LIFE UNDER

DELHI SULTANATE
 INTRODUCTION
• The Delhi Sultanate were the Persian-speaking
dynasties, of Turkic and Afghan origin, which
were controlling India from 1210 to 1526. Many
of these dynasties ruled from Delhi. This
includes the Slave dynasty (1206-90), the Khilji
dynasty (1290-1320), the Tughlaq dynasty (1320-
1413), the Sayyid dynasty(1414-51), and the Lodi
dynasty (1451-1526).
• Later on, after India fell to the Mughals, there
was again a brief period when Humayun, son of
the Mughal Babur and father of Akbar the
Great, was deposed by the Pathan Suri
dynasty who enjoyed a short rule then, before
Humayun was reinstated in 1555.
 priests
This group was reserved for learned people like the Brahmanas,
Maulvis, Qazis and the Ulema. These citizens were considered
superior to the town dwellers and peasants and they used to
dedicate their lives to their respective religions studying holy
books and worshipping God. The brahmanas were greatly
honoured and many Turks like Al Beruni interacted with them
extremely closely. The Ulema became very powerful and were
very important in the court.In many cases like Firoze Shah’s, the
Ulema became so powerful that they became the virtual rulers
and the sultans became powerless.Therefore,many Sultans
adopted measures to keep the power of the Ulema under control.

Sometimes the Ulema did not accept a new measure or policy

which the Sultan had decided to implement.Most of Muhammad
Bin Tughlaq’s plans were dropped simply because the Ulema did
not agree with them.
 ARISTOCRACY
This was the ruling class. It
consisted of the sultan, the
nobles, the Hindu rajas and
princes, and the landlords. This
was the most powerful social
group because they had wealth
& power. They enjoyed a lavish
lifestyle.
TOWN DWELLERS

• The town dwellers consisted

of artisans, craftspeople,
merchants, slaves and
domestic servants .
Occupations were more or
less hereditary among the
Hindu and Muslim
craftspeople. The Merchants
were Prosperous
Peasants

• The life of the peasants was one of

hard work, drudgery and poverty.
They suffered greatly during the
reign of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq but
their condition improved and they
enjoyed many benefits during
Firoze Shah’s reign. The tax paid by
the peasants was the chief source
of revenue for the government
ART & ARCHITECHTURE OF
DELHI SULTANATE
The Sultanate. period brought to India new styles of art and
architecture which were soon absorbed into the existing set
up. A number of factors were responsible for events to move in
such a direction. The existing Indian styles and the new ideas
had many common features, which allowed them to adapt to
one another. For instance both the temple and mosque had
large open courtyards. Also many temples were converted in
mosques by the foreign invaders, and this created a blend of
Indian as well as foreign styles.
The Sultanate introduced two new architectural
ideas, the dome and the pointed arch. The dome was
an important decorative structure in Islamic
buildings, and soon was implemented in other
structures as well. The pointed or true arch that was
introduced during this period, was completely
different from the type of arches that were being
constructed within the country earlier. EXAMPLE
Like Alai darwaza,Qutub minar,Fort of tughlaqbad
 new musical instrument
The history of musical instruments dates to the beginnings of
human culture. Early musical instruments may have used for
ritual: such as a trumpet to signal success on the hunt, or a
drum in a religious ceremony. Cultures eventually developed
composition and performance of melodies for entertainment.
Musical instruments evolved in step with changing applications.
The oldest object that some scholars refer to as a musical
instrument, a simple flute, dates back as far as 67,000 years.
Many early musical instruments were made from animal skins,
bone, wood, and other non-durable materials.
Instruments can be classified by their effective range, their
material composition, their size, etc.
 AMIR KHUSRAU
Abul Hasan Yamin ud-Din Khusrau was a musician, great poet
and scholar. A polymath an iconic figure in the cultural history
of the Indian subcontinent. A mystic and a spiritual disciple
of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi. Amir Khusrau was not only a
notable poet but also a prolific and seminal musician in the time
of the Delhi Sultanate, being reputed to have invented both
the Sitar and the Tabla. He wrote poetry primarily in Persian,
but also in Hindavi. A vocabulary in verse, the Ḳhāliq Bari,
containing Arabic, Persian, and Hindavi terms is often attributed
to him.He is regarded as the "father of Qawwali". Introduced
the Ghazal style of song into India. These traditions have been
kept very much alive in India and Pakistan to this day. He is
also credited with enriching Indian classical music by introducing
Persian, Arabic and Turkish elements into it and was the
originator of the khayal and tarana styles of music.
 KATHAK DANCE OF THE DELHI
SULTANATE
Kathak is a dance form in which a storyteller narrates
story. In Hindu rules its proffession as a group of
storytellers performing shringar dance to a stuti in
praise of the Almighty in the temples.
The characteristic pose of this dance is where right
arm is raised above the head ready to receive God’s
beneficence and left arm stretched out at chest level.
Upon which his eyes are fastened is turned towards the
Earth .Kathak largely followed the Sambhanga
during Muslim rule.
From 11th century onwards that with
the establishment of muslim rule
largely from Delhi that the
relationship and influences on the
kathak in all the four aspects of
abhinaya ,the angika, the vacika,the
aharya and the sattvika.

By the 10th century yearning of the

individual soul for Almighty
symbolised by Radha yearning for
Krishna became subject of enactment
in kathak.

A new set of mudras depicting the

ghunghat crept into the dance form .
Modern kathak is a combination of
Hindu themes with Persian costumes.
 PAINTINGS

The Sultans of the Delhi Sultanate

patronized Architecture, Art, Dance and
Music. However, Painting did not receive a
boost. The Sultans did not take any interest
in the wonderful North Indian paintings.
Painting came at its dead end but
fortunately, the Rajputs revived its legacy.
The Rajputs patronized and encouraged
artists and soon they let their style of
miniature painting continue.
Miniatures
Miniatures were the preferred medium of
Rajput painting, but several manuscripts also
contain Rajput paintings, and paintings were
even done on the walls of palaces, inner
chambers of the forts, havelies, particularly,
the havelis ofShekhawati.
The colours extracted from certain minerals,
plant sources, conch shells, and were even
derived by processing precious stones, gold and
silver were used. The preparation of desired
colours was a lengthy process.
OTHER CULTURAL
CHANGES
 FOOD
• New types of food such as
biryani , bread and wine
became a part of Indian
cuisine. Sultanate rulers were
very fond of food. Thy hired
the best chefs around the
world.
 DRESS
• Hindus and Muslims wore pyjamas-
kurtas , kaftans ,salwar- kameez and
continue doing so to this day .
• Materials like silk and brocade were
used to make dresses and were very
valuable.
 REPLACEMENT OF SANSKRIT
BY PERSIAN
• The establishment of the
Turkish rule in India led to the
replacement of Sanskrit by
Persian as the official language
in many regions.
• Although the Hindu kings
patronized Sanskrit ,its days of
glory were numbered. Verses
from the Koran were engraved
on some buildings .