From Foreign Forms to Local Identity: The Architectural Legacy of Bengal’s First Bengali Sultan

Abstract

The Indian subcontinent was ruled by Muslims beginning in the 13th century, when Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khilji conquered Bengal in 1204. For several centuries following this event, Bengal was governed by Muslim rulers, most of whom came from other countries. These foreign Muslim rulers significantly influenced the region’s politics, culture, and architecture. In the early 1400s, Sultan Jalal Uddin Muhammad Shah became the first native Bengali Muslim, and the architectural forms that emerged during his reign signify a crucial stage in the regional assimilation of Islamic architectural traditions in Bengal. The development of the Eklakhi style, characterised by do-chala roofs, curved cornices, bamboo-inspired corner turrets, and terracotta ornamentation, flourished during his reign. This study examines the political and cultural context of his rule, analyses the architectural innovations of the period, and traces their lasting influence on other Sultanate and Mughal architecture. It highlights the significance of indigenous architectural forms in shaping Bengal’s unique Islamic architectural identity.