The Shaking Minars (Towers)

        These structures, characterstic of Muslim Architecture, are found in Gujarat. These Minars or towers built in the Sultanat Era are a unique attraction of Ahmadabad. There are two pairs -(four minars in all) of minars in the city. The two minars built in the Sidi Bashir's mosque situated in Sarangpur near the railway station and the two built in the Bibiji's mosque in Gomtipur are 'shaking towers'. The minars the mosque at Gomtipur are in a delapidated state today.

        The Minars in Sidi Bashir's Mosque in Sarangpur were built during the reign of Ahmedshah. They were built by the famous Irani (Persian) architect named Sidi Bashir. These minars are a beautiful blend of art and cleverness. The mosque is a beautiful structure. As you enter the gate you find the two minars on the two sides. They are decorated with artistic engravings done in the Islamic style. There is a circular staircase inside each of the two minars. They lead us to the upper storeys. There are beautifully carved balconies on each storey. In the arches supporting these balconies we can observe fine engravings. We can thus climb upto the third storey. When you shake either of the minars from the balcony of an upper storey, the opposite minar also begins to shake. We wonder at this relationship between dead stones. It is only here that a structure in stone is seen to be shaking in this way. 

        No one has been so far been able to unravel the mystery of the shaking minars even in this age of science. These shaking towers of Ahmadabad are specimens of the mysterious art of architecture are a unique achievement of Islamic Architecture.