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Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre.) 2021

Foundations of Sultanate Architecture

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque and Arhai Din Ka Jhonpra are situated respectively at:

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept Following the Ghorid conquests, Qutbuddin Aibak established the first permanent congregational mosques in the new administrative centers of North India.

Explanation
Quwwat-ul-Islam (Delhi): The 'Might of Islam' mosque in the Mehrauli area of Delhi, built using the spoils of 27 temples.
Arhai Din Ka Jhonpra (Ajmer): A mosque in Ajmer, Rajasthan, reportedly built in two-and-a-half days (hence the name), featuring stunning repurposed carved pillars.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Both mosques represent the earliest 'improvised' phase of Indo-Islamic architecture where Hindu/Jain materials were reused for Islamic structures.
Logic 2: Option A provides the correct respective cities for these foundational monuments.

Active Recall

Question

What does the name 'Arhai Din Ka Jhonpra' mean?

Answer

It means 'The Hut of Two-and-a-Half Days', referring to a legend about the speed of its initial construction or the duration of a local fair.

Core Insight

These mosques illustrate the rapid establishment of Islamic political and religious presence through the adaptation of existing local structural elements.

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