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The One-Pillar Mosque: Masjid-e Quwwat-e-Islam, Rander

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The One-Pillar Mosque: Masjid-

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e Quwwat-e-Islam, Rander

Masjid-e-
Quwaat-e-Islam,
Rander: An
Overview
V I S UA L A N D M AT E R I A L A RT S

H I STO R I E S B U I LT S PAC E S

in Overview
Published on: 29 May 2019

Nikhil Sanjay Shah G UJA R AT S U R AT

Nikhil Sanjay Shah is a
researcher based in Surat, with G OT H I C A R C H I T E C T U R E
a keen interest in conservation,
urban issues, history, A R C H I T E C T U R A L H E R I TAG E
sustainable development,
community participation and
earth architecture.

On the banks of the Tapi (or Tapti) river is located the city of Surat,
the ‘sun city’, earlier referred to as Suryapur. In the heart of the most
ancient settlement of the Surat city—Rander—stands the magnif icent
mosque Masjid-e Quwaat-e-Islam , colloquially referred to as Hari
Masjid, Ek Khamba Masjid or Variav-Oli Masjid, which is famous for
the fact that it stands entirely on a single pillar. It is not only a
structural marvel but also a cultural anchor for the Muslim
community residing in the historic sub-city of Rander.

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Rander is known for its enthusing, winding narrow streets and alleys
that reveal a journey through different past eras, with f inely crafted
homes and public buildings offering a unique sense of place, almost
frozen in time. It is surrounded and in a way engulfed by the urban
sprawl that has sprung up extensively and haphazardly. There are
mosques located on almost every corner of the street, such as the
Nagina Masjid, Badi Masjid, Tab-e-Tabein Saheb Dargah and many
more, and located on the central node within the settlement, with a
Jain temple (Manibhadra mandir) in its vicinity, is the Ek Khamba
Masjid, which exemplif ies social cohesion and harmony within the
setting. It is believed that the Jain settlement dates back to earlier than
1200 AD when Rander was a small prosperous village that formed the
hinterland of Suvali. Suvali was a thriving port town back then that
had connections with the Middle East owing to the trade of crockery,
silver articles, wooden artefacts and furniture.[1]

Later, Rander became a principal commercial centre, which had

trading connections with many countries in Africa, the Middle East
and Burma. These influences can still be seen in the wooden screens
made up of blinds in house facades and in the interiors of the houses
that have elaborate drapery, carpets and old antique crockery, which
people proudly cherish as their legacy. The shifting of commercial
centres was guided by the manner in which the river changed its course
and navigability; its impact is eventually observed in the way the entire
city has evolved and transformed with time.[2] The river has been a
vital determinant that has shaped and guided the growth of the
settlement along with the traders and merchants who belonged to
affluent class and, hence, were patrons, who accomplished important
public and religious buildings. The merchant class also brought with
them their cultural aff iliations that were eventually reflected in the
built environment and social lives of the people, which includes all
spheres such as food, language, literature, poetry and other ethnic
manifestations. There was a cosmopolitan culture that was ephemeral
in nature and in a constant state of flux, which can be deciphered from
the eclectic influences one observes in the stylization and planning of
the built form. As recorded in a travelogue The Book of Duarte
Barbosa  (Livro de Duarte Barbosa) in 1514 by the Portuguese
traveller Duarte Barbosa, who travelled extensively in the Indian
subcontinent:

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Ranel [Rander] is a good town of the Moors, built of

very pretty houses and squares. It is a rich and agreeable
place.... The Moors of the town trade
with Malacca, Bengal, Tawasery [Tannasserim], Pegu,
Martaban, and  Sumatra in all sort of spices, drugs, silks,
musk, benzoin and porcelain. They possess very large
and f ine ships and those who wish Chinese articles will
f ind them there very completely. The Moors of this place
are white and well dressed and very rich, they have
pretty wives, and in the f urniture of these houses have
china vases of many kinds, kept in glass cupboards well
arranged. Their women are not secl uded like other
Moors, but go about the city in the day time, attending
to their business with their faces uncovered as in other
parts.[3]

Thus, according to Barbosa, Rander was an extremely free and

prosperous society where creative ideas flourished and art and religious
creations were at their peak. Prior to this era, Rander used to be a
prosperous village with huge agricultural produce such as ber
( Ziziphus mauritiana ) and grapes, which used to be exported around
the world. It was in 1225 A.D. that the Arabs came from Kufa,
overpowering the existing Jain population whose traces can be
observed in the old temples such as Manibhadra temple, Kanch nu
Derasar (Mirror hall temple). This was when Rander started becoming
a prominent port town that was gradually and f inely urbanized.

