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74 Notes on the Jumma Masjid. [No. 1, 



Notes on the Jumma Masjid of Etawah. — By C. Horne, Esq. 

 [Received 5th April, 1866.] 



Proceeding south from Humeganj at Etawali through the cutting 

 leading to the Jumna, one observes on one's right hand (i. e. east), 

 crowning an isolated mound, an old mosque. By those accustomed 

 to the originally converted mosques of an early period, and as seen 

 at Jaunpur and Benares, this may he at once recognized to have been 

 altered from an ancient Hindu or a Buddhist structure by the process 

 so well described by Fergusson in his Handbook of Architecture 

 p. 81, vol. 1. — The style of the screen before the dome is the same 

 as that at Jaunpur,* whilst the round buttresses at the back, and 

 the coeval ornamentation, fix the period of its conversion. 



On enquiring from some of the more intelligent, I found the age 

 of the temple to be popularly reported to be coeval with that of 

 Etawah city. Thus 8j 13) — 5 X 6 X 1 X 400 X 1 = 413 which 

 being deducted from 1282 Hijra (new expiring) leaves 809, which 

 deducted from 1866 A. D. leaves 997 A. D. which may very pro- 

 bably represent the real date of the Hindu erection. 



As is often the case, there may have been a former temple, but 

 the material, blfck kunkur, does not shew age well ; whilst the granite- 

 pillars have been altered and partially carved at different periods. 



Mr. Hume of Etawah tells me he is about to publish a complete 

 description of it with engravings ; I therefore submit these notes 

 merely as the means of drawing attention to the building, which, taken 

 in connection with other ancient remains, is worthy of a visit. 



The main portion of the building is of bl|ck kunkur ; although 

 there are fragments of blue granite boulders in the waTLs, and portions 

 of at least 10 granite columns of varying lengths. The average 

 length of them is 5-6 with a thickness of 8 inches ; but one at the 

 gate, where it is used as an architrave, exceeds 7 feet. There are also 

 plain pillars of i*ed and light coloured sandstone. 



I could not, in my short visit, ascertain whence the granite columns 

 had been brought. They have, many of them, been cut in half, so that 

 they now stand about 8'-3" in height ; whilst one from which the carving 



* Atallah, Jumma Masjid and other mosques. 



