MOSQUE IN ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY

1. ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING STUDY – JAMA
MASJID
SUBMITTED BY:
MOHD. FARZAN MOHD. ZAID
MOHD. WAQAR MOHD. ZEESHAN
SUBMITTED TO:
AR. FARHAN FAZLI

2. INTACH LISTING FORM

Name of the Property: JAMA MASJID

Location Address: SS HALL, AMU,ALIGARH,U.P - 202002

Approach: ALIGARH IS LOCATED APPROX. 140 KM SOUTH-EAST OF CAPITAL
CITY DELHI

Age/Date: MASJID WAS COMPLETED BACK IN 1912 i.e. NOW IT IS OF 102 YRS.
OF AGE

Ownership: UNPROTECTED /PUBLIC PROPERTY

Name of Owner & Address: AMU COURT ,ALIGARH

Usage: IN USE CONTINOUSLY FROM TIME OF ITS COMPLETION


Property-Category: BUILDING
Typology :RELIGIOUS
Subtype : MOSQUE

3. 
Historical Significance: LATER DISCUSSED IN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
SECTION

Architectural Description: BUILDING IS SET AMIDST SIR SYED HALL WHICH IS A
GREAT EXAMPLE OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE. MOST PARTS ARE CLADDED WITH
STONE AND USE OF ELEMENTS LIKE DOMES, MINARETS, ARCHES. ALSO DOUBLE
HEIGHT DOORS, HIGH ROOF & THICK WALLS AND COLUMNS ARE BEING USED
THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.

Decorative Features: DECORATED WITH BEAUTIFUL CARVINGS & PAINTING
WORKS.

State of Preservation: SHOWING SIGNS OF DETERIORATION

Threats to the Property: NATURAL : HUMIDITY,SALINE ACTION,VEGETATION
GROWTH

Negligence : LACK OF MAINTENANCE

Vandalism : INSENSITIVE REPAIRS, RENOVATION, RECONSTRUCTION

Additions – Electrical Wires, Drainage Pipes etc.

Grade (I*/I/II/III): I

4. Architectural (A/B/C): A (GOOD EXAMPLE OF LOCAL VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURAL TRADITIONS
• INTERESTING ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS AND EMBELLISHMENTS)

Historical/Associational : B: REGIONAL HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.

5. INTRODUCTION



THE CONSTRUCTION OF MASJID WAS
STARTED IN 1879 AND WAS COMPLETED IN
1912.
PRESENTLY SITUATED INSIDE THE HEART OF
A.M.U i.e. SIR SYED HALL WHICH WAS FIRST
BUILDING OF MAO COLLEGE.
THE DESIGN WAS DONE BY SIR SYED AHMAD
KHAN HIMSELF. IT RESEMBLES THE HUGE
MUGHAL BADSHAHI MOSQUE OF LAHORE.

6.  ACCESS – TWO WAY ACCESS. ONE FOR PEOPLE
ENTERING FROM SS HALL (NORTH) AND ANOTHER FOR
THE RESIDENTS OF SS HALL(SOUTH).
 THE SITE PLAN IS RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE.
TYPE & FUNCTION

RELIGIOUS BUILDING USED FOR PERFORMING
NAMAZ(PRAYER) AND OTHER RELIGIOUS PURPOSES
LIKE QURAN KHWANI(HAVING SEPARATE SECTION FOR
THIS).
 ALSO HAVING SOME RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS(HUJRA) FOR
PEOPLE REQUIRED TO RESIDE AT MASJID.
 ALSO SEPARATE TOILET AREAS ARE MAINTAINED.

7. ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
SIR SYED – A CAMPUS PLANNER AND ARCHITECT:
SIR SYED AHMAD KHAN FOUND AN ENTHUSIASM OF HIS EDUCATIONAL
EFFORTS IN ALIGARH THAT HE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY ENCOUNTERED.


IN 1872, THE BRITISH PRINCIPAL OF ROORKEE COLLEGE TURNED DOWN
AN INVITATION TO BE ARCHITECT FOR THE COLLEGE AT ALIGARH. FROM
THAN ON THE PLANNING OF THE BUILDINGS AND THE SUPERVISION OF
THEIR CONSTRUCTION WAS THE SPECIAL PROVINCE OF SIR SYED
HIMSELF. IT WAS SIR SYED WHO CONCEIVED THE ARCHITECTURAL
DESIGNS, LAID OUT THE TREES AND GARDENS, AND HANDLED ALL
FINANCIAL MATTERS SUCH AS SELECTION AND PURCHASE OF BUILDING
MATERIALS. HE ALSO DECIDED WHICH BUILDINGS WERE BUILT WHEN.
THE COLLEGE WAS A PLANNED COMMUNITY FOR THE FIRST; SIR SYED
HAD A CLEAR IDEA OF BASIC LAYOUT – A SELF-CONTAINED QUADRANGLE
WITH CLASSROOMS, LIVING ACCOMMODATIONS, DINNING

