Bijapur, the last in my three city tour of central India’s former Islamic kingdom capitals, was the capital of the Adil Shani kings from 1489 to 1686 AD. Bijapur became one of the major centers of power in the region after the disintegration of the Bahmani Empire centered at my previous abode, Bidar. The town is littered with the architectural legacy of this era. Tombs, mosques, and ruined palaces are set amidst the bustling streets and markets of this heavily Islamic influenced city. The most famous of Bijapur’s many monuments is the Golgumbaz, a massive tomb impressive more for its scale than it’s rather boxy and ill proportioned architectural design. The massive dome that caps the tomb is claimed to be the largest free standing dome after St. Peter’s in Rome. On the day I was in town, there was some sort of Muslim festival underway. You may be starting to realize that there is almost always some sort of festival, and India is a country of festivals. Between the Hindu, Muslim, and secular festivals, on any given day in India there is often something happening. This particular festival consisted of groups of boys parading through the streets beating on drums, dancing, and carrying garland laden staffs.
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