MOSQUE AND TOMB OF RANI SIPARI
Like some mosques in Ahmadabad, this mosque, built in the west part of the site, has an east front with no wall, supported by twin-pillars, revealing seven spans of different sizes in width. Its depth consists of two wide spans. Corresponding to the spans, 3 domes are situated in width and two in depth; there are total 6 small domes on th roof. There is a window in the north wall, and bay windows in the south wall of the mosque, with splendid decorations, including prominent colbelled arches. However, compared to the bay windows, the mihrab on the west wall of the prayer room looks reserved. In the north and south edge of the east front of the mosque, there are tall slender minars. Compared to the three-tiered upper part on the flat roof, the lower part is thicker and elaborately decorated by beautiful sculptures, showing significant trace of Hindu style. These, with the aforementioned bay windows, display the character of the Ahmadbad building very well.
The mausoleum built to the
east of the mosque has a central two-tiered tomb in a square plan
with a large dome supported by 12 long pillars, surrounded by
one-tiered corridors supported by 20 pillars. This mausoleum is
majestic, having long eaves, whose upper part is surrounded by
battlements. What is most striking is the elaborately sculptured
Hindu-style patterns of the basement and the windows sculptured
in Jali-style on the upper walls. They display delicate patterns
that are rarely seen in other parts of South Asia.
(Matsuo Ara)