Friday, November 7, 2008

Sarkhej Roza -Ahmedabad

The famous saint, Makhdum Shaikh Ahmed Khattu, a disciple of Baba Ishq Maghribi of Khattu, settle and died at Sarkhej, about 10 km. South-west of Ahmedabad. Construction on a dargah and mosque were begun in 1946, under Mohammad Shah II, and completed the reign of Sultan Qutb-ud-din Ahmed Shah.
The Dargah, the largest of its kind in Gujarat, has plinth area of 31.70 m. and is roofed by a large dome. It also has surrounding rows of 13 pillars on each side. The walls are broken up into two storeys and perforated stonework of gate variety fills up the spaces above and below the dividing stones. The inner central square, too, is partitioned by screen walls, perforated in steel and metal, with a door in similar workmanship.
A porch leads from the dargah into the Mosque, which to the west. The mosque has a roof of uniform height. Five large domes, in a raw, and 40 smaller ones, symmetrically disposed, correspond to the pillared squares within. The roof is supported by 120 pillared of the same pattern. The Mosque has an elegant simplicity: the columnar style adopted here appears to be on purpose, and compares favourably with the arched façade of other mosques in and around Ahmedabad. The ablution tank is situated in an enclosed alley, at the half the height of the roof. Access to the roof through porch, in the thickness of the wall.
The tomb of Sultan Mohmud Begada is also part of the Sarkhej complex. Stonework covers the pillar on three sides of the tomb, except for the east. A balcony window projects into the tank.

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