Description of the attraction
One of the most interesting sights of the Indian state of Gujarat - Sarkhej Roja - is located seven kilometers southwest of the city of Ahmedabad, in the village of Makraba. It is also known as the "Acropolis of Ahmedabad".
At one time, Sarkhej Roja was one of the most famous Sufi centers in the entire country. This complex, which includes cultural and religious buildings, was created under the leadership of the two Persian brothers Azam and Muazzam, by order of the Sultan Qutubuddin Ahmed Shah II in the period from 1451 to 1458. But Sarkhej Roja acquired his final majestic appearance only during the reign of Sultan Mehmud Begad. The complex originally covered an area of over 29 hectares and was surrounded on all sides by beautiful lush gardens. But over time, the villages around the complex expanded and occupied its territory. Therefore, at the moment, its area is only about 14 hectares.
Within the complex there are palaces, tombs, mosques, pavilions and gazebos, which can be viewed for more than one day. As was typical of local buildings at the time, both Indian and Muslim styles were intertwined in the architecture of Sarkhej Rog. Thus, domes, carved columns and graceful lattices are truly Islamic features in buildings (in most buildings, instead of arches, it was lattices), while Indian folk motifs are visible in almost all decorative details, ornaments and patterns. In general, the complex is an example of early Islamic architecture in this region, which borrowed a lot from the architecture of Persia, and was strongly influenced by Hindu and Jain cultures, which ultimately led to the emergence of the Indo-Saracenic style.
