zebrowski speculate that this is a later addition.
[9] A half-octagonal room is attached to the north facade of the building, though this is also a later addition.
[8]
Dome
At the time of its construction, the Gol Gumbaz boasted the
Central Asian influence has been suggested by multiple scholars.
[6]
Around the base of the dome is a gallery, accessed by the staircases in the towers. It is known as the 'whispering gallery' since the faintest sound from here is heard across the dome, due to sound reflecting off the dome.[8]
Exterior view of the dome.
Interior of the mausoleum, including the pendentive support system of the dome.
The 'whispering gallery' found at the base of the dome.
Art and literature
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
In Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833 is a picture of Gol Gumbaz entitled Tomb of Mahomed Shah by Samuel Prout , engraved by R. Sands and accompanied by a poetical illustration by Letitia Elizabeth Landon reflecting on the claim that he had a happy end.[10]
Gallery
Leaves at the base of the dome.
Carvings on the wall
Gol Gumbaz c. 1860
Tomb viewed from the gardens
Western facade of the Gol Gumbaz
A nearby building.
[clarification needed ]
Crenellations of the west facade
Historical cannon displayed in front of Gol Gumbaz
Ruins near the entrance
Corner view
Tomb
Interior view of dome.
Postal stamp (1949)
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Gol Gumbaz .