Qutub Complex, Delhi

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A tall order
By :Savita Kumari
Dec 28 2015
IF you have been to Delhi, chances are you paid a visit to the Qutub
complex, one of Unesco's world heritage site. Qutub complex, an array of
monuments and buildings, is bound to figure in the itinerary of any
tourist. Not only is the complex — and its most famous monument, the Qutub
Minar — an important example of Indo-islamic architecture, this first Jami
masjid (Friday mosque) of India tells the story of conflict and concord
between two cultures.
With the establishment of islamic rule in 1192 CE, Delhi witnessed the
construction of its first mosque which came to be known as Quwwat ul Islam,
literally translating as the might of islam. This mosque was to record the
encounter of two different architectural and ideological traditions. An
inscription on the eastern gate of the mosque states that apparently 27
temples were destroyed to construct this mosque. The destruction of these
temples was not an act of religious vandalism but was motivated by
political and economic reasons. By destroying places of worship of the
enemy, the new rulers attempted to further demoralise the defeated regime,
a standard practice of the time. Also, it was not easy to procure resources
for building a grand and imposing mosque immediately after conquest so
temple spoils were used.
The three sultans, Qutubuddin Aibak (1206-1210 CE), Iltutmish (1211-1236
CE) and Alauddin Kalji (1296-1316 CE) were responsible for the construction
and subsequent extension of this mosque. The original mosque as constructed
by Qutubuddin Aibak has a prayer chamber (liwan) with a mihrab (semi-
circular niche) on the western wall to indicate the direction of prayer, as
from India orientation of Mecca is towards the west. The prayer chamber is
preceded by a huge rectangular courtyard called sahn. This courtyard is
enclosed on all three sides by a colonnade (riwaq). There were entrances on
all four sides of the mosque which made its plan a four iwan type. This
particular mosque plan came to India from Iran. The Quwwat ul Islam mosque
also had a provision for prayer by women devotees as there were zenanas or
enclosures for women in the four corners of the colonnades.
The Quwwat ul Islam mosque was built by hindu artisans for their muslim
masters from desecrated hindu temple material. The result was interesting.
The mosque was constructed in the trabeate mode, using pillars, beams and
lintels of hindu temples. This was an avowed departure from islamic
building techniques which were based on the arcuate style of construction
with no figural representation. The patrons could not relate with the
visual experience of the space as it was far removed from traditional
islamic aesthetics. In order to recall a visual vocabulary familiar to
islam, a free standing screen of arches (maqsura) was constructed in front
of the prayer chamber of the mosque. This screen was higher than the prayer
chamber itself. It was ornamented with calligraphy, geometry and arabesque,
the three basic forms of islamic decoration. Yet another intriguing feature
of this mosque is presence of an iron pillar dating back to 4th century CE.
The reason for its presence is debatable among historians.
Iltutmish, the successor and son in law of Qutubuddin Aibak extended the
mosque to three times its original size. His extension to the Quwwat ul
Islam mosque not only gave the structure greater scale and dignity but also
made it more Islamic in conception. He also brought Qutub Minar, the lofty
victory tower, within the enclosure wall of his extension. The construction
of Qutub Minar was begun by Qutubuddin Aibak before 1205 CE. He could only
complete the first storey. Iltutmish built the second, third and fourth
storeys.
The Tuqhlaq Sultan Firoz Shah repaired it in 1368 CE and divided the fourth
storey into two storeys, making a total of five stories. The distinctive
character of Qutub Minar lies in the intricate treatment of the muqarnas
(stalactites), which support the balconies of each storey. Also,
calligraphic bands flaked by bands of floral and geometrical motifs further
add grace to this world famous Minar.
Of the great extensions made by Alauddin Khalji, only the Alai Darwaza
survives. It dates back to 1311 CE. Ornamentation of this gate on the
southern side of the mosque speaks of the consolidation of Islamic rule in
India and reflects the amalgamation of hindu-muslim culture.
The first mosque, thus, completed continued to remain significant for many
centuries. Building activities in its vicinity continued till nineteenth
century. Later Sultanate and Mughal rulers paid tribute to this building by
incorporating motifs from this mosque in their own architectural projects.
This was because the Quwwat ul Islam mosque marked the beginning of Islamic
rule in India.
(The writer is assistant professor, National Museum Institute)
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