Safa Shahouri Masjid, an Oasis of serenity.
Just at the outskirts to the city of Ponda from Panaji, on the left hand side, lies the Safa Shahouri Masjid, one of the oldest mosques in Goa. It was built in the 16th century by the Muslim Rulers of the Bijapur dynasty. There is a debate that the Safa Shahouri Masjid was built either by Ibrahim Adil Shah or Sultan Ali Adil shah. It is one of the few evidences still standing of the Mughal rule in the now local Goan scene.
‘Safa’ meaning clean and pure, is reflected quite literally in its structure that is minimal in design. In fact, it does not even have the minarets typical of other Masjids. The Masjid has a single inner chamber for prayer (which I did not enter). In the courtyard, lies a laterite stone masonry water tank that has around 40 Hammams built within. The Masjid is wonderfully mirrored in the water.
Clean lines of double arched niches or Mihrabs is the only ornamental feature of the titled roof Masjid. It is believed that it was damaged by the Portuguese invaders during the period of inquisition, but under the protection of the ASI, it has completed reconstruction in the 1980s.
This was one monument that is totally devoid of the typical commercialization that comes with touristic crowds. Spend some time in the garden courtyard before moving on.
