Jama Masjid - Ahmedabad, India - Mosques on Waymarking.com

Jama Masjid, also known as Jumah Mosque or Jami' Masjid. Its name means Friday Mosqaue, a designation used in the Muslim world to the main mosque of the community, considering Friday is the holly day of the Muslims.

This mosque was built in 1524 in Indo-Islamic style, comissioned by Ahmed Shah I. It's centrally located and free to visit.

From Wikipedia (check the article for further information):

Jama Masjid (literally Friday Mosque), also known as Jumah Mosque or Jami' Masjid, is a mosque in Ahmedabad, and was built in 1424 during the reign of Ahmad Shah I. The inscription on the central mihrab commemorates the inauguration of the mosque on the 1st Safar A.H. 827 or January 4, 1424 A.D. by Sultan Ahmad Shah I. The mosque lies in the old walled city, and it is situated outside Bhadra Fort area.The old walled city is divided into separate quarters or pols, and the Jami' Masjid is found on the Gandhi Road. Along the south side of the road, the mosque is a short distance beyond the Teen Darwaza or Tripolia Gate.

The Jama Masjid was the fifth mosque structure built during Ahmed Shah I's reign.The prior mosques had either been modest in size or were for private use. The Jama Masjid was the complete opposite of its predecessors in that it was a large, grandiose structure. The mosque complex has a large paved courtyard that can be entered from three different directions. The courtyard has an ablution tank in the middle. The west side of the building is home to the prayer hall. The entire mosque is emblematic of what came to be known as Gujarat style architecture.

Location
The Jama Masjid of Ahmedabad was probably the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent built in this period. It lies in the center of the old walled city. The northern wall of the mosque lies along a processional way. Designed as part of a major plan desired by Sultan Ahmed Shah I, the mosque is located north of the processional axis that runs from the Maidan-i Shah at the door with three arches, Teen Darwaza. One enters the mosque from the north using a staircase. To the east of the mosque is the Badshah-ka-Hazira, also known as the Tomb of Ahmad Shah. This is the tomb of Ahmad Shah I, his son, and grandson. The tomb used similar architectural styles as the Jama Mosque even though it was started after the completion of the mosque. Some similar architectural features include the use of multiple domes, enclosed columned courts, and pierced screen walls. Although the tomb did not use any novel architectural features, it was the first of its kind in Ahmedabad. Nearby are the graves of the queens and the other wives of the Sultan Ahmad Shah I, which is called the Rani no Hajiro or Hazira. This tomb used a similar architectural style to the Tomb of Ahmad Shah.

History

Jama Masjid with minarets, drawn in 1809 by Robert Melville Grindlay
Prior to the founding of the city of Ahmedabad, the original settlement's name was Asaval. Ahmad Shah I was the heir apparent and in 1411 founded Ahmedabad, which eventually subsumed Asaval.

In recent years, local officials have struggled with balancing the preservation of the mosque's original elements, while also maintaining the structure so it is still serviceable for worshipping population. The Sunni Muslim Waqf Committee has replaced the original sandstone flooring of the mosque's courtyard with marble flooring.The hauj (tank) in the middle of the mosque's courtyard, which worshippers use to perform the act of Wudu before prayer, has also been relaid. Iron frames were fixed to the windows."

Type: Current mosque Website reference (required if no minaret or 2nd photo): [Web Link] Address: Not listed

Visit Instructions:

Posting a photo of your visit is strongly encouraged but not required. There is NO requirement that you enter inside the mosque as some mosques may not allow this. Please refrain from taking pictures inside the mosque if it is not permitted by the management and generally have respect for the reliqious nature of the site.

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