Adhai Din ka Jhopda
Archway Minarets Interior Building Pillars Inscriptions

Archway

The front facade of the structure has a huge screen with yellow limestone arches, built during the reign of Iltutmish. The main arch is about 60 feet high and is flanked by six smaller arches. The arches have small rectangular panels for daylighting, similar to those found in early Arab mosques.

Minarets

The muezzin's minarets are located in two small minarets (10.5 diameter). These minarets are located at the top of the 11.5 feet thick screen wall. The minarets are now ruined, but their remains show that they were sloping hollow minarets with 24 alternating angular and circular flutes, like the Qutb Minar of Delhi.

Interior Building Pillars

The interior of the building is a quadrangle measuring 200 × 175 feet. It contains the main hall (248 × 40 feet) supported by a cluster of pillars. The pillars have different designs and are heavily decorated with decorations similar to those in Hindu and Jain rock temples. As they rise in height, their bases enlarge and they taper.

According to K. D. L. Khan, the pillars and ceilings belong to the pre-Islamic structure, but the original carvings were destroyed by the Muslims. Michael W. Meister believes that some of the pillars were newly built by Hindu masons for their Muslim masters; these were combined with older, looted pillars (whose images had been defaced). Similarly, he states that the ceilings combine the new and old work of Hindu workers.

Inscriptions

The archway has Kufic and tughra inscriptions and Quranic quotations, and is reminiscent of the Islamic architecture of Ghazni and Turkistan. Some of the carvings have Arabic floral and foliage patterns; their geometric symmetry is reminiscent of Persian tilework. Their filigree distinguishes them from Hindu-style carvings in the same building.