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
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. The Archeological Society of India has filed multiple complaints in court against members of the Sunni Muslim Waqf Committee and locals for violating the Archaeological Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains Act. The Sunni Muslim Waqf Committee has said, "'The ASI has neither the resources nor will to arrest the decay. Most of these monuments, especially the mosques, are still used. When the ASI fails to repair a crumbling monument, the onus of doing the job falls on us. We can't run away from providing basic amenities to people who come to pray" concerning the claims made by the ASI.
Architecture
Ahmedabad was founded on 26 February 1411, far from the Muslim rule in Delhi. This allowed for Ahmedabad to develop its own provincial style of architecture. Ahmedabad's provincial style of architecture is commonly named Gujarat style, in accordance to the name of the province. The Gujarat style of architecture, and thus Ahmedabad's style of architecture, is a mix of Islamic architecture and traditional Hindu architectural elements. Although the Gujarat style flourished during the 15th century and afterwards, there was a precedent for the Gujarat Islamic architecture style since Islam had been present in Gujarat a century before Ahmed Shah I rose to power and founded Ahmedabad. The early mosques in Gujarat during the pre-Ahmed Shah period were created from mostly pillaged temple material that was turned into mosque like structures.