The ‘epidome’ of beauty

Known for its historical monuments of architectural importance built during the rule of the Adil Shahi dynasty, Vijayapura’s popularity echoes through its onion-shaped domes, minarets and palaces, writes Arti Das

Ibrahim Rauza. PHOTOS BY AUTHOR

It’s not every day that one feels transported to the bygone era as soon as you land there! The environs of such places have that vibe and that’s what happened to me when I recently visited the town of onion-shaped domes, minarets, palaces, and magnificent monuments — Bijapur, which is now officially known as Vijayapura in the southern state of Karnataka.

This town is predominantly known for the breathtaking Gol Gumbaz, the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah (1626-56 AD) the 7th sultan of the Adil Shahi Dynasty. Built around 1659 AD, it is considered a masterpiece of Islamic architecture and in many ways the face of Deccan architecture of that era. The mausoleum is worth seeing for its sheer scale as it has an enormous dome that has an internal diameter of 37.92 metres and covers a floor area of 1703.56 sq mts, the largest under any masonry domed building in the world.
What makes it interesting and innovative is its architectural marvel as the dome is not supported on pillars but by a system of eight intersecting arches that create interlocking pendentives, (curved wall surfaces forming a transition between the circular dome and its square-shaped support), which bear the load of the dome.

The whispering gallery

The Gol Gumbaz is also well-known for its whispering gallery around the base of the dome. It is accessed through a narrow staircase and it has separate entry and exit staircases on all four sides of the monument. This gallery is massive to look at and also a little scary as the barricades around it are not very high. But, it’s just fascinating due to its acoustic properties as one can easily hear the whispering sound created at the opposite end of the gallery. Interestingly, with a lot of noise around (due to the vastness of this place it creates around 11 to 12 echoes) I could hear people speaking at the other end.

After experiencing this marvel, it was time to explore the town more. A stroll around the town will reveal many ruins that speak about the Adil Shahi dynasty (1489 AD to 1686 AD) and the nine others Adil Shah ruled during his tenure. It is believed that they gave a lot of importance to art, culture, poetry, music, etc., and many rulers were themselves, poets, and musicians. All this is well-reflected in their architecture, which is quite rich and captivating.

A whole town is a fortified place as there are remains of a fort which had a circumference of 10 kilometres. The fort was built on ground level and it had 5 gates and 96 bastions. Now one can see the remains of the fort walls around. A little ahead of Gol Gumbaz, one can visit the Jama Masjid which was built in 1565. It is quite a large mosque that can accommodate more than 2000 faithful to pray at one time. The highlight of this place is the Central Mihrab which is gold painted.

The whole town has some amazing grand structures sometimes found in nooks and corners like the Mehtar Mahal which was built in 1620. One can easily miss it as it is situated in the narrow bylanes of the town. But, it is worth seeing for its intricate carving on stone and wood, and a stunning entrance with a massive wooden door. It is a two-storey structure with two minarets on top.

Also don’t miss to see the ruins of Gagan Mahal, known for its height and scale. The other structure which is also known for its ornate design and some interesting frescos is the Asar Mahal, built in 1646. It faces a water tank and has a Persian-style half-hall originally built with four massive teak pillars in front. Now, these original pillars can be seen lying at the side of the monument.

Our journey of finding architectural marvels didn’t end here as the next day we discovered one of the best monuments of Vijayapura that Ibrahim Rauza built in 1626. It is a mausoleum of Begum Taj Sultana and Ibrahim Shah and also has a mosque. It is known for its fine stone filigree and decorative work and has minarets that are 24 metres high.

For panoramic views

It is believed that this monument inspired the Taj Mahal at Agra. It is also considered an excellent example of Turko Ottoman architecture. The town is peppered with many monuments, mosques, and ruins of the fort wall. During our walks we discovered Upali Buruz, where one can get a panoramic view of the town from its top; a little ahead we came across what is probably the largest cannon in India called ‘Malik-E-Maidan’, a 16th-century cannon, located at Burj-E-Sherz. It weighs 55 tonnes and has three inscriptions on it. Further ahead we also found out about the two mausoleums known as ‘Jod Gumbaz’. The mausoleums are now a dargah and thus attract many a faithful. Lastly, we stumbled upon Bara Kaman. It is a ruin of an incomplete mausoleum, built by Ali Adil Shah in 1672 AD to make it another bigger monument of the Deccan. But, for some reason, it never got completed. Now, it is the burial place of Ali Adil Shah II and his queens and other members.

But even these ruins are worth seeing, especially in the early morning amidst some bird songs and quietude. It has its charm. If you are keen to know more about the Deccan Sultanate and how it shaped our history and other amazing facts, do visit the Archaeological Survey of India museum which is situated in the building which was a Nagar Khana before. It is situated just before the entrance of the Gol Gumbaz.

This whole experience just broadened my understanding of Deccan history, its rulers, people, and its cultural landscape.