Question

With reference to the composite culture, state briefly the impact of this culture on the following:

Architecture

Answer 1

Architecture: The fusion of two cultures is more profound in the field of architecture. Though the Indian and Islamic systems of art were fundamentally different in their ideas and techniques, they were mingled together to give rise to a new type of Indo-Islamic architecture.
The significant features adopted by the two from each other were the following:

1. The Islamic architecture added to the Indian architecture the special characteristics of spaciousness, massiveness, majesty, and width.
2. In the sphere of decoration, the Turks avoided representation of human and animal figures in the buildings. Instead, they used geometrical and floral designs, combining them with panel s of inscriptions containing verses from the Holy Quran. They also borrowed Indian motifs like a swastika, bell, lotus, etc.
3. The design of the golden Kalash at the top of the shikhara of temples was adopted by the Muslims in placing a stone Kalash on the domes of mosques and tombs.
4. Many temples of Vrindavan assimilated the Mughal style of architecture.
5. The Mughal traditions influenced the palaces and forts of many provincial and local kingdoms. For example, the Golden Temple at Amritsar was built on the arch and dome principle of Islamic architecture and incorporated some features of the Mughal traditions of architecture.