Photograph of the Alai Darwaza, Qutb Minar complex, Delhi, India, by E.C. Impey, 1860-65.

This photograph shows a close view of the Alai Darwaza, part of the gateway into the extended Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, part of the Qutb Minar complex. It was built by the Afgan ruler Alauddin Khalji in 1311, as recorded on the inscriptions on the south, east and west arches.

The photograph was initially part of the photographic collection held in the National Art Library. The markings on the mount are an indication of the history of the object, its movement through the museum and the way in which it is categorised.
The mount is green with a label in the top right hand corner with the title.

This photograph shows a close view of the Alai Darwaza, part of the gateway into the extended Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque. It was built by the Afgan ruler Alauddin Khalji in 1311, as recorded on the inscriptions on the south, east and west arches.

The building is made out of rubble and is the first of many Indo-Islamic monuments to use a combination of white marble and red sandstone for the façade. It is distinctive because of the use of symmetry and the finely carved calligraphic and arabesque decoration on this the southern façade. This is also the first monument in which a true arch, using radiating voussiors, is fully integrated into the design. The design is influenced by the architectural traditions of the empire of the Saljugs from western Asia.

Architects and artisans from western Asia found their way to Delhi after the break up of their empires and they bought with them architectural characteristics such as the ‘lotus bud’ fringe on the underside of the arch, perforated windows, arabesque low reliefs, ornamental spandrels, bands of inscription and use of red sandstone and marble.

The published caption for this photograph reads:
This is an enlarged view of the doorway of the gate shown in the preceding plate. It combines a certain amount of Hindoo ornament with Arabic inscriptions, but the pure Saracenic was at this period fast superseding the Indian elements of design. It appears to have been built about the same time as the wing of the façade in the outer enclosure.

Ref: Delhi, Agra, and Rajpootana
Illustrated by Captain E.C. Impey, Cundall, Downes and Co. London, 1865.
Illustration 13.

This photograph shows a close view of the Alai Darwaza, part of the gateway into the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, south of Delhi. Built between 1193 and 1199, this is the earliest extant mosque in India. It was built by Qutbuddin Aibak (d.1210), the military commander of the Afghan Ghurid dynasty who defeated the last Hindu ruler of Delhi and sought to establish Islam in this newly acquired territory. This part of the gateway was an extension to the original and was built in 1311 by Alauddin Khalji, sultan of Delhi from 1296 to 1316, as recorded on the inscriptions on the south, east and west arches.

The gateway is made of rubble and is the first of many Indo-Islamic monuments to use a combination of white marble and red sandstone for the façade. It is distinctive because of the use of symmetry and the finely carved calligraphic and arabesque decoration, as on the southern façade shown here. This is also the first monument in India in which a true arch, using radiating voussoirs (wedge-shaped stones), is fully integrated into the design.

43854/A