Pratna Samiksha, A Journal of Archaeology, New Series, Volume 11, 2020
Abstract: Burhanpur, the second capital city of the Faruqi Sultans of Khandesh (presently in Madh... more Abstract: Burhanpur, the second capital city of the Faruqi Sultans of Khandesh (presently in Madhya
Pradesh) was established around ad 1400 on the bank of Tapti River. It prospered under the patronage of the
Faruqi rulers who held their sway over Khandesh till Emperor Akbar annexed it to his kingdom in ad 1600.
The fortified city of Burhanpur and its outskirts is dotted with numerous religious and secular architectures
of the Faruqis as well as of the Mughals which developed with a distinctive regional architectural idiom
beginning in fifteenth and continuing till early eighteenth centuries. Politically sandwiched between the
kingdoms of Malwa, Gujarat, Bijapur, Berar and Ahmednagar, the Faruqi capital of Burhanpur retained its
individuality and unlike other provincial kingdoms of Deccan, the art and architecture of Burhanpur received
scant attention from the scholars, both oriental and western, for some unknown reasons. Earlier scholars on
Indian architecture like Fergusson and Havell even failed to notice the architectural wealth of Burhanpur
while Percy Brown merely devoted half a page to architecture of Khandesh. In the works of modern scholars
like R. Nath, Catherine B. Asher and others, Burhanpur receives fleeting mention.
A fascinating architectural complex of Burhanpur is the Royal Fort right on the bank of Tapti with a
few ruins of the Faruqi period and mostly of the Mughal period. The only extant monument in it is a royal
hammam (bath) exquisitely decorated with rich colourful frescoes painted on the walls and groined ceiling of
the main chamber. Among other monuments of the Faruqi period in the city, Bibi ka Masjid, Jami Masjid,
tombs of Adil Shah and Nadir Shah deserve special mention for their architectural beauty. Tombs of Begum
Shuja and Subahdar Shah Nawaz Khan embellished with delicately painted frescoes are typical examples of
the Khandeshi architecture of the Mughal period. Secular architectures like gateways, sarais and hammams
with distinctive architectural idioms are also lying unattended for years.
The present article aims to bring before the scholars the preliminary result of an archaeological
reconnaissance conducted by the author in Burhanpur, especially its architectural heritage and wall paintings
which have so far received little or no attention.
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All these sherds along with an intact blue and white bowl are now preserved in the State Archaeological Museum of West Bengal, Kolkata and were identified as sherds of Chinese porcelain belong to the Ming period. No holistic study of these Chinese ceramics found from Bengal in general and Gaur in particular (including celadon ware, white porcelains and Burmese glazed ware) has not yet been done despite the fact of first discovery of this kind reported from West Bengal decades back. This discovery was further attested by an excavation conducted at Gaur much later by Archaeological Survey of India in 2003-05.
From Ma Huan’s chronicle it is known that in the first quarter of the 15th century, the Chinese Emperor Yongle sent a series of maritime expeditions to establish contact with south Asia and Near East. A list of export and import items between China and Bengal in medieval period has also been found in Chinese text which also includes blue and white porcelain.Chinese text of AD 1349 says that apart from Calicut, Quilon, Orissa coast, trade was also conducted with Bengal (Ping-pa-la) where Chinese carried blue and white China ware among other goods. It is also known that the Portuguese established their first direct contact with China in AD 1517 and export of Chinese porcelain gained momentum.
A recent studyespecially on blue and white porcelain sherds from Gaur by the present author has revealed among other facts that these are of extremely good quality classic trade ceramics of middle Ming period, conforms well to their occurrence at Gaur. The present discourse will probe into the contextual occurrence and historical significance of these Chinese trade ceramics found from Gaur.
Pradesh) was established around ad 1400 on the bank of Tapti River. It prospered under the patronage of the
Faruqi rulers who held their sway over Khandesh till Emperor Akbar annexed it to his kingdom in ad 1600.
The fortified city of Burhanpur and its outskirts is dotted with numerous religious and secular architectures
of the Faruqis as well as of the Mughals which developed with a distinctive regional architectural idiom
beginning in fifteenth and continuing till early eighteenth centuries. Politically sandwiched between the
kingdoms of Malwa, Gujarat, Bijapur, Berar and Ahmednagar, the Faruqi capital of Burhanpur retained its
individuality and unlike other provincial kingdoms of Deccan, the art and architecture of Burhanpur received
scant attention from the scholars, both oriental and western, for some unknown reasons. Earlier scholars on
Indian architecture like Fergusson and Havell even failed to notice the architectural wealth of Burhanpur
while Percy Brown merely devoted half a page to architecture of Khandesh. In the works of modern scholars
like R. Nath, Catherine B. Asher and others, Burhanpur receives fleeting mention.
