ART AND Literature IN THE Sultanate Period PDF

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We discussed the development of literature in the Post-Gupta period in the previous Unit. We'll talk about the evolution of art and literature during the Sultanate period in this unit. The establishment of the Delhi Sultanate at the start of the thirteenth century can be considered a watershed momen...

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ART AND LITERATURE IN THE SULTANATE PERIOD INTRODUCTION

We discussed the development of literature in the Post-Gupta period in the previous Unit. We'll talk about the evolution of art and literature during the Sultanate period in this unit. The establishment of the Delhi Sultanate at the start of the thirteenth century can be considered a watershed moment in terms of cultural development. The rulers of the Delhi Sultanate, being Turks, had their own ideas about governance, art, architecture, and literature, among other things. Their interactions with Indian people aided the development of a new, syncretized culture. This interaction not only resulted in the assimilation of ideas, but also had a significant impact on cultural developments. As a result of the Sultanate of Delhi's rule, new forms of art were introduced, as well as significant progress in the fields of literature, music, and other arts.

FINE ARTS IN THE SULTANATE PERIOD

• Architecture

The arrival of a completely new style in the fields of art, architecture, and painting was symbolised by the reign of the Delhi Sultanate. Although the Turks initially converted some temples and other existing structures into mosques, they eventually began to construct their own structures. Mostly indigenous craftsmen, such as stone cutters and masons, were employed for this purpose. Architects from Central Asia later arrived in India. The Sultanate period saw an increase in the use of arches, minarets, and domes in the field of architecture. The use of the dome created a beautiful skyline. The combination of the arch and the dome eliminated the need for many pillars to support the roof. In the long run, this enabled the construction of large halls for public gatherings. In addition, the Turks used high-quality, light mortar in their constructions so that the arch and dome could be supported by a solid

foundation. With the arrival of the Turks, new architectural forms and superior mortar became widespread in northern India. The Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque and the Qutb Minar, both built by Qutbuddin Aibak to commemorate the establishment of his rule in Delhi, are among the earliest examples of the Sultanate architectural style. This monument exemplifies the early development of Islamic architecture in India. The Qutb Minar in Mehrauli, Delhi, was another important monument begun by Qutbuddin Aibak and later completed by his successor Iltutmish. The tapering character of the Minar, which stands at 71.4 metres, adds to its height. It was originally only four storeys tall, but Firuz ShahTughlaq added a fifth. The Turks continued to build after the consolidation of the Delhi Sultanate under Iltutmish, as evidenced by the large number of buildings from this time period. A synthesis of Hindu and Islamic architectural traditions can be seen in the mosque at Badaun, the lofty gate at Nagaur, and Iltutmish's tomb, which was built near the end of his reign. Central Asian artisans arrived in the second half of the thirteenth century. This marked the beginning of a new era in architecture, with plain arches and a simple tomb. This pattern was visible in the tomb of Balban, Iltutmish's successor. The Khalji period saw a significant advancement in Indo-Islamic architecture. During the reign of Alauddin Khalji, the fusion of Indian and Islamic architectural styles became a prominent feature. The Alai Darwaza, built by Alauddin Khalji in 1311 CE, is the most important example of this style. The main entrance to the enlarged Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was through this gateway, which was located on the southern wall. It is the first structure to use Islamic construction principles and geometric ornamentation. Red sandstone and marble were also used in the construction of the Alai Darwaza. Alauddin Khalji established his capital at Siri, just a few kilometres from the Qutb Minar. The Jamaat Khana mosque at the mausoleum of Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya demonstrates how mosque architecture evolved during this time. Indo-Islamic architecture changed dramatically during the Tughlaq period. In contrast to the lavish and elaborate ornamentation of the previous period, monuments were now characterised by simplicity. Ghiyasuddin and Muhammad Tughlaq founded the city of Tughlaqabad in Delhi in the first half of the fourteenth century. The use of

sloping walls was characteristic of Tughlaq architecture. The Tughlaqs also used greystone instead of the more expensive red sandstone in their construction. The successors to the Tughlaqs, the Sayyids and Lodis, introduced new architectural features such as the double dome. Furthermore, the Lodis built their structures, particularly tombs, on a high platform. Some tombs were also built in the midst of gardens, such as the Sikandar Lodi tomb in Delhi's Lodi gardens.

