liv 



Report of the Archaeological Survey, 



immediate"predecessors of the Indian Musalmans, built their Miliars 

 at'Ghazni without plinths. The contemporary tomb of Altamish is 

 likewise without a plinth. From all these facts I infer that the early 

 Musalman structures in India were usually built without plinths, and 

 therefore that the Kutb Minar is undoubtedly a Muhammadan 

 building. 



102. 5th.— The last argument brought forward by Syad Ahmad 

 is, that bells, which are used in Hindu worship, are found sculptured 

 on the lower part of the basement story of the Kutb Minar. It is 

 true that bells are used in the daily worship of the Hindus, and also 

 that they are a common ornament of Hindu columns, as may be 

 seen on most of the pillars in the cloisters of the Great Mosque. But 

 bells are no more idolatrous than flowers, which are used in such 

 profusion in the daily service of the Hindu temples. The fact is, 

 that, where Muhammadan Mosques have been built of the materials 

 stolen from Hindu Temples, such portions of architectural ornament 

 as were free from figures either of men or of animals, were invariably 

 made use of by the conquerors. For this reason most of the orna- 

 mentation of the early Musalman buildings is purely Hindu. For 

 instance, in the Jama Masjid of Kanoj, which is built entirely of 

 Hindu materials, the whole of the concentric circles of overlapping 

 stones in the central dome, with only one exception, still preserve the 

 original Hindu ornament unaltered. The exception is the lowest 

 circle, which is completely covered with Arabic inscriptions. One of 

 the Hindu circles is made up solely of the Swastika or mystic cross of 

 the early Indians. This symbol is essentially an idolatrous one, 

 although it is most probable that the Musalmans were not aware of 

 its significance. But if the ornamental bells of the Kutb Minar are 

 to be taken as a proof of its Hindu origin, even so must the orna- 

 mental Swastikas of the Kanoj Masjid be accepted as evidence to 

 the same effect. It is admitted that this Masjid is built up entirely 

 of Hindu materials, but these have been skilfully re-arranged by the 

 Moslem Architect to suit the requirements of a Mosque, so that the 

 design of the building is strictly Muhammadan, while its ornament- 

 ation is purely Hindu. I may add that one of the western pillars 

 that supports|the central dome of this Mosque is made up of two old 

 shaffcs,H)oth of which are decorated with the Hindu bell and suspend- 

 ing chain. 



