Building Name: | Allahabad Sharif |
Location: | Kandiaro, Sindh, Pakistan |
Religious Affiliation: | Sunni Islam Sufism |
Province: | Sindh |
Status: | Mosque |
Leadership: | Khwaja Muhammad Tahir Bakhshi Naqshbandi Sufi Manzoor Qadir |
Architect: | Manzoor Qadir |
Architecture Type: | Mosque |
Architecture Style: | Islamic Ottoman and saffavid |
Capacity: | 10,000 |
Length: | 330 ft |
Width: | 180 ft |
Dome Quantity: | 101 |
Dome Height Outer: | 115 ft |
Dome Dia Outer: | 64 ft |
Minaret Quantity: | 1 |
Minaret Height: | 120 ft |
Materials: | fair faced concrete |
Allahabad Sharif, also known as Grand Mosque Allahabad is a mosque and shrine in Kandiaro, Naushahro Feroze District, Sindh, Pakistan.[1] [2] It is located on National Highway from Karachi. The premises also house an education system up till Islamic University level, a hospital, an old age residence and an orphanage.
Khwaja Muhammad Tahir Bakhshi Naqshbandi (Urdu: حضرت خواجہ محمد طاہر بخشی نقشبندی,), also known as Sajjan Saeen (Urdu: سجن سائیں, Sindhi: سڄڻ سائين), a prominent Naqshbandi Sufi shaykh in Pakistan is the main patron of the masjid.[3]
The inspiration of Grand Mosque Allahabad has been drawn from the most traditional Islamic architectural sites. Preserving the (Kashi) hand painted tile heritage of the Indus valley civilization while utilizing the most advanced technology of fair-finish concrete.
The mosque consists of 101 domes. The main dome is at a height of, the second dome, and the remaining 99 domes are, with one symbolic minaret at indicating the unity of Allah. The domes and the sole minaret comprise the main design of the mosque.
Allahabad Mosque is unique in design incorporating a fair finish concrete structure combined with hand painted porcelain tile work. Floral patterns have been preferred over geometric designs which require inch by inch details to transfer them onto porcelain tiles.
A group of senior artists volunteered to set up a production unit using hand painting techniques, selection of colours and the firing process to create masterpieces of kashi tiles. They produced kashi tiles for 12 years and continue to produce signature designs, floral and calligraphic patterns on Kashi tiles to adorn the mosque.