Prayer Hall, Patthar Mahal Masjid, Kalinjar Fort, Kalinjar, Madhya Pradesh, India.
The architectural style of mosques, apart from being a strong indicator of Islamic culture in medieval India, also reflects the struggle for power. Kalinjar is known to be the battle site where Sher Shah died of wounds caused by an explosion of gunpowder despite winning the battle against Raja Kirat Singh Baghela. Mosques served as a place for worship as well as for religious gatherings under the guidance of the Imam. The construction style of each mosque remains under influence of period and the regional traditions and culture of the place in which it was built. Because of this, there is variation in style, layout and decorative elements. Mosques functions remain the same throughout the world hence have certain common architectural features.
This mosque was the first structure built by Islam Shah after his coronation. It is a single-storied building built on a rectangular raised platform. There are no domes, minarets or vaults in this mosque. The prayer hall has a flat roof which is a post lintel structure. It has seven aisles and three bays. The western wall has two open arched entrances, while the central arch in front of the rear projecting wall, which may have been the central mihrab, is made up of a pointed arch which is decorated with carvings of ‘Allah’. The stone pulpit is located in right of the central mihrab. No pillar of this mosque is the same. It appears to have been built from ancient remains or a pre-existing structure may have been converted into a Mosque. To the east of the prayer hall is an open courtyard surrounded by walls.
Located on the northern side of the Koti-tirth, this mosque is known as Patthar Mahal. It was built by Jalal Khan who was titled as Islam Shah, the son of Sher Shah in 1545. He had constructed this building in memory of Kalinjar victory, and his coronation. The remains used in the construction of the mosque are datable to Gupta, Pratihara and Chandela periods. A large number of inscriptional records have been recovered from the mosque in which, four are in Devnagari and one is in Persian script. The most important Sanskrit inscription engraved is of Pratap Rudradeva of 1483AD. In addition to these inscriptions, the records of the names and dates of the arrival of pilgrims are also engraved. Persian inscription mentions about the coronation of Islam Shah and Khan e Alam was the incharge of the Fort.
Because of its structure is known as Patthar Mahal Masjid. Due to many inscriptions it’s an important monument to understand the historical background of this hill fort.