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- Islamic Studies, South Asian Studies, Islamic Art, Sufism, Islamic' Architecture, Pilgrimage, and 11 moreAnthropology of Pilgrimage, Indian Art, Ancient Indian Architecture, History of Indian subcontinet and Central Asia, Indian Sufism, Pilgrimage and Art, Indo-Islamic Art and Architecture, Islam and Sufism in South Asia, History of yoga, Modern Yoga Studies, and Inscription Islamicedit
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Recent studies have reported that the mausoleum of Aḥmad Shāh I Bahmanī (r. 1422-1436), in Ashtur (Karnataka), is frequented by both Muslims and Vīraśaivas. Now, setting out from the pilgrimage performed on the occasion of the sovereign’s... more
Recent studies have reported that the mausoleum of Aḥmad Shāh I Bahmanī (r. 1422-1436), in Ashtur (Karnataka), is frequented by both Muslims and Vīraśaivas. Now, setting out from the pilgrimage performed on the occasion of the sovereign’s ʿurs, the aim of the present contribution is to analyze some of the architectural sites that are touched by the pilgrimage, and to examine how their spaces are understood and perceived by the devotees. The paper aims to shed light on the coexistence of these two religious groups and on the way in which certain forms of competition and negotiation have come to be transposed onto the cultural and historical landscape.
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Proceedings of the Second International Seminar, 'Telangana through Ages: Perspectives from Ancient and Medieval Periods, Hyderabad, edited by Shrikant Ganvir, Hemant Dalavi and Harshada Wirkud (General Editor: N.R. Visalatchy),... more
Proceedings of the Second International Seminar, 'Telangana through Ages: Perspectives from Ancient and Medieval Periods, Hyderabad, edited by Shrikant Ganvir, Hemant Dalavi and Harshada Wirkud (General Editor: N.R. Visalatchy), Hyderabad: Department of Heritage, Telangana, 2019.
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Précis of the conference ‘Medieval Tombs and their Spatial Context: Strategies of Commemoration in Christianity and Islam’ held at the Kunsthistorisches Institut, University of Tubingen, Germany, February 18–20, 2016.
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Published in "Borders. Itineraries on the Edges of Iran" edited by Stefano Pellò The essay reconsiders the decorative programme of the Aḥmad Šāh I Bahmanī (r. 1422-1436) mausoleum in Ashtur (Bidar, modern Karnataka) focusing, in... more
Published in "Borders. Itineraries on the Edges of Iran" edited by Stefano Pellò
The essay reconsiders the decorative programme of the Aḥmad Šāh I Bahmanī (r. 1422-1436) mausoleum in Ashtur (Bidar, modern Karnataka) focusing, in particular, on the inscriptions adorning the dome. The reign of the ninth Bahmanī sovereign was marked by a growing complexity as far as the socio-political and religious context is concerned, and also, by a deepening divide ben-tween āfāqīs and dakhnīs, and the arrival of the first exponents of the Ni'matullāhiyya Sufi order in the Deccan. The region witnessed a marked interplay between temporal and spiritual power, and the religious orientation of Aḥmad Šāh I remains debated. By making some specific remarks concerning the decorative scheme and the epigraphic programme of the mausoleum, we not only discuss the idea of the king's adherence to Shi'a Islam, but also provide valid support for historians wishing to reconsider the process of Shi'ization of Deccan and of the Sufi order itself. Keywords Bahmanī. Deccan. Funerary architecture. Religious identity. Shi'a. Ni'matullāhiyya. In a recently published work (Mondini 2015) I have sought to trace the evolution of the perception of the mausoleum dedicated to Aḥmad Šāh I (r. 1422-1436), the ninth sovereign of the Bahmanī dynasty (1347-1527), who was responsible – according to the sources – for establishing the Ni'matullāhiyya order in the Deccan. While that contribution focused on the modern sharing of the structure by members of different faiths, on its frequentation and veneration, I now wish to examine its decorative scheme and the political and religious discourse it inherently promotes. For this purpose, I will start with some considerations that emerged during the conference Shi'i Spirituality and Sufi Paths in Early and Modern Times, held at Ca' Foscari University, Venice, 2014. 1 Among other topics, participants discussed the Ni'matullāhiyya order and its development in the Indian Subcontinent. Despite the widespread idea of what could be defined as a 'late
