The Haft Gumbaz, also spelt Haft Gumbad are a group of tombs of the

Bahmani dynasty The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan,

situated in

Gulbarga Kalaburagi, formerly known as Gulbarga, is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kalaburagi district and is the largest city in the region of North Karnataka (Kalyana-Karnataka). Kalaburagi is 6 ...

, in the Indian state of

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

. Built during the 14th and 15th centuries, the tombs are examples of early

Indo-Islamic architecture Indo-Islamic architecture is the architecture of the Indian subcontinent produced by and for Islamic patrons and purposes. Despite an initial Arab presence in Sindh, the development of Indo-Islamic architecture began in earnest with the establ ...

. There are seven tombs in total, with four being tombs of the rulers of the Bahmani dynasty. The tomb complex is a

monument of national importance This article contains lists of Monuments of National Importance in India. An Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 defines an "Ancient Monument" as follows: A "Monument of National Importance" is designated by the Archaeological Survey o ...

, maintained by the

Archeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...

. The tomb complex is part of the "Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate", which is an ensemble of various structures added to the tentative list of the

UNESCO World Heritage Sites A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

History

The tomb complex was built between the 14th and 15th centuries. The capital shifted to

Bidar Bidar (/ biːd̪ər/) is a city in the north-eastern part of Karnataka state in India. It is the headquarters of Bidar district, which borders Maharashtra and Telangana. It is a rapidly urbanising city in the wider ''Bidar Metropolitan area ...

in 1425, and the later Bahmani sultans are buried in the Bahmani tombs complex in Bidar. The tomb complex has been encroached by local businesses and institutions. A social activist, K.M. Mujeebuddin, has filed an RTI query regarding the upkeep of the tombs.

Architecture

The architectural style is reminiscent of

Tughlaq The Tughlaq dynasty ( fa, ), also referred to as Tughluq or Tughluk dynasty, was a Muslim dynasty of Indo- Turkic origin which ruled over the Delhi sultanate in medieval India. Its reign started in 1320 in Delhi when Ghazi Malik assumed the ...

architecture. A unique feature seen only in the Haft Gumbaz is the double-chambered tomb, with one chamber for the king and the other for his family members. There are seven tombs in total, with four being Sultan's tombs. The tombs are situated in a garden.

Tomb of Mujahid Shah

This was the first tomb to be built. It is a single-chambered square tomb, free of any elaborate embellishments. It is located on a low base. It is on the West end of the tomb complex.

Tomb of Daud Shah

It is a double-chambered tomb.

Tomb of Shams al-Din and Ghiyath al-Din

The two tombs share the same basement.

Tomb of Firuz Shah Bahmani

The tomb of Firuz Shah Bahmani is the largest, and is considered the most important of the complex. It is also a double-chambered tomb. The external and internal elevation is divided into two tiers, adorned by double-recessed arches. The arches of the upper tier have

jali A ''jali'' or jaali (''jālī'', meaning "net") is the term for a perforated stone or latticework, latticed Window screen, screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy, geometry or natural patterns. T ...

-style decorations.

References

{{reflist Tombs in Karnataka Bahmani architecture