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    My favorite artworks from European Museums

    My favorite artworks from European Museums

    Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

    Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

    Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

    Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

    Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

    Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

    Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

    Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

    The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

    The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

    Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

    Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

    St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

    St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

    Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

    Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

    Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

    Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

    The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    The Dohany Street synagogue in Budapest

    St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

    St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

    The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

    The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

    Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

    Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

    Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

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      My favorite artworks from European Museums

      My favorite artworks from European Museums

      Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

      Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

      Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

      Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

      Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

      Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

      Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

      Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

      The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

      The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

      Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

      Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

      Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

      Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

      St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

      St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

      Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

      Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

      Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

      Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

      The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

      The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

      The Dohany Street synagogue in Budapest

      St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

      St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

      The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

      The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

      Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

      Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

      Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

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      Sarkhej Roza, Ahmedabad

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      When Ahmed Shah (1410-43) was establishing the Gujarat Sultanate his chief spiritual advisor was Shaikh Ahmed Khattu Ganj Baksh a Sufi saint. The saint was born in Delhi in 1338 and named Malik Nasiruddin. As a child he was separated from his family and adopted by a saint Baba Ishaq Maghrebi of Khattu ( Rajasthan). Baba named him Ahmed. He supervised the child’s education and under him Ahmed received and attained educational and spiritual excellence.

      He came to Delhi but later left for the Deccan in the aftermath of Timur’s invasion. He settled in the village of Sarkhej and established his khanqah there. He became the spiritual advisor of Ahmed Shah.

      In 1411 Ahmed Shah ascended the throne of Gujarat and laid the foundation of the Gujarat Sultanate. It was on the advise of the saint that the city of Ahmedabad was founded on the banks of the Sabarmati river.

      The saint became very famous in his lifetime and ran an open house. His generosity got him the sobriquet of Gnj Baksh ( treasure house).

      The saint died at the age of 111 in 1445. Mohammed Shah the reigning monarch got a dargah built for the saint.

      It is a beautiful example of Indo-Saracenic architecture, with Hindu craftsmanship married to Islamic sense of scale and geometry.

      The word is derived from the Persian word zarkhez which means fertile. It was inhabited by indigo weavers and dyers.

      And they honored the shrine of the saint who had chosen to live amongst them by dying the ceiling of his dargah with indigo. The colors and design still live on through the ages.

      Famous City designer Asif Shaikh told me about it and showed me his tribute to the Roza with his Indigo design series inspired by it.

      This blog was inspired by that submission of self to the spiritual.

      The shrine is extremely beautiful and a Centre of spiritual solace for the populace of Ahmedabad and nearby areas.

      It’s intricate stone jaalis or lattice screens are a trademark of the Gujarati artisans and to be found in all the religious and secular buildings of the Sultanate Era.

      Their light as it filters in provides the mystic environment necessary for meditation. It also provides shade and shelter from prying eyes.

      The shrine is surrounded by a broad pillar Ed verandah on all four sides.

      A drum used during festivals and urs.

      As is normal with shrines of important saints a Mosque was also built alongside. Both the monuments were completed in 1451 CE by his successor Qutb’ud-din Ahmed Shah. 

      The Mosque is quite large with the Sultanate design of a huge courtyard and aisles running around it.

      The entrance of the mosque

      Since many of the royal family including ladies were the saints devotees a separate floor was built for them. It is ironical that today ladies are not allowed to enter it.

      Sultan Mahmud Begada expanded the shrine and excavated a central tank around it adding a 17-acre large lake with stone steps

      He added many pavilions and buildings on the opposite side of the lake. It became a royal retreat.

      Looking out onto the tank.

      The Sultan also added a Baradari ( 12 arched pavilion) in front and that becomes a popular spoof for locals to come and picnic and pray.

      This is how shrines used to be in olden days : an integral part not just of spiritual life but social life as well.

      Sultan Mahmud Begada himself is buried in a pavilion on the opposite side of the shrine overlooking the tank he built.

      His son Muzzaffar II and his queen, Rajabai are also buried alongside him.

      Once again jaalis and columns decorate the tomb of the Sultan.

      When Akbar defeated Muzaffar III the Sultan of Gujarat in 1584 he added a mansion and garden.

      Gallery:

      A tomb outside the complex.

      Further reading

      https://www.sarkhejroza.org/live.pdf

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      Rana Safvi

      Come, explore and fall in love the Beauties of Delhi (Dilli ki Ranaiya’n) and the World with me, Rana Safvi

      I have a masters in medieval history from the prestigious Centre for Advanced Studies, Dept. of History, AMU. A firm believer in our Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb, I am passionate about gaining and sharing knowledge and these days I am doing it via the social media platform.

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      © 2018 Rana Safvi - A blog Exploring Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb of India, website handcrafted by Abu Sufiyan.