A Comparative Study of Minarets of Contemporary Jamia Mosques and Mughal Historical Mosques of Lahore

Abstract

Jamia mosque retains the status of a major landmark in any Muslim neighborhood since ages and remains one of the most important institutions of the Muslim world. A minaret, with its typical shape, has always been a significant architectural element of a mosque. However scientific, technological and industrial developments gave birth to new structural forms and shapes of the minaret, as well as changes in its positioning with respect to its design. It was observed that contemporary features and styles of minarets in Lahore were found to be different from the historic mosques of the Mughal era in terms of their form, construction methodology, structure support system, material finishes and positioning. Therefore, it was considered necessary to study the current developments. Thus, the objective of the current paper was set to compare the architectural features and styles of minarets of the Mughal era historical mosques with those of contemporary mosques built in the newly established housing colonies of Lahore. The research was also focused on the evaluation of changes in the stylistic features of the new minarets. Another objective was the identification of factors responsible for new developments and contemporary trends in the construction of these minarets. The results proved that some elements had been used continuously in the construction of minarets throughout the course of history; however, certain changes in trends were also observed. The study concluded that architectural features and styles of minarets constructed in contemporary mosques were different due to changes in materials, technological development and also due to the lack of skilled labor and time. Recommendations were given to ensure that architectural features and styles of contemporary minarets should continue to incorporate traditional Mughal architectural features and styles. There should be a properly developed statutory body of experts responsible for the preparation of sound legislation and appropriate guidelines for the systematic development of contemporary mosques.