Muslim Architecture of Bihar (Patna And Biharsharif) (12th Cent. to 19th Cent.) (Set of 2 Volumes)

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The present work is a valuable contribution to the study of Muslim architecture in Bihar. It is divided into four volumes dealing with medieval towns of Bihar. The present one deals with "Patna and Biharsharif- 12th to 19th century AD". In this volume, Dr. Abha Rani's work has critically analysed the design and execution of most of these buildings of Patna and Biharsharif. She has also described their decorative pattern and architectural excellence.

Besides text, a number of photographs, plans and elevation of the monuments, and maps have been added to make the work as illustrative as possible. All these will be valuable information for a researcher in the field of medieval architecture.

Dr. Abha Rani has worked extensively on Indo Islamic architecture. She holds research grant from the Indian Council of Historical research related to the "Indo Islamic Architecture of Bihar". During the last thirty years, she has carried out research work on various fields of Indian art history. She has participated in many conferences and seminars and has published many articles on medieval art and architecture, culture and archaeology in various reputed journals and proceedings. Among other books and essays, she is the author of "Architecture of Delhi 1320 AD to 1388AD." Her current research interests are the contemporary painting during 18th century and 19th century in Bihar, widely known as the 'Patna Kalam'.

The present work is a valuable contribution to the study of Muslim Tarchitecture in Bihar. It is divided into four volumes dealing with medieval towns of Bihar. I hope the present volume will meet the requirement of scholars and researchers.

Words fail me in expressing my hearty gratitude to Dr. Rajiva Nain Prasad, Retd. Professor & Head of the Department of History. Magadh University, Bodh Gaya for his enlightened guidance and personal interest in the progress of my work.

I have received much help and cooperation from several libraries and educational institutions as Library of A.S.I., New Delhi; K.P.Jaiswal Research Institute Library, Patna; Khuda Baksh Oriental Library, Patna and Sachidanand Sinha Library, Patna, to presenting the result of this work I have received constant encouragment from my friend Dr. Kiran Kumari, 1 express my sincere gratitude.

My husband Sri K.N.R. Verma has been a constant source of strength to me in carrying out this work and my sincere thanks are due to my son Ritesh Ranjan (Rishu) and daughter Aditi Verma (Dola) whose affection has always led me on.

Lastly, we are greatly indebted to Shri Praveen Mittal, Publisher, B.R.Publishing Corporation, Delhi, for his generous willingness to publish these volumes without which these efforts would not have seen the light so soon.

Abha Rani

Patna

Art and architecture are true manifestation of the culture of a period as they reflect the mind and approach of that society. The most visible change in the Indian landscape brought about by the Turks was the introduction of a new architectural style. This style incorporated not only certain new modes and principles of construction but reflected also the religious and social needs of the adherents of Islam.' Indo-Islamic architecture is the living proof of the synthesis and fusion of what was best of the building traditions of two contrasting cultures, the Indian and the Islamic. This style of architecture is called Indo-Islamic architecture.

The Hindu style was trabeate employing pillars, lintels and pyramidal towers in the slender spires. The confrontation of such seemingly opposite styles had to yield to some fusion in the spirit of give and take. Out of this fusion emerged a composite and homogenous new styles with its offshoots, achieved with varying degrees of success in different regions of the subcontinent at different periods, conditioned by local climate condition, type and availability of building material and above all, the aesthetic and intellectual tradition and skill in the art of construction of the region concerned.

This is particularly true of medieval Bihar. The Muslim Turks from central Asia who established the Delhi Sultanate in the beginning of 13th century came with quite different and developed techniques and forms of architectures. Of this there are two principals one being the imperial or Delhi style, and the regional political centres. Bihar constituted the eastern outer boundary of the Delhi Sultanate, and parts of its acknowledged of Lakhnauti and Jaunpur at different times. In the different monuments of the period we can trace the influences of the Imperial and regional styles.

The great majority of the extant structures of the medieval period in Bihar, as elsewhere, are religious structures mosques and mausoleums, which perhaps is natural, because the places of worship and burial have always exercised the imagination of man and evoked in him a feeling of awe and reverence. To a lesser extent, there are secular structures too-Sorts, fort complexes, bridges, inns, madarsas, Darul Adal, Katras etc.

The discovery of Maner (Maniari) Copper Plate granted to Brahmin of Pergana Maniari and dated AD 1124 by the Gahadvala king Govind Chandra of Kanatj, is mentioning the levy of the obligatory Turushka Danda or Turk's tax, the ascription of certain tombs to pre-Bakhtiyar personages. But the real conqueror of Bihar was Muhammad-bin-Bakhtiyar Khalji a man of ungainly build and of humble lineage but nevertheless enterprising, bold and sagacious. He brought the different parts of the territory under his sway and instituted therein, in every part, the reading of the Khutba and the coining of the money and through his Amirs. Masjids and colleges were founded in those parts and he also set up military outposts but unfortunately there are no remains of these monuments. After the death of Bakhtiyar, the province of Bihar with its capital at Biharsharif came to be regarded as a province of Khalji Maliks of Lakhnauti. According to Ferishta' the dead body of Bakhtiyar Khalj was bought to Biharsharif and was buried there. Local tradition also avers the fact that the eternal resting place of the following founder of Mohalla Imadpur in Biharshrif."