Sixteen slender pillars rise from a floor that is paved in coloured stones, and hold aloft a roof comprising nine uniform domes. This is the Baradari, situated in the central portion of the open courtyard that welcomes us as we enter the main gate of Sarkhej.
From here we watch in fascination the play of light and shade as the mellow rays of the Sun waltz through the exquisitely sculpted filigree-like network of ochre jails. The breathtaking sight holds us entranced and we are happy to have digressed from our route.
We are in Makraba, a village located on the fringe of Ahmedabad, and home to Sarkhej Roza, a splendid architectural structure dating back to the 15 century. Our visit to this monument which is actually a cluster of buildings comprising a mosque, tomb and palace complex happens by accident. The buildings are grouped around a huge stepped tank that looks to be dry for most part of the year.
Dubbed “Ahmedabad’s Acropolis” by Le Corbusier, the architect who planned Chandigarh, Sarkhez is an ode to the memory of Ahmed Khattu Ganj Baksh. He was a sufi saint who was revered as the patron saint of Ahmedabad and was a close friend and spiritual advisor of Sultan Ahmed Shah I. Following Khattu’s demise in 1445, Mohammed Shah, the reigning monarch, ordered a mausoleum to be built in his honour, along with a mosque. The architecture of the mosque is credited to Azam and Mu’azzam, two Persian brothers. The twin structures — the mosque and the mausoleum — were completed in 1451 A.D. However, in the latter half of the 15th century under Sultan Mahmud Begada, Sarkhej was extended to have a central tank, several pavilions, and tombs for Begada himself and his family.
Three worldsThe complex, a 72-acre sprawl which was once surrounded by manicured gardens on all its sides, weaves together three distinctive worlds: royal, religious and social. While the palaces and tombs comprise the royal world, the mosque is an aspect of the religious realm whereas the pavilions and tank constitute the social world.
The edifices of Sarkhej reveal Indo-Sarcenic architecture which is a brilliant fusion of Persian, Hindu and Jain styles. Pierced stone framework provides stability to the structures as evidenced by the profusion of pillars and brackets. These features together with several ringed domes, aspects of Islamic architecture, blend aesthetically with motifs and ornamentation that clearly reveal Hindu and Jain flavour.
MasterpieceKhattu’s mausoleum in the centre of the complex is the largest of its kind in Gujarat, the most imposing and impressive structure in Sarkhej. It covers 31 sq.m of plinth area and its roof holds aloft a 12m high dome at its centre, and several domes along its perimeter.
Stone trellis work in an amazing array of geometric patterns adorn its outer walls, while the interior reveals an attractive cut-open metal screen around the tomb.
In the southwest corner of the complex, the simple and elegant east-facing Jama Masjid stands regally with its pillared hall and five large domes, interspersed with forty smaller domes of uniform height, symmetrically organised. Arches and minarets are conspicuous by their absence in this edifice.
As my eyes rove the place for one last time before we leave its expansive precincts with its multitude corridors, lattices and arches, a sense of serene solitude cloaks me in its soothing embrace It is palpable that Sarkhej, presently off the tourist radar, is undergoing revival and emerging from near-oblivion into the limelight.
