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This bustling
town 58km north-west of Varanasi sees few travellers but is
of interest to architectural historians for its moques,
which are built in a unique style that is part Islamic and
part Hindu and Jain.
 Founded
by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1360 on an ancient site, Jaunpur
became the capital of the independent Muslim Sharqui
kingdom. The most impressive mosques were constructed
between 1394 and 1478. They were built on ruins of Hindu,
Buddhist and Jain temples and shrines, and are notable for
their odd mixture of
architectural styles, their two storey arcades and large
gateways, and their unusual minarets. Jaunpur was sacked by
Sikandar Lodi, who left only the mosques undamaged. The
Mughals took over in 1530. The sights are spread out over
two or three sq km so a cycle-rickshaw can be useful, and
the wallahs can also act as guides. The modest but
well-maintained Jaunpur Fort, built by Feroz Shah in 1360,
overlooks the Gomti River. Continue 500m north of here and
you come to the Atala Masjid, built in 1408 on the site of a
Hindu temple dedicated to Atala Devi. Another 500m
north-west
is the largest
and most impressive of the mosques, the Jama Masjid, built
between 1438 and 1478. Other places to see include the
Jhanjhri Masjid, the tombs of the Sharqul sultans, the Char
Ungil Masjid and the Lal Darwaza Masjid. |
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From their
vantage point a t
the northern extremity of the Kaimur hills, the impressive
sandstone battlements of Chunar command a meander in the
Ganga before the river curves north to Varanasi 22 km. away.
Evidence of the earliest occupation of the site dates it to
Vikramaditya of Ujjain in 56 BC. Chunar sandstone has been
used for centuries, most famously in Ashokan pillars - and
is still quarried, leaving the surrounding hills looking
ravaged in places |