Ahmedabad – Part VI: Sidi Saiyyed Mosque

Built in 1573, this mosque is one of the most famous mosques of Ahmedabad due to its stone carved lattice work windows. Popularly known as Sidi Saiyyed ni Jaali, this mosque was built by Sidi Saiyyed, an Abyssinian one of the advisors of Bilal Jhajar Khan, general in the army of the last Sultan Shams-ud-din Muzaffar Shah III.

The mosque was built in the last year of the existence of Sultanate of Gujarat. The mosque has beautifully carved ten stone lattice work windows (jaalis) on the side and rear arches. The rear wall is filled with square stone pierced panels in geometrical designs. These intricately carved lattice stone windows have designs of intertwined trees and foliage and a palm motif. The mosque was used as government office during British rule in 1880 AD. During this period paper casts of the carved screens were taken and two wooden models were made for museum of Kensington and New York. Today one of the jaali depicting the tree of life has become distinguished symbol of the city of Ahmedabad and the inspiration for the design of the logo of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

It is observed that the central window arch of the mosque is walled with stones instead of lattice work. Probably the mosque was not completed as per the original plan before the Mughals invaded Gujarat.