A fascinating architectural complex of Burhanpur is the Royal Fort right on the bank of Tapti with a
few ruins of the Faruqi period and mostly of the Mughal period. The only extant monument in it is a royal
hammam (bath) exquisitely decorated with rich colourful frescoes painted on the walls and groined ceiling of
the main chamber. Among other monuments of the Faruqi period in the city, Bibi ka Masjid, Jami Masjid,
tombs of Adil Shah and Nadir Shah deserve special mention for their architectural beauty. Tombs of Begum
Shuja and Subahdar Shah Nawaz Khan embellished with delicately painted frescoes are typical examples of
the Khandeshi architecture of the Mughal period. Secular architectures like gateways, sarais and hammams
with distinctive architectural idioms are also lying unattended for years.
The present article aims to bring before the scholars the preliminary result of an archaeological
reconnaissance conducted by the author in Burhanpur, especially its architectural heritage and wall paintings
which have so far received little or no attention.
All these sherds along with an intact blue and white bowl are now preserved in the State Archaeological Museum of West Bengal, Kolkata and were identified as sherds of Chinese porcelain belong to the Ming period. No holistic study of these Chinese ceramics found from Bengal in general and Gaur in particular (including celadon ware, white porcelains and Burmese glazed ware) has not yet been done despite the fact of first discovery of this kind reported from West Bengal decades back. This discovery was further attested by an excavation conducted at Gaur much later by Archaeological Survey of India in 2003-05.
From Ma Huan’s chronicle it is known that in the first quarter of the 15th century, the Chinese Emperor Yongle sent a series of maritime expeditions to establish contact with south Asia and Near East. A list of export and import items between China and Bengal in medieval period has also been found in Chinese text which also includes blue and white porcelain.Chinese text of AD 1349 says that apart from Calicut, Quilon, Orissa coast, trade was also conducted with Bengal (Ping-pa-la) where Chinese carried blue and white China ware among other goods. It is also known that the Portuguese established their first direct contact with China in AD 1517 and export of Chinese porcelain gained momentum.
A recent studyespecially on blue and white porcelain sherds from Gaur by the present author has revealed among other facts that these are of extremely good quality classic trade ceramics of middle Ming period, conforms well to their occurrence at Gaur. The present discourse will probe into the contextual occurrence and historical significance of these Chinese trade ceramics found from Gaur.
Pradesh) was established around ad 1400 on the bank of Tapti River. It prospered under the patronage of the
Faruqi rulers who held their sway over Khandesh till Emperor Akbar annexed it to his kingdom in ad 1600.
The fortified city of Burhanpur and its outskirts is dotted with numerous religious and secular architectures
of the Faruqis as well as of the Mughals which developed with a distinctive regional architectural idiom
beginning in fifteenth and continuing till early eighteenth centuries. Politically sandwiched between the
kingdoms of Malwa, Gujarat, Bijapur, Berar and Ahmednagar, the Faruqi capital of Burhanpur retained its
individuality and unlike other provincial kingdoms of Deccan, the art and architecture of Burhanpur received
scant attention from the scholars, both oriental and western, for some unknown reasons. Earlier scholars on
Indian architecture like Fergusson and Havell even failed to notice the architectural wealth of Burhanpur
while Percy Brown merely devoted half a page to architecture of Khandesh. In the works of modern scholars
like R. Nath, Catherine B. Asher and others, Burhanpur receives fleeting mention.
A fascinating architectural complex of Burhanpur is the Royal Fort right on the bank of Tapti with a
few ruins of the Faruqi period and mostly of the Mughal period. The only extant monument in it is a royal
hammam (bath) exquisitely decorated with rich colourful frescoes painted on the walls and groined ceiling of
the main chamber. Among other monuments of the Faruqi period in the city, Bibi ka Masjid, Jami Masjid,
tombs of Adil Shah and Nadir Shah deserve special mention for their architectural beauty. Tombs of Begum
Shuja and Subahdar Shah Nawaz Khan embellished with delicately painted frescoes are typical examples of
the Khandeshi architecture of the Mughal period. Secular architectures like gateways, sarais and hammams
with distinctive architectural idioms are also lying unattended for years.
The present article aims to bring before the scholars the preliminary result of an archaeological
reconnaissance conducted by the author in Burhanpur, especially its architectural heritage and wall paintings
which have so far received little or no attention.