The essay reconsiders the decorative programme of the Aḥmad Šāh I Bahmanī (r. 1422-1436) mausoleum in Ashtur (Bidar, modern Karnataka) focusing, in particular, on the inscriptions adorning the dome. The reign of the ninth Bahmanī sovereign was marked by a growing complexity as far as the socio-political and religious context is concerned, and also, by a deepening divide ben-tween āfāqīs and dakhnīs, and the arrival of the first exponents of the Ni'matullāhiyya Sufi order in the Deccan. The region witnessed a marked interplay between temporal and spiritual power, and the religious orientation of Aḥmad Šāh I remains debated. By making some specific remarks concerning the decorative scheme and the epigraphic programme of the mausoleum, we not only discuss the idea of the king's adherence to Shi'a Islam, but also provide valid support for historians wishing to reconsider the process of Shi'ization of Deccan and of the Sufi order itself. Keywords Bahmanī. Deccan. Funerary architecture. Religious identity. Shi'a. Ni'matullāhiyya. In a recently published work (Mondini 2015) I have sought to trace the evolution of the perception of the mausoleum dedicated to Aḥmad Šāh I (r. 1422-1436), the ninth sovereign of the Bahmanī dynasty (1347-1527), who was responsible – according to the sources – for establishing the Ni'matullāhiyya order in the Deccan. While that contribution focused on the modern sharing of the structure by members of different faiths, on its frequentation and veneration, I now wish to examine its decorative scheme and the political and religious discourse it inherently promotes. For this purpose, I will start with some considerations that emerged during the conference Shi'i Spirituality and Sufi Paths in Early and Modern Times, held at Ca' Foscari University, Venice, 2014. 1 Among other topics, participants discussed the Ni'matullāhiyya order and its development in the Indian Subcontinent. Despite the widespread idea of what could be defined as a 'late
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Three inscribed tombstones have been (re)discovered within the second royal funerary complex of the Bahmani dynasty (1347-1527), in the village of Ashtur (Bidar district), in the modern state of Karnataka, India. The finding of the... more
Three inscribed tombstones have been (re)discovered within the second royal funerary complex of the Bahmani dynasty (1347-1527), in the village of Ashtur (Bidar district), in the modern state of Karnataka, India. The finding of the tombstones in situ and their hypothetical dating – based on the architectural analysis of the nearest structures – call for some considerations with regard to their peculiar location in a funerary chamber under the base of one of the structures of the complex. At the same time, the examination of the content of the inscriptions and the specific choice of some Quranic verses (ayat) allow us to reflect on the use and recurrence of Quranic inscriptions in the Gulbarga and Bidar districts in the first half of the Bahmani Sultanate (ca 1347-1436), and on the specific meanings and powers attributed to them when associated with royal burials.
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«A mari usque ad mare»
Cultura visuale e materiale dall’Adriatico all’India
a cura di
Mattia Guidetti e Sara Mondini
Cultura visuale e materiale dall’Adriatico all’India
a cura di
Mattia Guidetti e Sara Mondini
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The book can also be downloaded for free at the following link
http://edizionicafoscari.unive.it/it/edizioni/libri/978-88-6969-101-0/
http://edizionicafoscari.unive.it/it/edizioni/libri/978-88-6969-101-0/
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Conference: TELANGANA THROUGH AGES: Perspective from Early and Medieval Periods, 19-20 January 2018, Heritage of Telangana, Gov. of Telangana; Hyderabad, India.
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Conference: HEAD AND BODY. Evidence of Power in the Ruler Portrait Between the 14th and 18th Centuries, Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte, München, 1-2.12.2017
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Conference: Venice Biennale and the Arab World. Conference on modern and contemporary art from the Arab world and the role played by the Venice Biennale of Art, Ca' Foscari University, Venice, 19-20 October 2017.
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Conference: Reassessing Nineteenth-CenturyArt in Islamic Countries,
Ernst Herzfeld Society Thirteenth Colloquium, Department of Art History, University of Vienna, July 6–9, 2017
Ernst Herzfeld Society Thirteenth Colloquium, Department of Art History, University of Vienna, July 6–9, 2017
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Conference: Medieval Tombs and their Spatial Contexts. Strategies of Commemoration in Christianity and Islam, University of Tubingen, Germany, 2016.
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Conference: 2nd ECMSAS, Lisbon, Portugal, 2012.
