Champaner Revisited
Champaner is walled medieval city located at the base of Pavagadh hill in Gujarat, India, located 50 kilometres east of Vadodara. Champaner-Pavagadh and its monuments were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. These monuments include mosques, temples and parts of a royal palace as well as unexcavated archaeological remains. The city is still inhabited and continues to alter its landscape to accommodate the thriving population in and around the fortification.
A joint project between Durham University's UNESCO Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and the University of Allahabad began work at Champaner in 2018. Funded by the United Kingdom India Education Research Initiative and University Grants Commission, Benchmarking the Social and Economic Impacts of Cultural Heritage in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, India includes a program of archaeological assessment, community asset mapping, stakeholder interviews and visitor surveys in order to promote sustainable pilgrimage and protect heritage in India.
As part of the project students from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda have been working at Durham University’s Oriental Museum on the John Marshall Photographic Collection. This assemblage of almost 5,000 photographs was donated to the Museum in 1957 by Dr and Mrs Spalding. The photographs were taken during Sir John Marshall’s time as Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India between 1902 and 1928, and include 31 photographs of Champaner.
This exhibition displays reproductions of some of these original photographs from Durham’s collections alongside contemporary images taken at the site in 2019. They document the restoration and conservation measures performed on the monuments and afford us the opportunity to understand how these monuments have changed over the last 100 years.
Jami Masjid Tank (DUROM.1957.1.604)
Situated to the north of Jami Masjid is an octagonal shaped ablution tank. It has three platforms linked by steps and was used for Vajju, washing before prayer. It was also used for harvesting rain water for year round use. The stepped well blends Hindu and Muslim architecture. The tank has undergone some restoration work over the last 100 years, as illustrated below.
Jami Masjid (DUROM.1957.1.586)
Jami Masjid (Friday Mosque) is the largest mosque at Champaner. Built by Sultan Begada in 1513 AD, it took 25 years to construct. The architecture and ornamentation is a blend of Hindu and Muslim traditions, taking its influence from the architecture of the Delhi Sultanate. The word Jami signifies that this was a public mosque where everyone was welcome.
Khevda Masjid (DUROM.1957.1.593)
Khevda Masjid is intricately carved with domes, minarets and a Cenotaph. Due to the intricate floral designs the mosque got its name Khevda as it symbolizes a locally grown flower of the same name in the region. Natural elements were integrated into the masjid in a way that is rare within any other mosques throughout the Islamic world.
Lila Gumbaz (DUROM.1957.1.596)
Located northeast of the Jami Masjid, this Mosque has a colourful fluted dome. Due to this colourful dome the Mosque was known as Lila Gumbaz ki Masjid, which is said to symbolize the blue (Lila) sky and water. The Mosque was used by King and his ministers for offering prayers.
Ek Minar (DUROM.1957.1.581)
The mosque is located outside the fortification wall and only has one minaret which gives the name Ek (one) Minar ki Masjid. The mosque was built by Bahadur Shah (1526-1536) who was one of the last rulers of Champaner from the Begada line.
Halol Gateway (DUROM.1957.1.603)
Gates in Champaner-Pavagadh were named after the side of the town they were facing. This particular gate is on the south facing Halol. Entering from the gate leads to Sheher ki Masjid and other monuments. The gateways were built with zigzag or turned roads to make it difficult for any army to attack. This gate was built by Sultan Begada in 16th century.
Helical Stepped Well (DUROM.1957.1.605)
The Helical Well was used by the whole community and travelers to Champaner. Viewed from the north, the well is circular in plan with a flight of stairs leading to a spiral staircase that curves round the well. The landings which are assumed to be resting places used whilst climbing back with water filled pots. It was built in 16th century.
Navlakha Kothar (DUROM.1957.1.606)
A large brick structure situated on a remote clifftop on Mauliya plateau. It was originally the royal residence of the Queen of Chauhans, the preceding dynasty. When Sultan Begada took over, he converted it into a granary or Kothar. The name Navlakha is derived from its nine domes out of which only seven remain at present.
Acknowledgements
This exhibition was curated by Disha Ahluwalia, Tanmay Goswami, Aditya Singh and Mark Manuel. We would like to thank the following individuals for their support in creating this exhibition: Helen Armstrong, Rachel Barclay, Robin Coningham, Christopher Davis, Steve Henry, K. Krishnan, Vrushab Mahesh, Steve Robinson, Siddha Shah and Jeff Veitch. Funding for the project is provided by the United Kingdom India Education Research Initiative and University Grants Commission India.
