Thursday, August 24, 2017

Vijayapura Trip: Mehtar Mahal

Date: 13th Aug 2017

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Fee: None.

Parking: No.

Food: Available.

Photography: Allowed.

Other attractions nearby: Jama Mosque, Jod Gumbaz.

Mehtar Mahal is not really a palace but a ornamental gateway leading to a simple mosque. There are various theories about when and who built the gateway. According to one legend Bijapur was a prosperous city under Ibrahim Adil Shah II. There were no beggers in the city and the King could not distribute money set for alms. He then gave the money to the head of fakirs, Mehtar gada and he built the gateway to the mosque. The two minarets of sixty ft each adorns the front cornets of the building. Interesting feature of the mahal is the carvings of the lion, elephant, birds and swan which is very unusual in Islamic architecture.

The projecting window with ornate carvings.

Minarets at both corners.

Arch doorway to the mosque.

Carvings on the roof.

Mosque.

Square ground floor of the mahal.

Brackets with bird carvings. They look like its all carved in wood but its all slate.


One of the ornate buildings in Bijapur after Ibrahim Roza.

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