The Fort that Reflects Two Religions: Gulbarga Fort

Originally constructed by Raja Gulchand and later expanded by Al-ud-din Hasan Bahmani, Gulbarga Fort is an architectural marvel that reflects both Hindu and Muslim culture.

A part of the Gulbarga Fort | Source: transindiatravels

Gulbarga Fort is situated in the Kalaburagi district in the northern part of the Indian state of Karnataka. The fort was initially built by a Hindu king named Raja Gulchand of Kakatiyas in the 12th century. Later, it was expanded by Al-ud-din Hasan Bahmani of the Bahmani Dynasty after breaking ties with the Delhi Sultanate. This expansion gave the fort an Islamic touch, with the addition of monuments like mosques, tombs, and other structures.

The Jami Masjid stands out as one of the most unique Persian-architectural-styled mosques, featuring beautifully arched domes and columns. The refurbishment of the Gulbarga Fort marked the establishment of the Bahmani Kingdom's rule in Kalaburagi, which remained the kingdom's capital until the year 1424, making the fort the headquarters of the Bahmani Kingdom.

The fort showcases a pleasing Indo-Persian style of architecture, covering an area of approximately 0.5 acres with a circumference of 3 kilometers. The outer part of the fort is completely protected with double fortifications, where the inner wall is slightly higher than the outer wall.

The Jami Masjid, built to celebrate Gulbarga as the capital of the Bahmani dynasty, is one of the first mosques in the southern part of India. This mosque stands out for its design, lacking an open courtyard with passageways on the outer side of the prayer hall. The mosque comprises five large domes and seventy-five small domes with more than 200 arches.

A distinctive feature of the mosque is the central area with an open courtyard covered with various small domes. Unlike other mosques constructed by the Bahmani dynasty, this mosque lacks minarets inside the complex.

In addition to these monuments, Gulbarga Fort also houses the tomb of a Sufi saint, Syed Mohammad Gesu Daraz, renowned as Khwaja Bande Nawaz. The tomb exhibits Indo-Seracenic style architecture, adorned with exquisite paintings on the ceilings and walls, blending Turkish and Iranian influences.

The Bahmanis ruled over the region until the late 15th and early 16th century when the kingdom was divided into five states. In the 17th century, Emperor Aurangzeb captured the fort and appointed a Nizam as a governor. When the Mughal Empire declined, the Nizam became independent, forming a state of which Gulbarga became a part.

The fort and the state were later integrated into the Kingdom of Hyderabad under the rule of Nizams until India gained independence. After independence, the state came under the Indian Union, and Gulbarga Fort is now one of the many monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.