Safa Mosque or Safa Shahouri Mosque is a
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
located at
Ponda within
Goa
Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
It is a sixteenth century Islamic Monument. The mosque has a complex consisting of garden and fountains. The terracotta tile roof accommodates a rectangular prayer hall. It is an
ASI protected
Monument of National Importance in Goa.
History
According to V.T. Gune, the mosque was built in 1560 by the Bijapuri ruler Ibrahim Adil Shah I about 2 km from center of Ponda.
[V.T.Gune, "Ancient shrines of Goa (A pictorial survey)", Department of information of Government of Goa. Panji 1965. page:965-988.] The mosque may be datable to the
Adil shah
Ali-qoli Khan ( fa, علیقلیخان), commonly known by his regnal title Adel Shah (also spelled Adil; , "the Just King") was the second shah of Afsharid Iran, ruling from 1747 to 1748. He was the nephew and successor of Nader Shah (), th ...
period or even earlier. However, as the mosque doesn't bear any inscription nor is there historical records that mention its construction, the exact date is unknown.
During
Portuguese rule over Goa, the mosque was damaged and burned by the Portuguese. The mosque was left in ruins until it was partially reconstructed in the 1980s.
References
Mosques in Goa
Buildings and structures in North Goa district
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