Where in the Deccan do we find the earliest Turkish styled hammams ?

The correct answer is - In Firuzabad, near Gulbarga

Key Points

• Firuzabad, near Gulbarga
  • Firuzabad, located in the Deccan region, is historically significant as it served as a prominent city during the Bahmani Sultanate.
  • The Turkish-style hammams (bathhouses) in Firuzabad were introduced during the Bahmani rule and are considered the earliest examples of such architectural styles in the Deccan.
  • The design of these hammams reflects the influence of Turkish and Persian architecture, featuring domes, water channels, and heating systems.
  • These structures were built for the royalty and nobility and played a significant role in showcasing the opulence of the Bahmani rulers.

Additional Information

• Turkish-style Hammams
  • Hammams are public or private bathhouses that originated in the Middle East and were later spread to other regions by Muslim rulers.
  • These structures typically have a central domed room for bathing, along with smaller rooms for heating water and steam generation.
  • In India, Turkish-style hammams were introduced by rulers of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire, and their design was later adopted in the Deccan by the Bahmani and Adil Shahi dynasties.
• Bahmani Sultanate
  • The Bahmani Sultanate was a medieval Islamic kingdom in the Deccan region, founded in the 14th century.
  • It was known for its patronage of art, culture, and architecture, including the construction of mosques, tombs, and hammams.
  • Firuzabad, near Gulbarga, served as the capital during the reign of Firuz Shah Bahmani, under whom many architectural innovations were introduced.
• Golconda, Bijapur, and Khuldabad
  • Golconda, near Hyderabad, is known for its fort and diamond trade but does not feature the earliest Turkish-style hammams.
  • Bijapur, under the Adil Shahi dynasty, is famous for the Gol Gumbaz but also lacks the earliest examples of hammams.
  • Khuldabad, near Aurangabad, is a site of religious significance and is known for the tomb of Aurangzeb, not hammams.