Jumma
Masjid of Ahmedabad is one of the most beautiful mosques in India. It
was built in the year 1423 by the founder of the city, Sultan Ahmed
Shah, and is located in the old city. Built in yellow sandstone, this
monument is capable of outshining any other monument of Ahmedabad. Jama
Masjid is a fine example of Indo Saracenic architecture, with the
special touch of the Sultan himself. It presents an extraordinary blend
of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture. The historians refer to it as the most beautiful mosque of the east. It is an imposing structure in the center of the old city and rests on 260 pillars, supporting fifteen domes. The splendid mosque took approximately 13 years to get fully constructed. It is indeed a master piece of the Ahmedabadi eclectic style. Mesmerized by its beauty, Sir John Marshal classified it as a classic example of architecture of its time in the entire world.
Jumma Masjid has a white marble courtyard, with a pool in the center. There is a huge archway in the front. The mosque is dotted by a number of striking pillars, adorned with intricate carvings. These pillars form exact quadrangles for kneeling during Namaz (prayer ceremony) on Fridays. The domes and the mesh on the windows have been carefully carved to provide enough illumination in the main prayer hall, without direct sunlight.
