A rare mosque where women can pray in Ahmedabad

Generally, women are not allowed to pray in mosques, but in Ahmedabad, the Jama Masjid has a place where women can pray. Talking about its history, historian Rizwan Kadri said that when the city was established, Jama Masjid had a provision for women to pray.

The oldest mosque of Ahmedabad — Ahmad Shah's mosque which is also known as Shahi Jam-e-Masjid or Juni Juma Masjid has had women praying within its premises for ages. This was the first monument to have been built by Ahmed Shah. According to the Arabic inscription at the mosque, it was erected in 1411.

"Entry of women into mosque is very rare. When the city was established, there was a provision for women to enter the mosque and pray. A dedicated place, Mulak Khana, was made a part of it. This was a place made for women where their privacy could be maintained and they could pray," said Kadri.

He further said that the place is fully ventilated and has a cover with intricate work done on it. "The mosque is a masterpiece and its construction is a syntheses of Hindu and Jain architecture. It has 10 big domes raised on 152 pillars. Ahmad Shah always offered his namaz in this mosque," he said.

According to professor Shrikant Rakhe, who has documented many photographs of people praying in the mosque, said that this is the culture of Ahmedabad. "This is very much a part of Ahmedabad's culture. Many cultures and religions have flourished here. When I go to click photographs, I see many women praying in the mosque, which is a rarity. Women are allowed to pray in the Jamatkhana and Dargah," said the professor.