Bara Kaman

Bara Kaman is the unfinished mausoleum of Ali Adil Shah II in Bijapur, Karnataka in India.

Ali Adil Shah of the Adil Shahi dynasty wanted to build a mausoleum of unmatched architectural quality. It was planned that twelve arches would be placed vertically as well as horizontally surrounding the tomb of Ali Adil Shah. However, for unknown reasons the work on the structure was left incomplete: only two arches were raised vertically. Rumour has it that the construction of the mausoleum was stopped because once completed its shadow would touch the Gol Gombaz. Nowadays the remains of the twelve horizontally placed arches can still be seen.

The site is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Bara Kaman was built in 1672AD, by Ali Adil Shah II, and was supposed to be the burial mausoleum for the king and his wives. Bara Kaman has the tombs of Ali Adil Shah II, his wife Chand Bibi, his mistresses and his daughters.

The architect of Bara Kaman was Malik Sandal. The structure has raised walls in concentric arches. After the arches were erected, the inner arches were toppled, leaving only the outermost arch. No cement was used, instead iron rings were used to hold the stones together.

This is the tomb of Ali Adil Shah II (1656-72). Probably begun on his accession to the throne in 1656 and intended to rival Gol Gumbaz, the tomb of his father, Muhammad Adil Shah. The building was conceived on a magnificent scale but was destined never to be completed. The platform is 20 feet high. This great elevated basement, on which the arches of this unfinished structure stand, is 215 feet square, while that of the Gol Gumbaz is 158 feet square. In the centre, on a raised platform, are the tomb stones of Ali Adil Shah II and some of his family members, the graves being in the crypt below, which is entered by a door on the east side. The whole structure with the lofty basement would, if it had been completed, have been a most graceful monument in Vijayapura. The building is well maintained with a beautiful garden around the monument. It is called BARA KAMAN by the people.