The arrival of the Arabs led to the beginning of the confluence of

cultures, which is observed till date, and as a result of which Rander
portrays a strong sense of solidarity among various communities such
as Jains, Vakan, Kharua, Machi and Soni. The Arabs marked their
presence with the nature of monumental architecture that they
brought about in the region, which also brought into focus the work
of brilliant craftsmen and artisans who accomplished a multitude of
architectural marvels. The era further witnessed many
accomplishments of magnif icence in the form of construction that
started to come up. The Rander Gamtal (town) has many religious
centres, mosques, temples and dargah shrines, some of which have
strong influences from the Middle East, as reflected in embellishments
and plan forms of the mosques. These accomplishments include
marvels such as the Nagina Mosque, which is also one of the oldest

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mosques in the region, known for the rare gems and jewels used in its
embellishments and carvings. As mentioned appositely by Duarte
Barbosa, Rander had an important customs house and was a
prominent port that brought lots of wealth to the region and also
an influx of people from different parts of the world.[4] He also
mentions that Rander prospered much more than the city of Surat,
which came about much later around the 15th century. It also became
an important centre when it got connected to the other side of the
bank to the city of Surat by the Hope Bridge in 1874, leading to an
influx of Hajj pilgrims who halted in Rander and Surat, which led to
development of sarai s (resting places) for the pilgrims. During that
time Rander and Surat were known as Bunder-e-Khubsurat, beautiful
port towns.

Although Rander has an exceptional and rich history, there are very
few written records available. Most of the cultural notions exist only as
part of a rich repository of oral traditions, as part of folklore, tales and
songs. Built in the 1800s (as conjectured from various talks with the
mosque trust and other scholars, yet uncertain), the Ek Khamba
Masjid has been central to the Tabligi Muslim community that settled
around it. In present times the mosque is open to all the sects of the
Muslim community and people who wish to offer prayers or just visit
the mosque. Although the Ek Khamba Masjid is believed to have been
built in the 1800s, some locals speak of the existence of a small dargah
shrine in the same area in place of which this exquisite architectural
edif ice was later erected, which they say was made roughly around 200
years before the present structure came into being. 

There are many tales that have been passed from one generation to
another regarding the mosque, where some say that the mosque was
built during the time when Arabs came, which can be evidenced from
the kind of arches, gateways and the f ine carvings seen in each and
every corner of the mosque. Some say ‘Ye masjid jannat saman hai’,
referring to its equivalence or its creation as an image similar to that of
a paradise, heaven, which was crafted by the Arabs.  It is believed that
even Tabe Tabein Saheb (a sage) has offered namaaz (prayers) in this
mosque; the title Tabe Tabein is conferred to a person ‘one who has
witnessed Hazrat Mohammed Paigambar Saheb is known as Sahebi,
and the one who has witnessed Sahebi is known as Tabein, and the one
who has witnessed Tabein and spreads his words, is known as Tabe-
Tabein’ as described in the verses of holy Quran. There are references

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in the oral tales and songs to the fact that even the great emperor
Jahangir had offered his prayers at the Ek Khamba Masjid and
appreciated its splendor, which people fondly recall.

The mosque is essentially an architectural edif ice that reflects

amalgamation of various styles that the invaders and traders brought
with them: the Arabs, Mughals, Portuguese, and Dutch. It has
withstood several catastrophic events that occurred over time: floods,
earthquakes, cyclones and occasional f ires, which validates its
structural resilience and the wisdom behind its construction
techniques. It is a two-storeyed structure with three minarets, exquisite
carving and details that make it a landmark. As one looks closely, the
architectural styles identif ied are as follows: vernacular, colonial,
baroque and Arabesque, an eclectic mix which has been carefully
designed with visual harmony and proportions that appropriate the
building within the setting.

The vernacular is reflected in the floral motifs that are said to be

inspired by the flora in the region, which comprised Ziziphus
mauritiana (Ber) and Tabebuia Rose, the flowers of which f ind
resemblance in the motifs. Also, the mosque observes other broader
principles of vernacular construction forms in the region, with regard
to geometrical layout, its positioning over a higher terrain with
reference to the settlement around. The colonial influence is observed
in the way repetitive arches (arcades) have been used in the façade as
well as to demarcate the interior space. The gateway to the mosque also
has raised steps with f inely done lamp posts ( fana s) demarcating the
entrance, which were peculiar to colonial buildings. Its Arabesque
nature can be seen in the way minarets have been designed, which
have pointed arches (Gothic influence) with floral carvings, and domes
that have grooves flanked by ornate edges. Even though this mosque is
geometrically laid out, unlike other mosques it has minarets only on
three sides. The fourth corner has a kitchenette on the floor above it.
This also runs counter to the accepted architectural norm and exhibits
unique response to its surroundings.

