
Jami Masjid which was within the area of Hajipur is an important building of the
Mughal period. Hajipur is the headquarters of Vaishali district in the
Indian state of
Bihar. In ancient times after crossing the
Ganga at
Patna the first village was Ukkacala, now called Hajipur. Hajipur is situated at a distance of about 11 miles north of Patna, on the eastern bank of
Gandak River. The town is known by the name of Hajipur as it was founded by a King of
Bengal named Haji Ilyas Sheikh who ruled between 1345 to 1358 A.D. Hajipur figures during the struggle between
Akbar and his rebellious Afghan governors of Bengal, in 1572 and 1574. Within the village is an old fort which was built by Haji Ilyas Sheikh. The small stone mosque is also named as "Patthar ki Masjid". Hajipur is also of interest because here lay a portion of Anandas ashes.
Ananda acted as
Lord Gautama Buddhas personal attendant for 20 years and outlived him by several decades.
Structure of Jami Masjid
Jami Masjid is plain to look at and is of peculiar architecture, and is credited to Haji Ilyas, founder who built the fort in the year 1350 AD. The building measures 84.5 ft. long and 33.5 ft. broad. It has 3 domes; the central one is larger than the others. An inscription over the stone gateway records the year of construction as 1587 AD during the reign of the
Mughal Emperor, Akbar by Makhsus Shah. According to the "
Akbarnamah", Makhsus Shah was the brother of Saeed Khan, the governor of Bihar Sheriff. The Jami Masjid of Hajipur is one of the most remarkable monuments belonging to the Mughal period.
How to Reach Jami Masjid
Hajipur is connected to other parts of India through national and state highways. Buses, taxis, auto services are available from Hajipur. Hajipur railway station is the nearest railhead to reach the Jami Masjid of Hajipur. One can also avail the airway of Patna airport which is well connected through road. On reaching Patna, one can hire taxi or bus to reach Hajipur to visit the Jami Masjid.
(Last Updated on : 23-06-2015)