Sidi Bashir Mosque / Jhulta Minar /The Shaking Minarets Ahmedabad (Entry Fee, Timings, History, Built by, Images & Location)

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Don’t we all love to visit places with an aura of mystique around them? Jhulta Minar in India is one such place that will cater to the adventure-seeking bug in you and will enthrall you at the same time with its beauty and magnificence. Also known as Sidi Bashir Mosque and Shaking Minarets, Jhulta Minar Ahmedabad is a place that must make it to your itinerary when you plan a trip to the city. This monument is one of the intriguing architectural wonders of the world and this mystery still baffles scientists.

History of Jhulta Minar

Jhulta Minar which is essentially a mosque has a mystery surrounding its origin as well. There are two stories about the origin of this mosque. According to one, it is believed that this mosque was constructed by Sidi Bashir, who was a slave of Sultan Ahmad Shah, the founder of the city of Ahmedabad.

The second one talks about Jhulta Minar built by Malik Sarang, who was a noble in the court of Mahmud Begada, another Sultan of Gujarat during the 15th century. The mosque has been dated by historians as having been built in the year 1452 but the architectural style and the construction material used in the minarets belong to Mahmud Begada's reign during the 15th century.

A major part of this mosque was reduced to rubble in 1753 in a war between the Maratha clan and the Khans of The Sultanate. What remains today are only two minarets and an arched central gateway that connects them.

Architecture of Jhulta Minar

The minarets of Jhulta Minar are one of the tallest structures in Ahmedabad and though they were damaged during the war, the stairs inside the minarets can still be used. These minarets have three stories with intricately carved balconies.

This five-century old monument was initially a part of the Sidi Bashir Mosque which was destroyed during the Gujarat Sultanate war but Jhulta Minar is still referred to as Sidi Sayid mosque by many. The minarets were made to be the entrance of the mosque and their magnificent medieval age craftsmanship is a sight to behold.

The architectural style of this mosque is a mélange of the Gothic Muslim theme along with shades of Rajputana style. Jhulta Minar height is 34 meters and all the three stories are well balanced although they are made of heavy stone. All the stories have balconies made out of stone and they border the minarets beautifully without disturbing the balance of the structure. There is a stairway in the middle of both the minarets which is still in a usable condition.

Mystery behind Jhulta Minar Minarets

What makes these minarets interesting is a strange phenomenon that gave this place the name of Jhulta Minar. When you gently shake either of the minarets, it leads to the other minaret vibrating within a few seconds even though you would not experience any such vibration in the connecting passage between the two minarets.

Architects, historians, and even scientists have been at their wit's end trying to gauge the physics behind this movement of the minarets which has earned this mosque the moniker, Jhulta Minar, which means swinging minaret. People have been so curious about the mystery of these minarets that several British men spent many years trying to figure out the secret. A popular story talks about an Englishman who almost had the minarets pulled down to solve this puzzle.

The reason behind this strange occurrence is still not known but it is believed that the layered construction of theses minarets could be the reason behind it. This unique feature of these minarets was not known until the 19th century when it was first observed by Monier M.Williams, an English scholar.

Several fast-moving trains pass by close to Jhulta Minar and despite the structure being quite old; it can withstand it. A similar structure in Isfahan, Iran, known as Monar Jonban (shaking minarets) experiences an almost similar phenomenon and that too remains a mystery to date.

Other minarets in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad was home to another mosque called the Raj Bibi Mosque which had similar shaking minarets. During the British rule in India, one of them was dismantled to study the physics behind the properties of their construction which led to the shaking but it could not be put back together again. Jhulta Minar is the only one left in the city now.

Sidi Bashir Mosque / Jhulta Minar /The Shaking Minarets Ahmedabad Image Gallery

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Jhulta Minar Ahmedabad Location

Jhulta Minar is located in Sakar Bazar of Ahmedabad and you can easily reach there by taking any means of public transport of the city. You can also opt for a cab from top car rental companies in Ahmedabad for travelling within the city comfortably, and explore the various must see places to visit in Ahmedabad in a hassle free manner.

Entry Fee and Timings of Jhulta Minar

There is no entry fee to visit Jhulta Minar. It is open from 5:30 am to 9:00 pm on all days of the week.

Places to visit near Jhulta Minar

1. Ahmad Shah’s Mosque: This mosque has tombs of sultan Ahmad Shah along with those of his sons and grandsons. The mosque was built in 1414 and is one of the oldest mosques in the city. Prayer halls of this mosque which are called Mehrabs have been made out of black and white marble with beautifully carved jaali windows, ceiling and stone pillars. This mosque is to the east of Bhadra Fort which is another popular tourist attraction of the city.

2. Jama Masjid: Jama Masjid was built in 1423 by Ahmed Shah, and like all the other architectural wonders of that century, it is a beautiful attraction of the city. Yellow sandstone has been used in this mosque and the architecture reflects both Hindu and Islamic styles. The prayer hall has 260 columns that support 15 domes, all at different levels.

3. Sidi Sayyed Mosque: You must visit this mosque for sure if you love photography for this mosque is one of the most photographed sites of Ahmedabad. The windows of this mosque are made of latticework with designs of intertwined branches and palm tree foliage.

How to Reach Ahmedabad

The city has excellent road and air connectivity to all prime cities nearby and across the country. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport which is both a domestic and International airport has frequent flights to most countries and cities in India.

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Location Map for Sidi Bashir Mosque / Jhulta Minar /The Shaking Minarets Ahmedabad