Jod Gumbaz

Jod Gumbaz
General information
Location	Bijapur
Country	India
Coordinates	16°49′31″N 75°42′44″E

Jod Gumbaz is a complex of two tombs located in Bijapur, in the Indian state of Karnataka.[1] Built during the late Adil Shahi period and completed in 1687,[2] it contains the tombs of Khan Muhammad and his spiritual advisor Abdul Razzaq Qadiri. A third, smaller tomb is located towards the west of the complex.

Background

The Jod Gumbaz dates back to the late Adil Shahi period. The tombs were erected for Khan Muhammad and his spiritual advisor Abdul Razzaq Qadiri.[3]

Khan Muhammad "the traitor" was a military commander in service of the Adil Shahis, and had been bribed into switching allegiances in favour of the Mughals. This information was given to the Adil Shahi ruler by Afzal Khan, who was also in the field. Khan Muhammad was recalled to Bijapur, and was assassinated. Subsequently, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb ordered that a mausoleum be built for him using the taxes paid by Bijapur to the Mughals for one year. Later, Khan Muhammad's son, entitled Khawas Khan, who was also executed for his allegiance to the Mughals, was also buried within the same tomb. The tomb of Abdul Razzaq Qadiri, who was Khan Muhammad's spiritual advisor was also built around the same time.[4]

The Jod Gumbaz, described as "Tombs of Negro Nobles, Beejapoor", photographed by Henry Hinton, ca. 1855–1862

During the British period, the tomb of Khan Muhammad was used as an office and dwelling for the executive engineer.[4][5] The compound was being used for the residence of the sessions judge of Bijapur up until 1918, when the Archaeological Survey of India cleared all encroachments.[6] Due to the reverence Muslims had for Abdul Razzaq, his tomb was not repurposed.[4] The complex is now protected as a monument of national importance.[7]

The tomb of Khan Muhammad

The tombs are located on a high elevation, because the vaults are located above ground level, which is usually not the case.[4] The tomb of Khan Muhammad is an octagonal building to the south of the complex.[4] A trefoil-patterned parapet rises above the hall, with finials at each corner.[8] It is surmounted by a dome, resting on a lotus-shaped base. Abdul Razzaq Qadiri's tomb is a square building to the north of the complex, and larger than the tomb of Khan Muhammad.[4] It is similar in design, with the trefoil patterned parapet, finials on the corners, and dome rising above a lotus-shaped base. This mausoleum is revered as a dargah.[1] A smaller mausoleum located towards the west of the Jod Gumbaz is the burial place of Sidi Rehan, an officer during the reign of Muhammad Adil Shah.[4]

See also

• List of Monuments of National Importance in Bijapur district, Karnataka

References

1. DHNS. "Where kings & traitors rest". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
2. "Heritage at Risk Register". INTACH. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
3. Michell, George; Zebrowski, Mark. Architecture and Art of the Deccan Sultanates (PDF). The New Cambridge History of India I : 7. Cambridge University Press. p. 96. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 July 2023.
4. Cousens, Henry (1905). Bijapur, the Capital of the Adil Shahi Kings: A Guide to Its Ruins. Scottish Mission Industries Company. pp. 83–85. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
5. Murray, John (1906). A Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon. p. 367. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
6. Marshall, John (1922). Annual Report of the Director-General of Archaeology in India, 1919–1920 (PDF). Calcutta: Superintendent Government Printing. pp. 7–8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
7. "List of Centrally Protected Monuments / Sites under the jurisdiction of Karnataka (Bangalore Circle, Dharwad Circle and Hampi Circle)" (PDF). Archaeological Survey of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
8. Nikam, Khaiser; Guruprasad, R; Mudkavi, Vidyadhar (24 October 2007). "Digital Preservation of Indian Cultural Heritage: Historical Monuments of Bijapur City" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.