DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9541#0580
INDIAN SARACENIC ARCHITECTURE. Book VII.
street called the Cstreet of the Pilgrims, at Vijayanagar, which may
be contemporary with this bazaar.1
There are other buildings, especially one gigantic archway, in the
city of Kalburgah, the use of which is not apparent, and some veiy
grand old tombs, with sloping walls; but we must wait for further
information before they can be utilised in a history of Indian
architecture.
After the seat of government was removed to Bidar by Ahmad
Shah, a.d. 1422-1435, the new capital was adorned by edifices worthy
of the greatness of the dynasty, but now all apparently ruined.
Among these the most magnificent appears to be the madrissa
erected by Mahomet Gaun, the faithful but unfortunate minister of
the tyrant Mahmud II. It appears to have been finished two years
before his death, in a.d. 1481, and in Ferishta's time was one of the
most complete and flourishing establishments of its class in India.-
Unfortunately, when the place was besieged by Aurungzebe, a quan-
tity of gunpowder was stored in its vaults, and exploded, either acci-
dentally or by design, so as to ruin one wing. Since then the building
has been disused, but so far as can be judged from such imperfect
information as is available, it must have been one of the most splendid
buildings of its day.3 The tombs too of the Berid Shahi dynasty,
which reigned in Bidar from a.d. 1492-1609, are of considerable
splendour, and rival those of Golcondah in extent. Bidar, however,
has not yet been visited by anyone who has had the power or oppor-
tunity of drawing or describing its monuments in such a manner as
to enable another to utilise them for historical purposes, and till this
is done, a knowledge of them must remain among the many desiderata
in Indian art
1 I have photographs, but no measure- 3 There is a view of it from a sketch
ments of this street. by Col. Meadows Taylor, in the ' Oriental
- Hrigg's translation of Ferishta, vol. Annual' for 1840.
ii. p. 510.
street called the Cstreet of the Pilgrims, at Vijayanagar, which may
be contemporary with this bazaar.1
There are other buildings, especially one gigantic archway, in the
city of Kalburgah, the use of which is not apparent, and some veiy
grand old tombs, with sloping walls; but we must wait for further
information before they can be utilised in a history of Indian
architecture.
After the seat of government was removed to Bidar by Ahmad
Shah, a.d. 1422-1435, the new capital was adorned by edifices worthy
of the greatness of the dynasty, but now all apparently ruined.
Among these the most magnificent appears to be the madrissa
erected by Mahomet Gaun, the faithful but unfortunate minister of
the tyrant Mahmud II. It appears to have been finished two years
before his death, in a.d. 1481, and in Ferishta's time was one of the
most complete and flourishing establishments of its class in India.-
Unfortunately, when the place was besieged by Aurungzebe, a quan-
tity of gunpowder was stored in its vaults, and exploded, either acci-
dentally or by design, so as to ruin one wing. Since then the building
has been disused, but so far as can be judged from such imperfect
information as is available, it must have been one of the most splendid
buildings of its day.3 The tombs too of the Berid Shahi dynasty,
which reigned in Bidar from a.d. 1492-1609, are of considerable
splendour, and rival those of Golcondah in extent. Bidar, however,
has not yet been visited by anyone who has had the power or oppor-
tunity of drawing or describing its monuments in such a manner as
to enable another to utilise them for historical purposes, and till this
is done, a knowledge of them must remain among the many desiderata
in Indian art
1 I have photographs, but no measure- 3 There is a view of it from a sketch
ments of this street. by Col. Meadows Taylor, in the ' Oriental
- Hrigg's translation of Ferishta, vol. Annual' for 1840.
ii. p. 510.