Islamic influence had introduce new element to hindu architecture including innovation in terms of construction elements, ornamentation, and form.
Muslim influence started to penetrate India since the end of 12th century, when muslim slave king dynasty rule over Delhi. One of the first muslim complex, Qutb complex, exhibits a political statement of new power of muslim over hindu as built from ruin of 27 hindu temple. The construction technique had change from trabeate-post and beam to arch,vault and dome. However, the first arch ever built,the arch screen at the complex, was a false arch (fig.1) showing the lack of confident to accept practice of new religion in early times. Construction technique in India was different from Muslim architecture in other country,using indigenous material of mortar and masonry instead of brick and rubble. this preservation of indigenous material helps blend islamic architecture to the indian context-not giving an impression of abrupt change or alienation as Le Corbusier’s concrete Chandigarh. Another notable innovative element is double dome construction first practiced at Humayun’s tomb(fig.2), to create grandeur effect from outside and a dark enclosed space for muslim tomb on the inside.
However,what makes islam architecture Most remarkable in india than other country was ornamentation and repetition. The hybridizing of Hindu step pyramid temple excessive inscriptive carvings and muslim calligraphy, and stepping repetition of form i.e. Qutb minar victory monument(fig.3) made indo-islamic architecture more decorative and elaborate.
Architectural form is influenced by contradiction in Religious belief. Hindu believe in force of nature while Muslim believe in one god ,Allah, which affect on prohibition on hindu use of icon, form is restricted to geometric and calligraphy. For instance, Taj mahal with islamic style courtyard is asymmetrical. The muslim water feature is straightening meandering stream into geometrical course representing Allah’s power over nature. The two minarets were tilted outward(fig.4), playing with perspective, to give an impression of square frame when walk toward the palace/tomb. The repetition of octagon shape on plan link to the 8 step to paradise in muslim believe.(fig.5)
The positioning of Taj mahal at river meander was influenced from Iran-which made use of water for garden,however, it didn’t work at Agra due to geographical difference, therefore there is a question wether those islamic elements presented shows understanding of new religious, or just a mimic of originals.
However, the attempt to merge the two religious had not been recorded until akbar period where he uses architecture as a language for his attempt by synchronizing hindu organic form and muslim geometries i.e. hybridized flower with geometric pattern (fig.6), using pattern to form abstract elephant shape(fig.7). Similar approach continues in contemporary times at Jantra Mantra, where it tries to reconcile both hindu solar and muslim lunar orientated belief at the same time(fig 8),- reflecting on the forced harmony between contradicting religious, living together but in parallel to each other.
Islamic architecture had always been dictated by the monarch, from slave dynasty to Mughal, building were for a sole purpose/use of ruler i.e. tomb and fort, even the decision of material change from red sandstone to white marble is upon one’s,-Shajahan- preference. Therefore, there was a question of whether these architecture had left any impact on livings of population of the two religions, or were they just serving as monuments.
FIG.1 false Arch : darker weight line shows the muslim trabeate construction in the Islamic aruate construction
FIG.2 Humayun's Tomb one first double dome construction
FIG.3 Qutb Minar : Repetition of Islamic star pattern along the vertcal course and calligraphy decoration densely inscripted, tallest islamic victory of monument
Fig.4 Taj Mahal : Perspective Illusion for rectangular frame around the tomb to enforce Muslim's idea of geometry
FIG.5: Taj Mahal: form consist of repetition of Octagon relating Muslim idea of Geometry link to 8 step to heaven
FIG.6 Akbar Fort: rendition of Hybridization of Islamic geometry and Hindu organic floral pattern
FIG.7 Akbar Fort: darker line shows outline of Hindu-iconic elephant shape created from several repeated Islamic pattern.
FIG. 8 Jantra Mantra: different belief( Muslim to the moon Hindu to the sun) represented in in same space one next to the other reflecting the today's condition of Muslim and Hindu, the presence of two contradicting religious that live together but in parallel.
Napas Kitirattragan (O.J.)
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