Provincial Architecture: Bengal and Jaunpur

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Regional styles of architecture typically came into vogue only after a province had thrown off its allegiance to Delhi, allowing local rulers to develop building traditions independent of the imperial centre.
- These regional styles were distinct from the Indo-Islamic style practised at Delhi and often displayed markedly original qualities.
The character of regional architecture depended heavily on the strength of local building traditions:
- In areas with a strong indigenous tradition of masonry workmanship, regional Islamic architecture produced some of the most elegant structures of the period.
- Where such traditions were less pronounced, the buildings raised for regional states tended to be less distinctive.
- In certain cases, totally novel tendencies emerged — independent of both indigenous local traditions and the imperial Sultanate style.
In Eastern India, two major strands of provincial architecture developed: the Bengal style and the Jaunpur (Sharqi) style.

Bengal Architecture

Bengal’s distinctive architectural style began developing at the start of the fourteenth century.
- Freed from the threat of military invasion from Delhi — following an agreement with Firuz and the subsequent weakening of the Delhi Sultanate — the Sultans of Bengal adorned their capitals, Gaur (old Lakhnauti) and Pandua (25 km away), with magnificent buildings.
- Most of the prominent surviving buildings are located within the boundary of the Malda district.

Bengal architecture evolved through three distinct phases; the first two are considered preliminary stages, while the third represents its ultimate development into a specific regional style.

Gaur served as the capital seat during this phase.
Data in the form of surviving buildings from this period is scanty.
It is evident that the buildings raised during this phase were largely wholesale conversions of existing Hindu structures, rather than new constructions in a distinct idiom.

Pandua became the capital during this phase, which also remains deficient in surviving data.
Adina Masjid at Pandua (built 1364) stands as the defining monument of this phase:
- It surpasses all other Islamic structures in Bengal in size.
- It was built by Sikandar Shah, the second Sultan of the Ilyas dynasty.
- It is the only hypostyle mosque in Bengal.
- The stones used in its construction were mostly pillaged from temples and other buildings at Lakhnauti.
- The mosque introduced two new architectural features, developed independently of Delhi and drawing on local traditions:
  - The “drop” arch — a broad, sloping arch with a span greater than its radii, with its centres set at the impost level.
  - A method of raising the roof using a system of arched bays, where small domes — supported by brick pendentives arranged in over-sailing courses — were raised over each bay.
- The use of pillars of a special type further indicates the emergence of a new architectural style distinct from Delhi’s Sultanate idiom.

This phase is the most remarkable, as it depicts the emergence of a semi-indigenous style attuned to Bengal’s peculiar environment and local conditions.
- The Mughals eventually captured the province, and the capital was later shifted back to Gaur.
Key features of this mature phase include:
- The translation of native bamboo structures into brick, giving rise to a distinctive curved roof form that became a fixed architectural convention.
- The adoption of terracotta tiles as an indigenous form of decoration.
- Buildings were constructed mostly of brick and mortar, with stone used only sparingly.
- The use of decorative motifs such as the lotus and swan reflected the continuing influence of Hindu artistic traditions.
Dakhil Darwaza:
- This gateway represents the mature style of Bengal architecture, built in the second half of the fifteenth century (specifically in 1425, at Gaur).
- It was constructed of small red bricks with elaborate terracotta work.
Feroz Minar:
- Built by Sultan Saifuddin Feroze Shah between 1485 and 1489, it bears a certain resemblance to the Qutub Minar in Delhi.
- It stands adjacent to the Dakhil Darwaza in Gaur.
Entry Gate to Gaur (Shahi Darwaza):
- A number of significant monuments were constructed during the reign of Husain Shah.
- Wali Muhammad built the Chota Sona Masjid at Gaur during this period.

The surviving architecture of Jaunpur consists exclusively of mosques, all located within the capital city of Jaunpur itself, where the Sharqi rulers commissioned their buildings.
The Sharqi architecture of Jaunpur carries a distinct impact of the Tughluq style, with the following prominent features:
- The battering effect of its bastions and minarets.
- The use of an arch-and-beam combination in the openings.
Design of the mosque facades:
- A lofty propylon with sloping sides was raised at the centre of the sanctuary screen.
- The propylon consisted of a huge recessed arch framed by tapering square minars.
- This propylon design is exemplified in structures such as the Atala Masjid and the Jami Masjid.
The propylon was the keynote of the Jaunpur style and represents a feature found in no other manifestation of Indo-Islamic architecture, making it the defining contribution of the Sharqi school to India’s provincial architectural traditions.