Bijapur Travel Guide
Bijapur is famous for its superlative 'Gol Gumbaz' which is the second largest dome in the world and other historical buildings, including the Jumma Masjid, which has been called one of the first mosques in India. Located 530km north-west of Bangalore, this ancient town was first settled in the 11th century by the Chalukyan dynasty and later rose to prominence as the capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty. Today, it is an important tourist destination in Karnataka with its smorgasbord of places of historical, cultural and architectural interest.

A brief history

The founder of this significant city was Chalukyan dynasty of Kalyani between the tenth and eleventh centuries. They called it Vijayapura or the "City of Victory" from which Bijapur derives its present name. Bijapur came under Muslim influence, first under Allaudin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, towards the end of the 13th century, and then under the Bahamani kings of Bidar in 1347.
Bijapur reached its peak as a city under the Adil Shahi dynasty and witnessed a burst of architectural activity. This prolific period produced over 50 mosques, more than 20 tombs and a number of palaces. An interesting difference in this case was the employment of large numbers of Indian craftsmen. Earlier Muslim rulers of the Deccan had largely deployed Persian craftsmen and architects.

Tourist attractions

Bijapur offers the tourist a variety of medieval monuments, which occupy a unique niche in the pantheon of Islamic architecture in India. The chief reason for that they were built with largely Indian craftsmen. In addition to the Gol Gumbaz, the architecture buff can take in the beautifully maintained Ibrahim Roza, Jumma Masjid and an assortment of buildings of historical interest and round it off with a visit to the architectural museum.

Gol Gumbaz

The tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah (1627-56), the 7th ruler of the Adil Shahi dynasty, took 20 years to complete and dominates the landscape of Bijapur for miles around. The central dome is the second largest in the world (the largest being the dome of St Peter's Basilica in Rome) and stands unsupported by pillars measuring at 38 meters in diameter. The monument itself is an impressive structure with a floor area of 1700 sqm and a height of 51 meters. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the structure is acoustics - in the 'Whispering Gallery', the tick of a watch or the rustle of paper can be heard across a distance of 37 meters. The massive structure is rounded off by four octagonal turrets in each corner which project at an angle. From the gallery around the dome, one can have a fabulous view of the entire town. The complex also includes a mosque, a Naqar Khana, a gateway and a dharmasala. The edifice in front of the tomb has been converted into a museum.

Ibrahim Roza

Rauza literally means a garden. the square enclosure consists of 2 buildings, one housing the tombs of Ibrahim Adil Shah II & his family & the other a mosque. The tomb, evidently executed under the orders of Ibrahim Adil Shah (1580-1627) is noted for its striking symmetry of proportion, exquisite minarets cupolas, parapets & cornices & is supposed to have been an inspiration for the Taj Mahal at Agra. This monument shows the creativity of its Iranian born architect. Built on a single slab of bed-rock, the architect has attained a perfect balance on the site, with the mausoleum on the left and the prayer hall to the right. The gardens are beautifully sculpted and are enclosed within an imposing wall and have some superb gateways.
Two stone chains (each carved from a single rock) hang from the sides of the prayer hall. Each door (made in teak wood and re-enforced in metal) in this complex is unique, with some excellent features. The arches in the hallway surrounding the inner perimeter of the mausoleum are superbly crafted. The facades of the building provide for some stunning art-work in stone, including a map to the basement, which lies under the mausoleum.

Malik-e-Maidan

Malik-e-Maidan (Monarch of the Plan) is one of the largest bell metal guns in the world, it measures 4.45 m in length, 1.5 m in diameter & weighs 55 tons. Placed on the walls of the city on the one of the bastions of the fort (called the Buruz or Lion Tower), this was built on the orders of Burham Nizam Shah I for his son-in-law Adil Shah. A unique feature of this legendary cannon is that it is always cool to touch even under the blazing sun & when tapped gently it tinkles softly like a bell. The muzzle of the gun is shaped like the head of a lion with open jaws & between the carved fangs is depicted an elephant being crushed to death.

Jumma Masjid

Called Jumma Masjid because the Khutba is recited here on Jumma ie. Friday, it is the largest & first constructed mosque in Bijapur. It was built between 1557 -1686, most of it during Ali Adil Shah reign, who acquired the land after defeating the rich Ramaraja of Vijayanagar. The total area of the mosque is 10,810 sq m. The main part of the mosque stands to the west & has nine huge arches on their facade that deepen into five arches & form 45 compartments. The majestic tomb rises above the roof in a semicircle resembling the bud of a flower. This imposing mosque (the rectangle is 170m x 70 m) is incomplete, lacking in 2 minarets. Aurangzeb extended the mosque in the east, the south & the north verandah & built the eastern gate. The original gateway is on the northern side. The interior of the mosque shows restraint, except for some decorative motifs on the apexes of the arches. The heavy curtain hangs over the "Mehrab", which has domes, minarets, niches with books, flower vases & Persian writings inscribed on it.

Gol-Gumbaz Archaeological Museum

Located in the building in front of the Gol-Gumbaz, the museum houses art from the Chalukyan as well as Adil Shahi periods.

Access
Air: The nearest airport is Belgaum, 205 kms away.
Rail: Bijapur is well-connected by rail from all parts of the state as well as country.
Road: Bijapur is also well-inter-connected by road with state bus service and other parts of South India.