Inside the mosque there are many chambers, which comprise Hoju, a
place for ablution, cleaning ones hand and legs before offering prayers.
This ablution tank is also connected to a well below and till date
receives sweet groundwater, which people consider to be pristine and
of immense religious signif icance for purifying one’s body spiritually.
Then there are two subdivisions within jamatkhana (prayer
hall), which is around 15 feet away from the street: one is for the
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public and the inner chamber is meant for the imam (the person who
leads prayers in a mosque), maulana (person who is revered for his
religious preaching) and special people and includes the mihrab (a
niche in the wall of a mosque, at the point nearest to Mecca, towards
which the congregation faces to pray). There is also a beautifully
carved marble minbar , a pulpit, where the imam stands and delivers
sermons. This prayer hall also has an exquisite lime-fresco ceiling and
chandeliers that are lit up during the prayers, which makes the
experience of the place even more profound. The outer prayer hall
(jamatkhana next to the inner prayer hall) is surrounded by Rajasthani
arches, which again reflect the local architectural style and the artisans
that might have been involved in the construction. The prayer hall also
receives natural skylight throughout the day, which makes the
environment inside more lively and ecstatic.

The mass gatherings on Friday and special occasions happen in the

jamatkhana and the prayer hall above it. Below the jamatkhana is
located a dark inner chamber that houses the kabar (shrine of the
prophet to whom the mosque is dedicated) that has a pillar next to it
(the Ek Khamba) with four kamaan s (arches) emerging from it, on
which the entire mosque is believed to be supported. This shrine is at
times made open to public and can be directly viewed from the street.
The prayer hall on the floor above the Jamatkhana and the kitchenette
becomes open to the public only on Fridays, festivals and special days.
There are occasions when daawat s (special feasts) are also held on the
floor above. The prayer hall can be viewed and accessed from the street
as well, and on special occasions, the crowds can spill over to the streets
to offer namaz. There are processions such as the Tajia, which happen
on the streets and are exuberantly celebrated.

The mosque also has a small madrasa within, which is an educational

centre serving the local Muslim communities, usually for small kids
who are taught about religion and other basics. The madrasa has now
also become actively involved in collecting and maintaining historical
records and photographs that were found in some of the houses
around. In stark contrast with the other mosques in the region (in
Surat and even prominent mosques such as the Sidi Sayyid mosque in
Ahmedabad), which are situated in vast open spaces and usually
comprise an open ground in conjunction usually meant for the
purpose of mass gathering and prayers, this mosque in terms of its
form is like a house in the streets. Yet the architectural language of
minarets and the massive gateways create a sense of monumentality
and lend it the character of a public building of crucial value.
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Rander is a place that observes festivity throughout the year and is

especially astonishing during the season of Ramzaan, when all the
streets (the Botawala Lane: which is the major street along which most
mosques, temples, important public buildings and public squares are
located) around the major mosques turn into Eid Mela (fair), where
lots of eateries and small vendors surface. All the lanes become vibrant
with vivid array of colours of food, clothes, tarpaulin sheets, which
shade the streets and lights that illuminate during evenings. During
this time one can observe people from the entire city coming here and
savoring delicious delicacies such as khawsa (a special Burmese soup),
kulfi (local Ice-cream made in earthen pots), Rangooni paratha, aloo
puri, chicken and mutton barbeque, and much more. The market is
open the entire night during Ramzaan. As part of the rituals, the
Muslim community observes fast the entire day and after the sunset
they have food in the streets. Places like Rander are cultural nodes
within the city that f inely weave the lives of people around mosques,
squares and streets, which quintessentially def ine its everydayness and
become pivotal to urban existence as celebration.

Notes

[1] Janaki,  Geography — Research Paper Series No. 7 .

[2] Ibid.

[3] Barbosa, The Book of Duarte Barbosa.

[4] Singh,  Towns, Markets, Mints and Ports in Mughal Empire 1556 –
1707.

Bibliogr aphy

Barbosa, Duarte.  The Book of Duarte Barbosa: An Account of the

Countries Bordering on the Indian Ocean and Their
Inhabitants.  Translated by Mansel Longworth Dames.
London: London, Printed for the Hakluyt Society, 1921.

Janaki, V.A.  Geography — Research Paper Series No. 7: Some Aspects

of the Historical Geography of Surat. Baroda: Department of
Geography, M.S. University of Baroda, 1974.

Singh, M.P.  Towns. Markets, Mints and Ports in Mughal Empire

1556 – 1707. Delhi: Adam Publishers, 1985.

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