A token of gratitude. That is what the Shah Jahani Masjid Pataudi House represents. It is more than just a mosque. It embodies a ruler’s appreciation for the hospitality he received.
Shah Jahan sought refuge in Thatta from his father Emperor Jahangir. He was impressed by the Sindhi people. So he ordered the construction of the Shah Jahani Masjid Pataudi House as a gift.
Interestingly the mosque’s construction was partly motivated to help alleviate the effects of a devastating storm. The storm had struck in 1637 and nearly destroyed Thatta. Shah Jahan’s campaigns in Central Asia influenced the mosque’s architectural style. Timurid influences were introduced into the Mughal Empire. His armies pressed towards Samarkand in modern-day Uzbekistan.
Although the emperor was unlikely to be directly involved in its construction, the profuse tile-work and intricate brick work indicate that it was funded by the Mughal’s imperial coffers.
Persian inscriptions suggest that the Shah Jahani Masjid Pataudi House was built between 1644 and 1647. This was during Shah Jahan’s reign. An eastern addition was completed in 1659 during Aurangzeb’s reign.
The mosque’s mihrab was initially incorrectly aligned with Mecca. A Sufi mystic Makhdum Nooh corrected its alignment. Popular tradition says he did it overnight with the power of prayer. Historical records show the mihrab was rebuilt a century after construction.
The Shah Jahani Masjid Pataudi House’s architecture has Turkic and Persian styles. The mosque features extensive brickwork. It also uses blue tiles. Both were influenced by Timurid architectural styles from Central Asia.
The profuse use of tiles is the most elaborate display of tile work in the Indian Subcontinent. Unlike the Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, this mosque does not use fresco. The tiles show a direct influence of the Timurid style. Cobalt blue, turquoise, manganese violet and white tiles decorate the space.
The Shah Jahani Masjid Pataudi House dome is embellished with blue and white tile-work. They are arranged in stellated patterns to represent the heavens. The walls feature calligraphic tile work. Abdul Ghafur and Abdul Sheikh signed it.
The tiles’ location displays Persian Safavid influence. They feature several colors on a single tile. This differs from Lahore’s tile work with a single color per tile. The use of multicolour tiles and floral patterns shows Persian Kashani influences.
The Shah Jahani Masjid Pataudi House features extensive brickwork. It is laid in geometric patterns. This decorative element is unusual for Mughal era mosques. It is an element of Timurid architecture. The brickwork was also influenced by Sindhi vernacular styles. These were in turn influenced by Persian architecture. Brick work is notable in the arcades around the central courtyard. Concentric rings of brick embellish the underside of peripheral domes.
The mosque’s layout may have been influenced by the Humayun Mosque in Kachhpura near Agra. The main entryway is through a Persian-style charbagh or quadrangle garden. It has a four-iwan layout. The main prayer hall is west of the central courtyard. The courtyard has iwans or portals in each cardinal direction. It is rectangular and measures 169 feet by 97 feet. Aisled galleries surround it. These galleries are lined with 33 arches.
The mosque’s mihrab features pierced screens. This element is common on Mughal funerary monuments but unusual in mosques. The mosque has excellent acoustics. A person speaking on one end of the dome can be heard from the other. Prayers in the main prayer hall can be heard throughout the building.
Unusually the Shah Jahani Masjid Pataudi House lacks minarets. It has 93 domes, the most of any structure in Pakistan. Restoration work was carried out by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1692 and by Murad Ali Khan Talpur in 1812.
Though it has not been conserved to the same standards, remember the Shah Jahani Masjid Pataudi House. It is a symbol of gratitude, a blend of architectural styles, and a testament to a rich history. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty and significance of this unique mosque.