Bara Kaman is the incomplete mausoleum of Ali Adil Shah II, ruler of the Adil Shahi Dynasty in Bijapur, Karnataka. At present, this site is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Bara Kaman has the tombs of Ali Adil Shah II, his wife Chand Bibi, his mistresses and his daughters.
History of Bara Kaman
The Bara Kaman was built in 1672 A.D. by Ali Adil Shah II and was supposed to be the burial mausoleum for the king and his wives. He wanted to build a tomb of exceptional architectural quality. According to the plan, 12 arches were to be placed vertically and horizontally around the tomb.
However, for unknown reasons the work on the structure was left incomplete; only two arches were raised vertically. Rumour has it that the construction of the mausoleum was stopped because once completed its shadow would touch the Gol Gumbaz. It is also believed that before the Bara Kaman could be completed in 1672, Ali Adil Shah II was murdered by his own father Muhammad Adil Shah, who did not want the Bara Kaman to lessen the glory of the Gol Gumbaz. As a result, only 2 arches were placed vertically. However, the remains of the 12 arches that were placed horizontally are also visible in the premises.
Structure of Bara Kaman
The architect of Bara Kaman was Malik Sandal. The structure has raised walls in concentric arches. After the arches were erected, the inner arches were toppled, leaving only the outermost arch. No cement was used; instead iron rings were used to hold the stones together.
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