Ahmed Shah's Mosque
| Ahmad Shah's Mosque | |
|---|---|
 The mosque in 2010 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque |
| Status | Open for worship |
| Location | |
| Location | Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Country | India |
  Location in Ahmedabad | |
| Geographic coordinates | 23°01′21″N 72°34′45″E / 23.0226366°N 72.5791077°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | Indo-Islamic |
| Founder | Ahmad Shah I |
| Completed | AH 817 (1414/1415 CE) |
| Specifications | |
| Dome(s) | 13 (maybe more) |
| Minaret(s) | Two (since damaged) |
| Official name | Ahmad Shah's Mosque |
| Reference no. | N-GJ-4 |
The Ahmad Shah's Mosque, also known as Shahi Jam-e-Masjid or Juni Juma Masjid, completed in 1414, is the oldest mosque of Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, India. The structure is a Monument of National Importance.[1]
History and architecture
[edit]
The mosque was erected by the founder of Ahmedabad, Ahmad Shah I, in 1414. It said to have been used as the royal household's private mosque. According to the inscription at the upper part of the central mihrab, the foundation date seems to be the 4th day of Shawwal month in AH 817 (1414/1415 CE), which is 17 December. The pavement is of white marble, the canopy covered pulpit has a yellow marble balustrade carved in a leafy pattern, and white marble steps. In the courtyard is a mound called Ganj Shahid or the martyrs' mound, the tomb of warriors who perished in Sultan Ahmed's early fights.[2][3]
The mosque covers area of 700 square metres (7,500 sq ft) and have two rows of ten large domes surrounded by several smaller domes. The mosque is supported by 152 pillars and have four arched gateways. There are eight perforated stone windows and 25 fine carved pillars.[3] The pillars inside the mosque were taken from Hindu/Jain temples, and some still possess Hindu figures. One pillar retains an inscription in Old Gujarati dated from 1252 from the reign of Vīsaladeva Vāghelā, identifying its origin from a temple to Uttareśvara in Mahiṁsaka (an unidentified locality in North Gujarat).[2][4][5][6]
The mosque was restored in 2011 by the Archaeological Survey of India at cost of ₹22 lakh (US$25,000).[3]
Gallery
[edit]-
The mosque and reservoir reflection, in 2018 -
Carved pillar -
Lattice work -
Inside lattice work -
Outer view of the domes -
Lattice work in windows of tomb -
Lattice work -
Lattice work -
Hindoo pillars -
Pillar containing Vaghela-era inscription -
Pillars bearing figures and motifs
.jpg)
See also
[edit]
- Islam in India
- List of mosques in India
- List of Monuments of National Importance in Gujarat
- Oldest mosque in India
References
[edit]- ^ "List of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains of Gujarat". Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
- ^ a b Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Ahmedabad. Government Central Press. 1879. p. 276.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c "Ahmed Shah mosque to get Rs22 lakh facelift". DNA. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ Hope, Theodore C. (1866). "Description of the Buildings at Ahmedabad". Architecture at Ahmadabad: The Capital of Goozerat. John Murray. p. 40.
- ^ Commissariat, M. S. (1938). A History of Gujarat: Including a Survey of its Chief Architectural Monuments and Inscriptions. Vol. I. Longmans, Greene, and Co. Ltd. pp. 106–107.
- ^ Sankalia, Hasmukh D. (1949). Studies in the Historical and Cultural Geography and Ethnography of Gujarat. Deccan College. p. 194.
External links
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Media related to Ahmed Shah Mosque at Wikimedia Commons
