Mosque of Ahmad Khan, Vijayanagara, Karnataka, 1439. Image courtesy Alka Patel.
Mosque (right) and Tomb (left) of Ahmad Khan, Vijayanagara, Karnataka, 1439. Image courtesy ಪ್ರದೀಪ್ ಬೆಳಗಲ್, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Excerpt from India Before Europe
"In contrast to secular architecture, traditional Indic architectural forms were retained for all religious structures, whether they were temples of any denomination (Jain, Shaiva or Vaishnava) or even mosques. A case in point is the mosque which a Muslim noble built in 1439 that, like Vijayanagara's temples, uses only traditional Indic, that is, post and lintel construction [Mosque of Ahmad Khan]. Likewise, the inscription on the mosque refers to the structure not as a mosque but as a dharmasale (hall of dharma or religion), employing Indic terminology. And, as in Indic traditions, the mosque/dharmasale was built to provide merit for the ruler. As Phillip Wagoner has argued, the patron was perfectly adept at code switching from an Indic to an Islamic idiom in any given situation. Wagoner has also pointed out that Vijayanagara rulers and courtiers made a similar distinction between Indic and Islamic styles when it came to clothing: they wore traditional south Indian garb when engaged in a Hindu religious activity or in a domestic setting, but opted for an Islamic style of dress for formal public audiences...The court was a place where the Vijayanagara elite might frequently meet and interact with Muslim visitors or guests, and so Islamic norms which stressed the covering of the body were observed. By wearing tunics, tall caps, and other articles of Islamic dress, the Vijayanagara ruling class was conforming to the fashions not only of the Muslim-ruled polities to their north but also of the larger Islamic civilizational sphere. The adoption of Islamic clothing in certain contexts and the choice of Islamic buildings for secular ceremony was a sign of the sophistication of the Vijayanagara court and its desire to participate in a cosmopolitan culture that extended far beyond the confines of south India."
Source:
Catherine B. Asher & Cynthia Talbot, “Southern India in the Age of Vijayanagara, 1350 - 1550” from India Before Europe, Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 71 - 72.
Annotated Image
Mosque of Ahmad Khan, Vijayanagara, Karnataka, 1439. Image courtesy Alka Patel.
Mosque (right) and Tomb (left) of Ahmad Khan, Vijayanagara, Karnataka, 1439. Image courtesy ಪ್ರದೀಪ್ ಬೆಳಗಲ್, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The city of Vijayanagara is primarily known for its temples and religious sites associated with Hinduism. However, Hinduism was not the only faith practiced in the city. This is a mosque (place for Muslims to worship), but it shares features with Hindu temples elsewhere in Vijayanagara. Note the flat roofline, supported by beams that extend out across pillars. This is a feature of Indic architecture.
- Rows of squared-off columns create the interior space of the mosque. This technique is a common feature of Indic architecture.
- The roof of the building is supported by horizontal beams, held up by the columns. This technique is a common feature of Indic architecture.
- Detail of columns. See #2.
- This niche is the mihrab. It indicates the direction of Mecca, which is the direction Muslims face when praying.
- Ahmad Khan's tomb is right next to the mosque. The top of the wall is crenelated (it has a pattern of bumps and indents along the top), it has a dome, and the building is square. These are all features of Islamicate architecture.
- By contrast to the square openings on the mosque, the sides of the tomb are decorated with arches. These are features of Islamicate architecture.