A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c21.127

c21.127

The Jami Masjid begun by Adil Shah I about 1565 is one of the first buildings of importance and illustrates the style in its formation. ‘Never quite finished, it still lacks the frontage of the courtyard. The arcaded prayer hall has five aisles supported on massive piers and with its fine dome is very impressive. Ornament has been sparingly used and the surfaces are finished with a coat of fine plaster which time has mellowed to a pleasant creamy tint. The central bay, however, is embellished with the most gorgeous array of patterns in colour and gold, work of a later hand which is not in keeping with the austere refinement of the rest. The Ibrahim Rauza, built at the end of the sixteenth century, is a highly ornate structure on a large scale. It consists of the tomb of Sultan Ibrahim II and its mosque, both on a raised terrace inside a walled enclosure, and may claim to rival the finest buildings of the Mughals. The tomb is the more important structure and its artistic finish, with carved decorations by local craftsmen, leaves nothing to be desired.