A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c21.129

c21.129

The Mihtar Mahal (1620) is not a palace as its name implies but an ornamental gateway to the courtyard of a mosque. It is a tall graceful building with an upper storey consisting of an assembly-room. ‘Above this again is an open terrace surrounded by a high wall with oriel windows and a perforated parapet. On each side of the façade are two slender ornamental minarets . . . but it is the projecting balcony window filling the entire space between that is the most striking feature. It is thrown out from the wall on a series of closely set carved brackets, and the wide eaves-board is supported by struts of stone so finely wrought with the chisel as to have every appearance of wood.' The delicate prettiness of the whole structure is unrivalled.