Bhāratmātā Mandir di Daulatābād: l’articolata genesi di un edificio di culto

The Jamiʿ Masjid of Daulatābād, constructed in the 14th century from the spoils of Hindu and Jaina temples, stands as a symbol of the Delhi Sultanate’s conquest of the Yādava kingdom. In 1949, the monument was reconverted into a Hindu temple, the Bhāratmātā Mandir, marking a symbolic Hindu “counter-conquest”. Drawing upon previous archaeological research, supplemented by a firsthand investigation conducted in situ, this contribution goes through the complex history of the Bhāratmātā Mandir, investigating its multilayered materiality and how the monument’s meaning has been reinterpreted and reshaped over time to serve distinct political and religious agendas. The article begins with a comprehensive historical contextualization, tracing the various phases through which the city of Daulatābād has developed. Subsequently, it will examine the monument from an architectural standpoint, analyzing its design and construction techniques. The final section will deal with the phenomenon of architectural reuse and conversion, particularly focusing on the intricate relationship between political agendas and the resulting reconfigurations of the architectural landscape.