The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c23.s4.96

v4.c23.s4.96

Reference has been already made to the Jamālī Masjid, and it was out of this that the Qil‘a-i-Kuhna Masjid was evolved. Each mosque has a double arch for its fronton, with two archways in each of its wings. The interiors of both consist of one large hall divided into five bays, there is one central dome, and the systems of pendentives supporting the roof have much in common. The Qil‘a-i-Kuhna was built in 1545, some fifteen years after its prototype, and depicts in a most decisive manner the advance that took place in that short period. Every feature, somewhat crudely fashioned in the earlier example, was carefully refined, improved or amplified during this time, in order to fit it for its place in the finished composition of the Qil‘a-i-Kuhna. This mosque was evidently the Chapel Royal of Shēr Shāh and the perfection of its parts may be due to his personal supervision. It has no cloisters, although there is a courtyard in front, with an octagonal tank in its centre, and at the side is a doorway to serve as the royal private entrance. The mosque is not large, occupying a rectangle of 168 feet by 44½ feet, and its height is 66 feet. There is a handsome stair turret at each of its rear corners, with oriel windows on brackets at intervals. All these features have been carefully disposed, but the chief beauty of the building lies in the arrangement of its façade. This is divided into five arched bays, the central one larger than the others and each having an open archway recessed within it. With these as the basis of his scheme, the designer has enriched each part with mouldings, bracketed openings, marble inlay, carving and other embellishments all in such good taste that the effect of the whole is above criticism. The interior is equally pleasing. Archways divide it into five compartments which correspond to the five façade openings, and recessed in the west wall of each is an elegant *miḥrāb*. In the support of the roof three different methods have been exploited. The central bay, roofed by the dome, has the usual squinch-arch as a pendentive, but the others, although they have no domes, have vaulted ceilings necessitating some kind of support in the angles. In one instance this support is formed of diminishing rows of brackets with small ornamental arches in between, a most artistic solution of this constructive problem (Fig. 10). But the method adopted in the end bays shows more originality; a flattened arch is thrown across, leaving a space at the back which is filled in with a semi-dome, pendentives supporting the corners, a daring experiment and not perhaps one to be repeated, but the whole building proclaims the artistic and inventive skill of the architect. Where, however, this craftsman excelled was in the design of the *miḥrābs*, which, of their kind, can have no equal in any other mosque in India. An arched niche is commonly the form these take, but by sinking one recess within another, and by doming them over, he provided himself with a foundation inviting decoration. His material was marble, and the sure manner in which he has manipulated this, and the effect produced, is beyond praise.