Sarkhej Roza – a place where time stops
Sarkhej Roza is one of the most beautiful places of Ahmedabad. Nevertheless, it cannot be referred to any particular category. This is a large complex on the territory of which a mosque, tombs of the kings, a memorial to the churchmen and the royal summer palace are situated. All these buildings are surrounded with a ditch filled with water. It is better to come here in the evening, because local sunsets will remain in your memory forever.
Located about 8 kilometers away from Ahmedabad, Sarkhej Roza was the residence of the spiritual leader sultan Ahmed Shah. This place was the governmental, spiritual and social center of the country at the same time. Carved stones of the structures create the atmosphere of peace and calmness that are so necessary to those who search for harmony in their soul. Around the complex you will see wonderful gardens and parks that impress with their freshness and beauty. Sarkhej Roza is so spacious that it is unlikely that you’ll walk around it in one day. Many of those who visited this place at least once admit that it possesses a very special atmosphere, which is impossible to express with words.
This sacred complex is one of the most respected and revered ones in India. It is even compared to such a great architectural monument as the Greek Acropolis. Such a comparison was made by a famous architect of the 20th century Le Corbusier, which made this place famous all over the world. Such recognition of the complex is quite justifiable, as in the past it was the focus of the Sufi culture, the place where Ganj Baksh, a famous and respected Sufi saint lived. The legend says that it was him who inspired the great Sultan to found the capital of the country namely in this place, on the banks of the River Sabamati.
The concept of this sacred place consists of two parts: the body and the spirit, so it is said to possess the traits of a human being. It was designed so that it expresses the beauty of the patron saint’s soul by the delicate carvings and graceful adornments of the complex’s buildings. In spite of the fact that in the past it was even more spacious, occupying the territory of over 70 acres, nowadays this area has shrunk by almost a half. The reason for that is that human settlements were coming closer and closer to the ancient structure and finally consumed the major part of the magnificent gardens.
Being inside Sarkhej Roza, you feel that time has stopped and you have experienced eternity. This sensation is created by the way the tombs, mosques and palaces are arranged. This complex presents a combination of the Hindu and Muslim architectural style, just like the majority of buildings of that era. In spite of the fact that the Sultan Ahmed Shah founded Sarkhej Roza, it was his follower, Mehmud Begada, who managed to give even more splendor to this holy place. He expanded it by adding the pleasure palaces, and on the whole by finishing the complex and making it a harmonious whole.
While planning your route through India, you should necessarily include Sarkhej Roza on your must-see list, as this is a magnificent place which was designed for the royal and the common men at the same time, and combines the religious and mundane features, making it really unique.