Raudat Tahera - Exterior Features

Exterior Features

• The marble used in the mausoleum was quarried from the Chosira and Ulodi quarries of the famed Makrana quarries in Rajasthan, India from where marble for Taj Mahal was quarried.
• The construction began on December 10, 1968 which coincided with the date of 21st of Ramadaan Hijri 1388 of the Fatimid Calendar, death anniversary of Moula Ali and was inaugurated on April 19, 1975 by the Indian president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed coinciding with the birthday celebrations of Imam Taiyab abi al-Qasim which as per the Hijri calendar was on the 4th Rabi`-ul-Akhir 1395.
• The mausoleum rests on 92 piles. The number 92 is significant in that it represents the Arabic gematrical value of the name of Muhammad "محمد".
• The complete structure weighs 5000 tons.
• The mausoleum rises to a height of 108 feet (33 m), which is the Arabic gematrical value of the word Haqq.
• The dome is 52 feet (16 m) high as its crowning feature.
• A 12 feet (3.7 m) high gold finial stands sentinel over the dome.
• There are four smaller domes, one at each corner of the central dome, each with a gold finial to match its larger prototype, and perfect the setting against the azure sky. The dome and cornice are inspirations from Al Jamea Juyushi, Cairo.
• The four walls of the mausoleum have a 4 feet (1.2 m) and 6 inches (15 cm) thick masonry wall, with 3 inches (7.6 cm) cladding on both sides, making its final thickness of 5 feet (1.5 m), which reflects the members of Ahl al-Bayt.
• The outer walls are decorated with the names of Aimmat Tahereen (Ahl al-Bayt, Fatimid Imams) and Duat Mutlaqeen in the Kufic script.
• The four entrance doors to the shrine have been specially designed to match the entrance gate of Al Jamea Al Aqmar in Cairo built by Imam Al-Amir. The entrances are adorned with four silver doors of Fatemi style and lead to sanctum sanctorum of the tomb. There are five arches above each of these four doors.
  • The entrance facing west is called Raudat Tahera
  • The entrance facing east is called Bab E Hakimi, so named after his ancestor the Dawoodi Bohra saint Syedi Abdulqader Hakimuddin, whose mausoleum is in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh.
  • The entrance facing south is called Bab E Zaini, so named after the 45th Da'i Syedna Taiyeb Zainuddin, his great grandfather, whose tomb is in Surat.
  • The entrance facing north is called Bab E Fakhri, so named after his ancestor the Dawoodi Bohra saint Syedi Fakhruddin Shaheed, whose mausoleum is in Galiyakot, Rajasthan.