Champaner-Pavagadh

The Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park holds a largely unexcavated city which has been built in the late 15th / early 16th century as the capital of Gujarat. It is an early Islamic, pre-Mughal city and its architecture shows the transition between the Hindu and Muslim traditions.

The monuments are situated at the foot and around the Pavagadh hill. This hill measures 800 m and was once standing as a fortress of the Hindus under the regime of the Solanki Kings and later under the Khichi Chauhans. The young Sultan of Gujarat, Mahmud Begada, captured the fort on 21 November 1484, after a siege of 20 months. He then spent 23 years rebuilding and embellishing Champaner, which he renamed Muhammadabad, after which he moved the capital there from Ahmedabad. The new city was built at the foot of the hill and not on top of it, as the previous settlements were. The town finally succumbed to attacks from the Mughal Emperor Humayun in 1535. It was then deserted with no more important construction periods.

The designated area includes over 100 monuments, including fortifications, water installations and different standing structures. At the top of the hill is the temple of Kalikameta. There are also five mosques that are in excellent state. Some of them are forerunners of the Mughal architecture, being a mix of Hindu traditions and craftsmanship with Moslem ideology. The most significant of them is the Jama Masjid, also built by Sultan Begada. It is an imposing structure on a high plinth, with a central dome, two minarets 30 meters in height, 172 pillars, seven mihrabs, and carved entrance gates with fine stone jalis.

Thousands of people visit the Patha, or pilgrims route, every year to the living village of Champaner.

Year Decision Comments
2004 Inscribed Reasons for inscription

Reviews

zoheb shaikh (india):
yes,actually i am living in Baroda and the pavagarh is about 60 to 70 km from my place. I visited pavagarh and especially the world heritage sites many times. First time when i visited the champaner i had no idea about its vast and glorious heritage but when i interact with writings and some great statistics about the champaner i feel that it is our pleasure to see,watch,believe and feel about champaner's glorious past.Now taking care of this heritage is become our prime work. Thank you.
Date posted: June 2008
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Its one of those rare sites that can memarise a tourist. However, it appears that it is not promoted as yet as it should have been. The remains of the fortress, An imposing menarets Mosque, the remains of hawa ghar (I guess) overseeing a lake are few of the really amazing sites that the site boasts of.

The workmenship is so elegant and intricate that you can't take your eyes off them. One can actually go back to that era while just passing through the remains. The remains are alive and talk to you with high held head about their glorious past. All you need to have is the sensitive eye that hears the silence.

I guess individuals have really worked hard to list this site on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Now its time, the Government takes on this mission on a serious note and do something worthwhile to take pride in.

Manohar S. Gurung
Vadodara (Gujarat)
 


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