8. FORM
• THIS BUILDING IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF ISLAMIC
ARCHITECTURE.
• IT CONSISTS OF DOMES AND MINARETS, ARCHES
AND INTERIOR MIND-BLOWING GEOMETRIC
DECORATION WITH EXCELLENT COLOURS. THESE
CAN FASCINATE MANY OBSERVERS WHO HAVE FEW
WAYS OF REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE BUILDINGS
OR THE BELIEFS AND WAYS OF LIFE OF THE
MUSLIMS FOR WHOM THIS BUILDING WAS
DESIGNED AND ERECTED.

9. PATTERN
 THE USE OF SYMMETRY &PATTERN
CAN BE SEEN IN RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK TONES.

10. DECORATION/LIGHTNING
 THE FRONT FACADE IS ALL
CLADDED WITH STONE.
 LIGHTNING IN THE INNER PART OF
THE MASJID IS WELL ACHIVED
THROUGH NO. OF THE GLASS
FITTED DOORS.
 A DOUBLE HEIGHT DOOR IS THERE
WITH ANOTHER 5 DOORS EACH, ON
BOTH SIDES OF IT.

11. LEVELS
THE FIRST LEVEL i.e.
CIRCULATION SPACE IS AT A
LEVEL OF 2FT. FROM THE
GROUND THEN THE LEVEL
OF PLATFORM FOR NAMAZ
IS 7 in. MORE THAN THAT.
FINAL FLOOR LEVEL FOR
INNER PART OF THE
BUILDING IS 4.5 FT. FROM

12. BACK VIEW & TOMB
• STANDING AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY’S
CRICKET GROUND , IT POSES A
STRIKING VIEW FOR THE ONLOOKERS.
• THE TOMB OF SIR SYED AHMAD KHAN
IS ALSO ENCLOSED INSIDE THE WALLS
OF THE MOSQUE.

13. MINARETES &
DOMES

14. ARCHES
MULTIFOIL ARCH
ROUND TREEFOIL ARCH

15. HAUZ (WUZU KHANA)
 HAUZ IS
CONSTRUCTED IN THE
CENTER WITH THE
BOUNDARY MADE OF
THE SAME STONE AS
THAT ON FACADE.
 THE REFLECTION OF
WATER IN THE HAUZ
CAN BE SEEN ON THE
FACE OF FORNT BIG
DOOR.

16. WORKMANSHIP
EXCELLENT WORK OF CARVINGS
AND PAINTINGS.
 ARABIC INSCRIPTIONS ON WALL
ARE ALSO ADDING TO
AESTHETICAL APPEAL OF THE
INTERIOR.


17. STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
• LOT OF SPACE WASTED DUE TO HEAVY
COLUMNS AND THICK WALLS.
• DIMENSIONS FOR COLUMNS ARE 10’X
6’4” WHILE WALLS ARE ABOUT 3’6”
THICK.

18. HUMAN INTERVENTION &
NEGLIGENCE
• FUNGAL GROWTH ON WALL DUE TO
RUNNING OF RAIN WATER WITH
ABSENCE OF RAIN WATER PIPES.
• GLASS PANELS BROKEN AND NOT
INSTALLED.

19. • EXTERNAL WIRING ON FACE OF A
MINARET IS DESTROYING AESTHETICS.
• NEW WOODEN FRAMES STILL NOT
PAINTED.
• PLASTER HAD PEELED OFF FROM
COLUMNS.

20. TERMITE GROWTH IS
BEING CONTINOUSLY
NEGLECTED AND NO
CURE APPLIED
CEMENT IS USED FOR
REPAIR OF THE DAMAGED
PART WHICH IS NOT
COMPATIBLE WITH LIME
MORTAR USED EARLIER

21. AESTHETICS
• CLOLOURED GLASS PANELS ARE USED IN
DOORS ENHANCING THE AESTHETICAL
APPEAL OF THE BUILDING.
• MEZO QUINTO ARCH IS PROVIDED WITH
DETAILED WOODEN WORK.

22.  BEAUTIFUL DECORATIVE WORK WAS
DONE ON THE CEILINGS WITH USE OF
CONTRASTIVE DARK & BRIGHT
COLOURS.
 SERIES OF ARCHES ARE USED TO
DISTRIBUTE LOAD OF BUILDING AND
ALSO AS AN ELEMENT FOR SHOWING
THE RHYTHM AND MASS IN THE
BUILDING .

23. ABOVE THE ROOF
ARCH ELEMENTS IN PARAPHET
SELF SUPPORTING OPENING
EXPOSED

24. THANK YOU