Sanskar Kendra, Ahmedabad
Sanskar KendraSanskar Kendra’s industrial aesthetic of bricks and expos…
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Located 8 km southwest of the ancient center of Makarba, Sarhej Roza is a complex of mosques, tombs and palaces dedicated to the memory of Ahmed Hattu Ganj Baksh, spiritual adviser to Ahmed Shah I. Ruined and elegant buildings are clustered around a large tank built in the mid-15th century by Sultan Mahmud Begada (grandson of the Shah). It is an atmospheric place that has been used as a retreat by several rulers of Ahmedabad. The mausoleums of Mahmud Begada (located at the entrance, with geometric jalis casting light patterns on the floor) and his Ganj Baksh (largest in Gujarat) are both here. The place has a happy community vibe with locals picnicking in the large courtyard.
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Sheikh Ahmed Hattu Ganj Bakhsh was a friend and advisor to Ahmad Shah I, ruler of the Sultanate of Gujarat from 1411 until his death in 1442. Muhammad Shah II, successor to Ahmed Shah I, commissioned the Tomb of Sheikh Bahsh, completed in 1451. The next Sultan, Mahmud Vegada, expanded the complex by building Sarhej Lake around the tomb. He ordered a mausoleum to be built for himself and his family, directly across from Ganj Baksh’s tomb. His son Muzaffar Shah II and his wife Rajbai are buried here.
At some point in the 15th century, Sarhej was a village populated by Hindu weavers and indigo dyers under the rule of Sultan Ahmed Shah. Sultan Ahmed Shah is a descendant of the Muzaffari dynasty that founded Ahmedabad. Sheikh Ahmed Katu Ganj Bakhsh from Delhi settled in this village and became a revered Sufi saint in the country. He was also a dear friend of the ruler Shah, and when Hattu died around 1445, the Sultan ordered a mosque and mausoleum built in his memory. However, the monument was completed under the reign of his successor Sultan Qutub al-Din Ahmed Shah. These will be the first in a series of monuments that provoke a syncretism between the spiritual, royal and social realms of Sarhej.
