DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9541#0523
Chap. III.
PATHAN STYLE.
mil
independent kingdoms, rivalling the parent state in power and in the
splendour of their capitals. Still Delhi remained the nominal head at
least of this confederation of states—if it may be so called—till the
time when Baber (a.d. 1494), the fourth in descent from Tamerlane,
invaded Hindustan. He put an end to the Pathan sway, after it had
lasted for three centuries and a half, and finally succeeded in establish-
ing the celebrated dynasty of the Moguls, which during six successive
reigiis, extending over the extraordinary period of more than two
centuries (a.d. 1494-1707), reconsolidated the Moslem empire into
one great whole, which reached a degree of splendour and of power
almost unknown in the East.
Nothing could be more brilliant, and at the same time more
characteristic, than the commencement of the architectural career of
these Pathans in India. So soon as they felt themselves at all sure of
their conquest, they set to work to erect two great mosques in their
two principal capitals of Ajmir and Delhi, of such magnificence as
should redound to the glory of their religion and mark their triumph
over the idolaters. A nation of soldiers equipped for conquest, and
that only, they had of course brought with them neither artists nor
architects, but, like all nations of Turanian origin, they had strong
architectural instincts, and having a style of their own, they could
hardly go wrong in any architectural project they might attempt
At the same time, they found among their new subjects an infinite
number of artists quite capable of carrying out any design that might
be propounded to them.
In the first place, they found in the colonnaded courts of the
Jaina temples nearly all that was wanted for a ready-made mosque.
All that was required was the removal of the temple in its centre, and
the erection of a new wall on the west side, adorned with niches
mihrabs—to point out to the faithful the direction in which Mecca lay,
towards which, as is well known, they were commanded in the Koran
to turn when they prayed. It is not certain, however, that they were
ever in India content with this only. In the two instances at least to
which we are now referring, they determined in addition to erect a
screen of arches in front of the Jaina pillars, and to adorn it with all
the richness and elaboration of carving which their Indian subjects
were capable of executing. Nothing could be more successful than
the results. There is a largeness and grandeur about the plain simple
outline of the Mahomedan arches which quite overshadows the smaller
parts of the Hindu fanes, and at the same time the ornamentation,
though applied to a greater extent than in any other known examples,
is kept so flat as never to interfere with or break the simple outlines
of the architectural construction. There may be other examples of
surface-decoration as elaborate as this, hut hardly anywhere on such
a scale. Some parts of the interior of Sta. Sophia at Constantinople
PATHAN STYLE.
mil
independent kingdoms, rivalling the parent state in power and in the
splendour of their capitals. Still Delhi remained the nominal head at
least of this confederation of states—if it may be so called—till the
time when Baber (a.d. 1494), the fourth in descent from Tamerlane,
invaded Hindustan. He put an end to the Pathan sway, after it had
lasted for three centuries and a half, and finally succeeded in establish-
ing the celebrated dynasty of the Moguls, which during six successive
reigiis, extending over the extraordinary period of more than two
centuries (a.d. 1494-1707), reconsolidated the Moslem empire into
one great whole, which reached a degree of splendour and of power
almost unknown in the East.
Nothing could be more brilliant, and at the same time more
characteristic, than the commencement of the architectural career of
these Pathans in India. So soon as they felt themselves at all sure of
their conquest, they set to work to erect two great mosques in their
two principal capitals of Ajmir and Delhi, of such magnificence as
should redound to the glory of their religion and mark their triumph
over the idolaters. A nation of soldiers equipped for conquest, and
that only, they had of course brought with them neither artists nor
architects, but, like all nations of Turanian origin, they had strong
architectural instincts, and having a style of their own, they could
hardly go wrong in any architectural project they might attempt
At the same time, they found among their new subjects an infinite
number of artists quite capable of carrying out any design that might
be propounded to them.
In the first place, they found in the colonnaded courts of the
Jaina temples nearly all that was wanted for a ready-made mosque.
All that was required was the removal of the temple in its centre, and
the erection of a new wall on the west side, adorned with niches
mihrabs—to point out to the faithful the direction in which Mecca lay,
towards which, as is well known, they were commanded in the Koran
to turn when they prayed. It is not certain, however, that they were
ever in India content with this only. In the two instances at least to
which we are now referring, they determined in addition to erect a
screen of arches in front of the Jaina pillars, and to adorn it with all
the richness and elaboration of carving which their Indian subjects
were capable of executing. Nothing could be more successful than
the results. There is a largeness and grandeur about the plain simple
outline of the Mahomedan arches which quite overshadows the smaller
parts of the Hindu fanes, and at the same time the ornamentation,
though applied to a greater extent than in any other known examples,
is kept so flat as never to interfere with or break the simple outlines
of the architectural construction. There may be other examples of
surface-decoration as elaborate as this, hut hardly anywhere on such
a scale. Some parts of the interior of Sta. Sophia at Constantinople