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UNESCO

MISSION TO THE EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE DISTRICT IN GUJARAT, INDIA, 

FOR THE CONSERVATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTIES, 

MARCH 1-15, 2001

AHMEDABAD ~ ANCIENT MONUMENTS

all photographs (except as marked) © by Randolph Langenbach / UNESCO, 2001

Click on photos to enlarge

1)

1)  Sidi Bashir's Minars (known as the shaking minarets because if a person standing at the top got one swaying, the other would sway as well.) 

The earthquake did not cause them to fall, but some dislocation of the stones at about mid-height has occurred, clearly indicating that they rocked back and forth quite violently, causing the stones to spread outward.

2)

2)  Mosque of Amad Shah (ca. 1400)

    3)      4) 

3)  Shah Alam Mosque (ca. 1620)                                            4) Jami Masjid (1424)

5)  

5) Bibi Masjid (1454). 

This mosque lost the top of the right minar, which had extended up to double the present height. 

The one on eht left was already missing.

 6)     7)      8)

6-8) The stepwell in Adalaj Vav (ca. 1490). 

The stepwell, being set below the surface of the ground, was undamaged by the earthquake. 

(The photographs on the left is a 3 section vertical panorama. 

The one in the middle is a 2 section panorama.)

The Saiyed Usman Tomb partial collapse

9)     10)     11)

9-16) Saiyed Usman Mosque (#9) and tomb (10-16). 

The tomb was one of the most heavily damaged monuments in Ahmedabad, apart from the tops of some of the minarets. 

In this structure, which like the Raolakha Chhatri in Bhuj, has a corbelled stone dome, the earthquake caused the structure to begin to spread apart, causing a partial collapse of part of the dome. 

This is an excellent example of the onset of the same kind of damage as what the evidence in the ruins shows lead to the collapse of the Raolakha Chhatri.  (Photo #15 is a two section panorama.)

12)     13)     

14)     15)     16)     

Babalauli Mosque damage to clerestory structure.

17)     18)

17-18)  The Bablauli Mosque (ca.1525): 

The open clerestory on this mosque was damaged, with emergency shoring constructed in brick by the ASI to protect it from collapse. 

It also suffered from spreading caused by the earthquake leading to a partial collapse

19)     

19)  Raipur Gate

20)     21)     

20-21) Bhadra Gate and Tower (ca. 1400 with later alterations and additions). 

The fort bastions were badly damaged in the earthquake, with a large earth filled section collapsing onto the roof of the courthouse.

22)     23)     24)

22)  The Ahmedabad ASI team, lead by Dr. Gehlot, Chief Archaeologist (3rd from left)

and Mr. V. Nair, Senior Conservation Assistant, (on left & #23 & 24)

and Mr. Mohnani,  Deputy Superintending Archaeological Engineer, 2nd from left. 

Vanraj Vyas, surveyor, is on the right.

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© Randolph Langenbach

M-Arch (Harvard), Dipl.Conservation (York, England)

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