Online Reflection 8

Urf's principle that translated into islamic architecture can also be seen in india and Malaysia. Both has responded to the local context and present themselves in a very unique way.

ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA

The medieval period has shown huge developments in the field of architecture. With the coming of Muslims to India, a lot of new features came to be introduced in buildings. The expansion of Muslim Style of Architecture of this period can be called the Indo-Islamic Architecture or the Indian Architecture influenced by Islamic Art. The Indo-Islamic style was neither strictly Islamic nor strictly Hindu. The architecture of the medieval period can be separated into two major categories. They are the Delhi or the Imperial Style and the Mughal Architecture. The Imperial Style developed under the patronage of the Sultans of Delhi. The Mughal Architecture was a combination of the Islamic Architecture of Central Asia and the Hindu Architecture of India.

Tomb of Ghiyas-ud-Din that shows the imperial style of architecture. Image source from http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/21/2177/R9UCD00Z/posters/john-henry-claude-wilson-tomb-of-ghiyasuddin-tughlaq-ghiyas-ud-din-tughluq-delhi-india.jpg

The Indo-Islamic style provided massiveness, spaciousness and breadth to the Hindu architecture. In almost all the well-known buildings, the arch, Minar and dome began to be applied and the mosque or Masjid turned into a part of the landscape. The chief means of adornment was surface decoration through the application of geometry, arabesque and calligraphy. The Muslims borrowed the design of kalash on the top of the Hindu temple by placing a dome on the top of their buildings.

Kalash, the prominent Vedic symbol that symbolizes respectively the manifestations of Gayatri and Yagya. Image source from http://www.vijnana.org/2008/12/kalash.html

Kalash has applied into design, image source from http://www.ignca.nic.in/coilnet/images/ag03/big/bpavlion.jpg

The most significant symbol of Indo-Islamic architecture in India is the tomb or the mausoleum, which evolved from the basic cube and hemisphere of the early phase into a more detailed structure during the Mughal period. In the Mughal period several chambers were made and tombs were set in gardens, known as the Char-Bagh. The tomb chamber houses the cenotaph below, which is the grave. The most well known example of tomb in India is Taj Mahal.

Char-Bagh of Taj Mahal, image source from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G_BUWo1_ATv6fnJ9HfdDLv5nqGnF0v4mzQ3mykLoNbv6HbXdY9CVp7g2BzPqHPu8w12oMUfIgSJhuaDhltI-8vOOJztbpl052y1tvCQPeKQ5kDtkBKtrsS7U35KoGFYgCkbJ5_Tvi1w/s400/taj+mahal+garden.jpg

The Mughal Architecture occupies a substantial place in the history of Indian Architecture. The Mughal architecture developed with the efforts of Akbar. Akbar cleverly integrated foreign influences into indigenous style. Some of the basic features of the Mughal Architecture are the round domes, high minarets, mehrabs, pillars, open courtyards etc. A notable feature of the Mughal architecture was the application of red sandstone. It is interesting to note that red sandstone was used for construction of huge buildings and forts. However red sandstone was replaced with white marbles replaced it during the later period when the stress was more on enhancing of the buildings with the use of colored designs, precious and semi-precious stones, gold and silver waters and minute carvings.

Humayun tomb, one kind of Mughal architecture. Image source from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Humayun_tomb_-_a_red_stone_mughal_architecture.JPG

The outstanding examples of Indo-Islamic architecture are the Qutub Minar, Alai Darwaza, Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, Tughlaqabad Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal, Red Fort Delhi etc.

All of them indeed had responded to the local context by integrating the indian culture and beliefs into architectural design.

Source from:

http://www.culturalindia.net/indian-architecture/indo-islamic.html

Extra information please check out:

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/arc/ind/1_primer/indoislam/indis_eng.htm

ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN MALAYSIA

The architectural styles of Malaysia's mosque can be classified into three types, which are vernacular mosque, colonial mosque and modern mosque.

Scale and elements of mosque

In terms of scale and proportion, the size of the vernacular mosques is usually much smaller compared to the colonial and modern mosques. The smaller-sized vernacular mosques may be related with a smaller population threshold targeted for such mosques. Due to their relatively superior sizes, the colonial and modern mosques are classified as the District, State, Royal or National mosques by the mosque authority.

As far as the elements of the mosques are concerned, the colonial mosques feature a richer vocabulary in architecture compared with the vernacular and modern mosques. Most colonial mosques have distinctive architectural features such as onion-shaped or top-shaped domes, turrets, classical columns, pilasters, pointed arches, keystones, pediments and plastered renderings on cornices and capitals.

Masjid Kampung Kling as vernacular mosque, image source from http://www.airasia.com/travel3sixty/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/HE003553.jpg

Building materials

Timber is utilized excessively in the construction of the vernacular mosques. Attap and clay tiles are extensively used for roofing. However, as the require for building bigger mosques raised during and after the British colonial period, other building materials including concrete, brick and steel were used to replace timber. With the advancement of construction technologies, modern mosques have been constructed with reinforced concrete and steel structures.

Wood carvings and plastered renderings

Most of the vernacular mosques posse very well woodcarvings of flower motifs, particularly on wall panels, fanlights, windows and mimbar. On the other hand, plastered renderings are generally found in the colonial mosques, especially on cornices, column capitals, pilasters, and arches as well as around windows and doors. Interestingly, some of the modern mosques have integrated both the woodcarvings and plastered renderings especially on the interior walls.

Malay woodcarvings apply in Malaysia mosque's ornamentation, image source from http://universes-in-universe.org/var/storage/images/media/images/islam/2004/noor/img_04/52680-1-eng-GB/img_04.jpg

Malaysia's mosques had made themselves unique from the others as they had responded to the local climate and produced a different kind of architectural design. For example like Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan that utilizes the principle of Urf.

Image source from http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xkyWiRWIEcs/UqBrkCWpwYI/AAAAAAAAAos/BaLg4PseyY4/s1600/6-page-001.jpg

And also Masjid Jamek's hypostyle hall that has a lot of openings, which promotes cross-ventilation that suitable for the hot and humid climate of the country.

Image source from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ8iqn2z7kB8Izl8Wkgb2F4qoRQypvEzVBzK2eIRh8yqcgoK-vI_irXAZPmCJeX6ZU_Owy9FehmrarZVdBf4JW8ZKzknDOsEj99VObfDskSFWtZRhmEvq0r1o6ZY3qSNDn5i-pPKlEkhf/s1344/Slide7.JPG

Source from http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/SeminarPaper/PAPERRIYADH.html