• Painting and Sculpture

Due to the loss of state patronage, the trend of carving sculptures faded in importance. This was due to prejudice in Islam against the depiction of human and animal figures. The Sultanate period's structures, on the other hand, now only had Arabic calligraphy, geometrical, and floral motifs carved on stone. Local Hindu rulers continued to build temples and adorn them with beautiful sculptures in areas that were not under the control of the Delhi Sultanate, as seen in Orissa and Assam. Moreover, despite Islamic prohibitions on depicting human figures, the rulers of the Delhi Sultanate favoured an Indo-Persian style of painting that was influenced by Iranian schools as well as Jain paintings. The paintings are notable for depicting groups of people in rows with identical poses, narrow bands of decoration running across the width of the painting, and the use of vibrant colours. The Delhi Sultanate's paintings paved the way for the later development of the Mughal and Rajput schools of painting.

PROGRESS OF MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMA

Not only in terms of religious beliefs and architecture, but also in terms of fine arts, particularly music, the Sultanate period brought integration. When the Turks arrived in India, they brought with them a rich Arab musical tradition that had flourished in Iran and Central Asia. With the arrival of the Turks, new musical instruments such as the rabab and sarangi became popular. Amir Khusrau, the greatest of the Persian poets during the Sultanate period, made significant contributions to music. He was given the

title of nayak, and he was responsible for the introduction of many Perso-Arabic ragas. He is also credited with the invention of the qawwali. The Tughlaqs continued the process of integration in the field of music, particularly during the reign of Firuz Shah Tughlaq. During his reign, the Indian classical work Ragadarpan was translated into Persian. The Sufis' influence became particularly noticeable in the field of music. The ruler of Jaunpur, Sultan Husain Sharqi, was a great supporter of music. Pir Bodhan, a Sufi saint, was a well-known musician in his time. Ajan Fakir, a Sufi saint from Assam, and Lalan Fakir, a Bengali Sufi saint, popularised their unique compositions among people from various communities. Even in the twenty-first century, their songs are still popular. In the field of dance, Barani's account includes references to female artists. However, it is unclear whether these female singers and dancers followed Iranian or Indian song and dance traditions. In the late thirteenth century C.E., the Tarikh-i- Firuzshahi Barani mentions young girls being trained in Persian and Indian music by Indian courtesans. DEVELOPMENT OF SANSKRIT AND VERNAC- ULAR LITERATURE

During this time, there was significant advancement in literature. The majority of the literature produced under the Delhi Sultanate's patronage was written in Arabic. However, the Persian language, which had become the literary and administrative language of Central Asia and Iran from the tenth century onwards, had a profound influence on the Turks who came to India. Aside from Persian literary works, the period under consideration saw literary growth in Sanskrit and vernacular languages. Works in the fields of kavya or poetical narrative, nataka or drama, medicine, astronomy, music, and other fields of Sanskrit literature may be mentioned. During this time, many commentaries on Hindu law, such as the Dharmashastras, were written. Around 1200 CE, Mitakshara, Vijnanesvara's commentary and a major authority in Hindu law, was compiled and written down. The majority of Sanskrit works were written under the patronage of Hindu rulers in South India, followed by Bengal, Mithila, and Western India.

The Jains contributed to the development of Sanskrit literature as well. Hemchandra Suri was the most illustrious of them all. However, there has been little attempt to translate Islamic literature into Sanskrit. Simultaneously, the development of vernacular literature continued. The growth of vernacular literature in Assam and Bengal, in particular, took the form of Vaisnava songs, which offered glimpses of a synthesis of Hindu and Islamic ideas. During this time, Hindi as a language made significant progress, with Chand Bardoi, author of Prithviraj Raso, being a notable writer. The Bhakti Movement played a significant role in the development of vernacular languages. The message of bhakti, or devotion, was popularised by Bhakti saints through vernacular songs written in vernacular languages. Sufi saints also used Hindi bhakti poems in their musical gatherings. Madhav Kandali, a native of Assam, wrote the Ramayana in Assamese. The Ramcharitamanas were written in Hindi by Tulsidas. These languages were also favoured by some rulers. Nusrat Shah of Bengal, for example, had the Ramayana and Mahabharata translated into Bengali. During this time, the two Epics in Dravidian languages were written, which contributed to the development of vernacular literature. In the eleventh century, Kamban wrote the Ramayana in Tamil, which was followed by translations in Kannada and Telugu. The popularity of the Saivite saints gave a boost to Tamil literature in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Vijaynagara Empire's rulers also supported literature in Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, and other languages. Furthermore, the expansion of regional languages resulted in the introduction of new dialects, such as Braj-Bhasa, which served as the foundation for the development of Hindi literature.

LET US SUM UP

We learned about– • the emergence of new architectural styles under the Delhi Sultanate after completing this unit. • the nature of building activities under the Delhi Sultanate's rulers; and the patronage given to fine arts, music, and the development of Sanskrit and Vernacular literature by the Delhi Sultanate's rulers....