Since this thread is kinda inactive, I thought I will post about another city where I lived. I stayed in Bijapur, Karnataka for about 12-16 months.
- Bijapur (now known as Vijayapura), the land of five rivers and the domain of different cultures, is an ancient city. Bijapur is well known for its historical monuments of architectural importance.
- The city was established in the 10th-11th centuries by the Kalyani Chalukyas and was known as Vijayapura (City of victory). It is the 9th biggest city in Karnataka. (For those who don't know Karnataka - Karnataka is the state where Banagalore is located)
- In an introduction to an album of Bijapur published in 1866, Philip Meadows Taylor wrote: “Palaces, arches, tombs, cisterns, gateways, minarets, ...all carved from the rich basalt rock of the locality, garlanded by creepers, broken and disjointed by peepul trees, each in its turn is a gem of art and the whole a treasury.
- There are so many forts, tombs, Masjids, museums located in Bijapur. This place is known for it's heritage structure, beautiful historic monuments.
Gol Gumbaz- is the most famous monument in Bijapur. It is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah (ruled 1627-1657). It is the largest dome ever built in India, next in size only to St Peter's Basilica in Rome. A particular attraction in this monument is the central chamber,
where every sound is echoed seven times. Another attraction at the Gol Gumbaz is the
Whispering Gallery, where
even minute sounds can be heard clearly 37 metres away. Gol Gumbaz complex includes a mosque, a Naqqar Khana (a hall for the trumpeters) (Now it is used as museum) and the ruins of guest houses.
Ibrahim Rauza- This is the tomb of Ibrahim Adil Shah II (ruled 1580-1627), the fifth king of the dynasty and, like the Mughal emperor Akbar, known for religious tolerance. Built on a single rock bed, it is noted for the symmetry of its features. It is said that the design for the
Ibrahim Rauza served as an
inspiration for that of the famous Taj Mahal.
Malik-e-Maidan (The Monarch of the Plains)- The largest medieval cannon in the world. Being 4 m long, 1,5 m in diameter and weighing 55 tons, this gun was brought back from Ahmadnagar in the 17th century as a trophy of war by 400 oxen, 10 elephants and tens of men.it was given by a Turkish Officer in the service of Burhan Nizamshah and this information is engraved on it. It is said that after igniting the cannon, the gunner would remain underwater in a tank of water on the platform to avoid the deafening explosion. The cannon remains cool even in strong sunlight and if tapped, tinkles like a bell
Saat Kabar- Meaning
sixty graves, is a site which can aptly be called as the 'dark tourist spot'. This heritage site tells the story of a passionate army chief who killed his 63 wives fearing they would remarry after his death. Afzal Khan, the army chief of Ali Adil Shah II of the Adil Shahi Dynasty that ruled Bijapur for four centuries,
cold bloodedly murdered all his wives, one by one, before setting out on a battle with Shivaji, the great Maratha warrior, at Pratapgad in Maharashtra in 1659.
Jami Masjid- It is the
largest and oldest mosque in the Deccan. The most beautiful feature is the dome of this building which is highly proportionate. The mihrab here is gorgeously painted. Though incomplete in design, the mosque has attractive features like semi-circular dome and beautifully painted mihrab that features
Quran written in gold.
Gagan Mahal- Which means
Sky Palace, is built with a 21- meter façade and four wooden massive pillars, has a majestic central arch. Sikandar Adil Shah, in silver chains, surrendered to Aurangzeb in 1681 here. Presently in ruins, the facades of the hall and the residential section portray what it once was.
_Clifton,_Karachi.jpg)
