Art, Architecture and Crafts of the Sultanate
The Sultans created a new Indo-Persian style in Kashmir that used wood and brick, not stone.
Features of Kashmiri wood architecture
- Deodar timber laid in layers, with brick and mortar.
- Pyramidal roofs with a spire (a Buddhist and Kashmiri form), instead of the domes of the plains.
- Papier-mâché and khatamband (fitted wood ceilings), and carved lattice windows (pinjra).
Main buildings
| Building | Place | Builder / date |
|---|---|---|
| Khanqah-i-Mualla | Srinagar | Sikandar, 1395 |
| Jama Masjid | Srinagar | Sikandar, begun 1390s, completed about 1402 |
| Mazar-i-Salatin | Naid Kadal, Srinagar | Royal burial ground of the Sultans, with the tomb Zain-ul-Abidin built for his mother |
| Zaina Lank | Wular Lake | Zain-ul-Abidin |
| Charar-e-Sharief | Budgam | Shrine of Nund Rishi (rebuilt after fires, including in 1995) |
Crafts introduced or grown
| Craft | Story |
|---|---|
| Shawl (Pashmina) | Said to have come with Hamadani and grown under Zain-ul-Abidin |
| Papier-mâché | Brought from Persia and Central Asia |
| Carpets | Central Asian weavers brought by the Sultan |
| Wood-carving, copper, silverware | Persian influence |
| Paper-making and book-binding | Taught by Samarkand artisans |
Keep practising
Notes are only half the work. Test yourself with questions and discuss doubts with other aspirants.
Prepared for exam revision from standard sources, official publications and the Census. Figures and recent developments change, so check official sources before relying on them. Found a mistake? Tell us.