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The legacies of the Bahmanids branched out into five independent Sultanates in different provinces, which flourished until the Mughals overpowered them one by one. However, their short rule exemplified the saying, "Live life large size," and they certainly lived larger than life, leaving behind stories etched into the structures they built for us to behold and admire. As we turn the pages of our history, let us glimpse into their abundant lives through the countless monuments that adorned their heritage.
Deccan Sultanates Innumerable Monumental Memoirs
Almost 8 centuries ago, Malik Ahmed, one of the governors of a Bahmani province, Junnar, contended with General Jehangir Khan of the declining Bahmani army and emerged victorious, claiming sovereignty over his domain. He proclaimed himself Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah I, the ruler of the Nizam Shahi dynasty, which spanned the lands between Gujrat and Bijapur. While initially establishing his capital around the Junnar fort, he later founded the city of Ahmednagar, known today as Shivneri. In the following decade, he expanded his dynasty by conquering neighbouring provinces like Mahuli, Pali, and Chavand, as well as the fortress at Daulatabad.
Due to the founder's Shia leanings, the city of Ahmadnagar reflected a Persian architectural layout and sought to emulate grand cities like Baghdad or Cairo. The Sultans of the Nizam Shahi dynasty made significant improvements to existing forts such as Junnar, Losa, Dharur, and particularly Daulatabad. The splendid gardens like Farah Bakhsh Bagh and Hasht Bihisht Bagh showcase the aesthetic imprints of this sultanate. Two prominent warrior personalities of the Sultanate were Mir Malik Ambar and Chand Bi Bi. Although the earliest school of painting originated from this sultanate, unfortunately, only recorded texts remain today.
Chand Bi Bi, the wife of Ibrahim Adil Shah I, is among the women warriors of India and the only one from the Deccan Sultanates to have acted as the regent to the next successor of the childless sultan. Ibrahim Adil Shah II, the nephew of the deceased sultan, bravely carried forward the flourishing dynasty while patronising art and architecture like his predecessors. It was his son, Muhammad Adil Shah, who bequeathed the greatest gem of this dynasty – the Gol Gumbaz. Renowned for its second-largest dome without pillars in the world, second only to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the Gol Gumbaz is an architectural marvel. The dome features a remarkable Whispering Gallery where even the slightest whisper echoes seven-ten times and can be heard across a space of 37-38 meters. Some visitors claim they can even hear beyond into the surrounding garden. Historians believe that the patron intended to showcase the vastness of his kingdom through the extraordinary size of the dome that adorns the corners of the cubed structure. The octagonal towers on each corner of the main cube rise in seven vertical rows of arched floors, each crowned by a dome and containing a staircase within.
The Deccan Plateau, stretching from Western to Southern India and previously housing kingdoms reaching the Vindhyas in the north, served as a global centre of culture and commerce. It was a multicultural and diverse society, home to various ethnic, racial, and religious groups, and was ruled by diverse powers such as the Vijayanagara Empire, Deccan Muslim Sultanates, Mughals, Marathas, and ultimately the British. The physical fabric of the Deccan Plateau is adorned with countless treasures, blending Turkish, Deccani, Persian, and Ottoman styles, a testament to the rich heritage of the Deccan sultanates.
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