இஸ்லாமிய கட்டிடக்கலை

The video of the lecture is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFiSI517FtI

A report in the Times of India is here –

From Taj to Gol Gumbaz, ‘Islamic structures wow world’

CHENNAI: Francois Bernier once said the mausoleum of Taj Mahal should be numbered above the pyramids of Egypt when it comes to wonders of the world.

The French traveller even said the pyramids are nothing but heaps of large stones piled in the form of steps compared to the architectural beauty of Taj Mahal.

So much was the power of Taj Mahal which still stands testimony to the power of Islamic architecture in India. “Lotus is a prominent Hindu symbol used in Taj Mahal. Many local artists must have been involved in the work. With spectacular minarets, arches and domes, it is difficult to say which element is most beautiful. Each part is equally important and that’s the greatness of it,” said T Ravishankar, an expert in Islamic architecture in India and abroad.

A summary of Ravi’s interest in Islamic architecture and my travels with him, in Tamil, is here – மசூதி பிரியர்  http://varahamihiragopu.blogspot.com/2015/07/blog-post.html