Dholka
| Dholka ધોળકા |
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| State : |
 India
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| State : | Gujarat | ||
| District : | Ahmedabad | ||
| Sub-district : | Dholka | ||
| Location : | 22 ° 44 ′ N , 72 ° 27 ′ E | ||
| Height : | 16 m | ||
| Residents : | 79,531 (2011) | ||
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Dholka ( Gujarati ધોળકા ) is a city of about 85,000 people in the Indian state of Gujarat ; it is considered one of the oldest cities in Gujarat.
location
Dholka lies at a height of approx. 17 m above sea level. d. M. about 40 km (driving distance) southwest of Ahmedabad .
population
The city's population is about 65% Hindus and a good 30% Muslim ; the remaining approx. 5% come from other religious communities ( Buddhists , Jains , Sikhs etc.). As is common in India, the male population exceeds the female population by around 10%.
economy
The area around Dholka is largely agricultural; in the city itself, smaller shops as well as craft and service companies have settled.
history
Mainly for political reasons, the region is sometimes associated with stories from the Mahabharata epic. The first reliable findings are from the time of the Solanki dynasty, which, however, gradually had to surrender its power to the Vaghelas residing in Dholka around 1230/40 . In 1297 (or 1299), Ala ud-Din Khalji , the Sultan of Delhi , conquered the entire region. Although there is little information available, the city appears to have been conquered by the Marathas in 1736 . The British ruled the region from 1804 to 1947 .
Attractions
- The three-pod, brick-built Khan-Masjid stands by a small lake and is no longer used for religious purposes. The building is laterally framed by two partially ruined minaret towers, the left of which is still elevated by a lantern . The building, which looks almost like a fortress from the outside, is much more decorative on the inside, to which the differently designed Jali windows also contribute. The mosque was built by Hindu artisans or converts ; its three domes are raised by ribbed ring stones ( amalakas ) with jugs ( kalashas ) on top. Only a few meters away is a domed building, the former purpose of which is unclear.
- In the city itself are the Alif-Khan-Mosque , the Tanka-Masjid and the Jumma-Masjid , all three of which show clear influences from the Hindu architecture of the region. Parts of destroyed Hindu temples were probably also recycled.
