Atala Mosque, Jaunpur 1408 |Figure 1. Detailed plan of Atala
Mosque| Being the first mosque to be built after the
independence of Jaunpur from the Islamic caliphate in India, the
Atala Mosque was given royal treatment setting up a new
monumentality to the traditional jami'. The majestic pylons of
the portal of its main prayer room, the three unequal domes
above its roof and the large court with its two storey
porticoes, all expressed a new grandeur never seen before,
adding more mystery to the skill and imagination of the medieval
Muslim architect. The end of the 14th century was a troublesome
time for the Muslim caliphate in India mainly due to the
considerable increase in internal disputes and fighting between
various princes and tribes composing its social fabric. Amidst
this turmoil, Timur invaded Delhi in 1399 leading to the final
downfall and the fragmentation of the Caliphate into independent
provincial states including; Bengal 1336-1576, Kashmir
1346-1589, Deccan 1347-152, Gujarat 1391-1583, Jaunpur 1