Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/255

 CHAP. III. AJMIR. 211 the reign of Altamsh, A.D. I2U-I235. 1 According to tradition, it was finished in two days and a half ; hence the only name by 375. Mosque at Ajmlr, (Plan as restored by Gen. Cunningham, 1864.) Scale 100 ft. to i in. which it is now known the " Arhai din ka Jhompra," which, if it means anything, can only apply to the clearing away of the Hindu temples and symbols, to provide materials for the erection of a magnificent mosque to the glory of the iconoclast conquerors and their self-exalting creed of Islam. It stands on the outskirts of the city at the base of Taragadh hill. Like the remains at Old Delhi, the entire plan is Moslim, whilst the columns and roofs are the spoils of Hindu temples. At first sight the plan, with its large cloistered court, bears a resem- blance to that of a Jaina temple, and the octagonal arrangement of the pillars for the support of the roofs, might seem to' support the comparison. 2 But like many others elsewhere this formed an enclosure, about 262 ft. square outside, 3 with towers at the corners, to be surrounded on the north, east, and south sides, by open cloisters raised on Hindu pillars, now almost quite 1 Cunningham, ' Archseological Re- ports,' vol. ii. p. 261. 2 Tod, in his ' Annals,' treats it simply as a Jaina temple, without referring to any possible alterations, except additions made by Moslim architects, vol. i. p. 779, see also his plate, which is singularly correct. 3 General Cunningham's measurements and his plan do not agree. He gives the outside length from north to south as 272 ft. 6 in., and next page the exterior length of the mosque as 259 ft. ; but the plan makes the outside dimensions equal, whilst his measurement from east to west is 264 ft. 6 in.