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arches and corridors, bara Gumbad Delhi dreamstime.com
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Above image: Bara Gumbad with Friday Mosque, Lodi gardens, Delhi:This more than 520-year old, ancient monument with a semi-circular turreted three-domed mosque highlights the elegance of early Islamic architecture in India.The mosque is accessed from the east through a five arched entrance. The central arch is the largest of the five and the size of the arch diminishes as one moves away from the centre. Three out of five bays in the mosque have domes whereas the remaining two have vaulted roofs (on mosque and "mehman khana"/guest house)..........................
The Islamic monuments in the Lodi gardens of Delhi represent the heritage of the city that was once the capital of the Islamic Sultanates who were the early rulers from the NW of India. The sites are old and wilting due to age and the ASI, the custodian of the monuments must maintain them with care and improve amenities for the tourists. Already a famous tourists spot they can attract more visitors if they keep them attractive and clean. The Bara Gumbad was the earliest fully domed structure in Delhi
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a typical medieval Indian Dom e researchgate.nete
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| Bara (Bada) Gumbad, Delhi vectorstock.com |
Bara (bada) Gumbad constructed in 1490 CE is believed to have been the earliest built domed structure of any buildings in Delhi and it was built at the initiative of ruler Sikandar Lodhi. Square in plan, on a raised platform, the Bara Gumbad was designed and built in accordance with the then prevailing design style during the Lodi period. Part of the design included raised tomb that provides a gateway to the adjacent mosque. The ancient monument situated near the Tomb of Sikandar Lodhi and Shash Gumbad and all of them built at different period share the same platform. So, in the Lodi Gardens there are four historical monuments, inclusive of Bara Gumbad which means big dome. The place where the Bara Gumbad is located was earlier a rural area called Khairpur.
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| Bara Gumbad Delhi. happyfeet.us |
Above image: Bara Gumbad and mosque, Delhi Lodi gardens: A fine example of early Islamic architecture, interior is rich in intricate Arabic calligraphy with nicely designed beautiful engravings and exquisite floral and geometric patterns.......
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| Bara Gumbad tomb, Delhi commons.wikimedia.org |
Above image: Bara Gumbad,Lodi gardens, Delhi: it was a tomb but identity of the person buried is not known; could be an high ranking officer during Sikandar Lodi’s reign (1489-1517).
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Bara Gumbad, Delhi commons.wikimedia.org
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| Arched ailes, Bara Gumbad, Delhi commons.wikimedia.org |
During the colonial era, Bara Gumbad was located in what was the Palam tehsil of Delhi. South of Shah Jehanabad, Delhi was primarily divided into villages. Incidentally, a park came up in the early 20th century to bring all monuments in one confine during the Raj. The park was inaugurated on 9 April 1936 by Lady Willingdon, the wife of Viceroy Lord Willingdon. After India's independence in August 1947, the lush green park was renamed as Lodhi Gardens.
Being part of a group of monuments that include a Friday mosque (Jama Masjid) and the "mehman khana" (guest house) of Sikandar Lodhi, the purpose of Bara Gumbad is not known and still remains a riddle. That the structure does not house any tomb is a subject of debate, but the presence of a raised platform in the central courtyard suggests the structure used to be a burial place! The Bara Gumbad is clubbed with the Friday mosque.
Total floor area of Bara Gumbad (excluding the mosque and the guest house) is 361 square metres (3,886 sq ft). All the structures are constructed on a 4 metres (13 ft) high platform, with a total area of 1,050 square metres (11,302 sq ft). Like the adjacent Shisha Gumbad, the Bara Gumbad is also a single story structure but, it looks as if it spans two floors when viewed from outside. Square in plan, the design is a blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture with bracket and lintel beams. Tapering minarets on the back corners and jharokha (oriel) windows are some of the notable features of the Bara Gumbad Mosque. The dome, the mosque and the " mehman khana" are made of red, grey and black stone, including grey quartzite and red sandstone.The Bara Gumbad that is purported to have been initially built by a noble man in 1490 CE, was taken over by Sultan Lodi in 1494 CE, with a view to providing an entryway to his mosque (built in 1494 CE) or a walled enclosure.
The gardens have crumbling tombs of Sayyid and Lodi rulers, including the impressive 15th-century Bara Gumbad tomb and mosque, and the strikingly different tombs of Mohammed Shah and Sikander Lodi . There’s a lake nearby - the Athpula (with eight-piers) bridge, which dates from Emperor Akbar’s reign.
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