Although, if you drive along the busy road in downtown Junagadh, you will see one of India's lesser-known yet stunning architectural structures. A superb blend of Gothic and Islamic ornamentation, the Mahabat Maqbara complex remains one of the best preserved Indian mysteries.
Its history is lost in the mists of time, as evidenced by a large stone engraved with edicts from Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BC) and later rulers such as Rudradaman (2nd century AD). If many people know about Ashoka's edicts, then not everything is about Rudradaman, but he was an excellent swordman, was an excellent rider, knew how to ride chariots and ride elephants and, in addition, wrote prose in "clear and sweet" language - classical Sanskrit.
The Afghan Babi dynasty settled in southern Gujarat at the beginning of the 18th century, but it was only at the end of the next century that the rulers of Junagar were able to build ambitious and architecturally original tombs for members of the royal family.
It is believed that the construction of the maqbar (tombs) was financed from the proceeds of transit trade, which then changed direction - instead of land routes through Iran to the Middle East, goods from Rajasthan and northern India began to be transported through the ports of Gujarat, since with the opening of the Suez Canal, the sea route to Europe has become cheaper.
The era of prosperity coincided with the long reign of Mahabat Khan II (1851-1882), who, with the help of his prime minister, Divan Amarsinhji, built many public buildings in the city, from schools and hospitals to courts and markets, with the architecture of many buildings being unique, using Gothic Venetian style.
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The mausoleum of Mahabat Khan II himself was built in the same eclectic style, a mixture of Indo-Saracen and Gothic-Venetian, this tomb was built by his eldest son Bahadur Khan III (1882-1892) throughout the ten-year reign. The tomb building with Gothic windows is crowned with a roof with a myriad of onion domes of various sizes, the largest is, of course, the central dome. The domes give the impression of droplets of stone rain frozen on the roof.
North of Mahabat Makbara, a smaller tomb belongs to the vizier Bahauddin Bar, another prime minister of Mahabat Khan II. It was also completed in 1882, although construction began in 1878. The minarets on the sides of this tomb are surrounded by spiral stairs, which gives the structure a fabulous look.
The keys to the tombs are kept in the Jama Masjid mosque just south of Mahabat Makbara, but the main thing in the mausoleums is their appearance, and they can be viewed from the street because of the low stone fence. The minarets of the mosque are also surrounded by spiral staircases for muezzins.
This striking structure, which you see in the photo, is the mausoleum of the vizier Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, one of the main aristocrats at the court of Nawab Mahabat Khan II Junagadh. The construction of the complex with yellow walls was started in 1878 by Mahabat Khanji and completed in 1892 by his successor Bahadur Khanji.
Several decades of work culminated in intricate carved internal and external facades, beautiful arches, French-style windows, columns and magnificent silver doorways. In the neighboring mosque, each minaret is surrounded from top to bottom by spiral staircases. Both structures are crowned with characteristic “onion” roofs.