Recent studies have reported that the mausoleum of Aḥmad Shāh I Bahmanī (r. 1422-1436), in Ashtur (Karnataka), is frequented by both Muslims and Vīraśaivas. Now, setting out from the pilgrimage performed on the occasion of the sovereign’s... more
Recent studies have reported that the mausoleum of Aḥmad Shāh I Bahmanī (r. 1422-1436), in Ashtur (Karnataka), is frequented by both Muslims and Vīraśaivas. Now, setting out from the pilgrimage performed on the occasion of the sovereign’s ʿurs, the aim of the present contribution is to analyze some of the architectural sites that are touched by the pilgrimage, and to examine how their spaces are understood and perceived by the devotees. The paper aims to shed light on the coexistence of these two religious groups and on the way in which certain forms of competition and negotiation have come to be transposed onto the cultural and historical landscape.
Research Interests:
The essay reconsiders the decorative programme of the Aḥmad Šāh I Bahmanī (r. 14221436) mausoleum in Ashtur (Bidar, modern Karnataka) focusing, in particular, on the inscriptions adorning the dome. The reign of the ninth Bahmanī sovereign... more
The essay reconsiders the decorative programme of the Aḥmad Šāh I Bahmanī (r. 14221436) mausoleum in Ashtur (Bidar, modern Karnataka) focusing, in particular, on the inscriptions adorning the dome. The reign of the ninth Bahmanī sovereign was marked by a growing complexity as far as the socio-political and religious context is concerned, and also, by a deepening divide ben tween āfāqīs and dakhnīs, and the arrival of the first exponents of the Ni‘matullāhiyya Sufi order in the Deccan. The region witnessed a marked interplay between temporal and spiritual power, and the religious orientation of Aḥmad Šāh I remains debated. By making some specific remarks concerning the decorative scheme and the epigraphic programme of the mausoleum, we not only discuss the idea of the king’s adherence to Shi‘a Islam, but also provide valid support for historians wishing to reconsider the process of Shi‘ization of Deccan and of the Sufi order itself.
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The window and the mirror have often represented, in the history of cinema theories, two different ways to deal with the nature of vision: the first pledging to be the instrument to point to reality and the world, and the second appearing... more
The window and the mirror have often represented, in the history of cinema theories, two different ways to deal with the nature of vision: the first pledging to be the instrument to point to reality and the world, and the second appearing as a magnet, attracting, absorbing and redoubling individual subjectivities. In two short but meaningful sequences of Copie conforme (Certified Copy) Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami resolves this dicotomy, depriving both objects of their primary function: the window does not show and the mirror does not reflect. Dealing with the theorical and practical consequences of this choice, which is read through the critical lenses of scholars such as Metz, Deleuze, Eco and Merleau-Ponty, the boundary spaces which separate and unite on-screen and off-screen, filmic and non-filmic, diegetic and non-diegetic, screen and theatre, copy and original are explored, especially when the camera takes the place of the mirror. Summary 1 Two Twin Shots. – 2 Windows, Fr...
Research Interests: Philology, Geography, Persian Literature, Film Studies, Photography, and 15 moreIranian Studies, Central Asian Studies, Persian Language, History of Iran, Islamic Art, Islamic Studies, Iranian Art History, Islamic History, Islam, Iranian History, Central Asia, Calendars, Other, Persianate Culture in South Asia, and Kafiristan
Research Interests: Humanities and Art
Il volume offre un omaggio accademico al professor Gianclaudio Macchiarella ed e al contempo un luogo di raccolta degli amici e dei colleghi piu stretti a ricordo di un Maestro e di un amico.
A un anno dalla scomparsa, si vuole qui... more
Il volume offre un omaggio accademico al professor Gianclaudio Macchiarella ed e al contempo un luogo di raccolta degli amici e dei colleghi piu stretti a ricordo di un Maestro e di un amico.
A un anno dalla scomparsa, si vuole qui portare una testimonianza dello studioso nella sua poliedricita e nella sua complessita, con toni anche informali, che si addicono a un grande affetto: quello di colleghi e amici che hanno collaborato e partecipato alle sue missioni, che con lui si sono scontrati e confrontati, e hanno condiviso frammenti di vita, importanti per la formazione e la crescita.
Il titolo scelto per il volume «A mari usque ad mare» vuole evocare l’estensione spaziale degli interventi degli autori che hanno preso parte a questa pubblicazione. Un’ampiezza che e il riflesso degli studi di Gianclaudio Macchiarella, che da un iniziale interesse per l’alto Medioevo italiano, si sono poi indirizzati verso i cristiani d’Oriente, quindi l’arte e l’architettura islamica, il restauro...