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HERITAGE · SHAKING MINARETSJhulta Minar
Ahmedabad's mysterious shaking minarets — the Jhulta Minar, carved 15th-century minarets engineered so that shaking one sets the other gently swaying, a marvel that still puzzles.
The shaking minarets
Among Ahmedabad’s most intriguing monuments are the Jhulta Minar — the ‘shaking’ or ‘swinging’ minarets — the most famous pair of which belongs to the Sidi Bashir Mosque near the railway station. Built in the 15th century during the Gujarat Sultanate, these tall, finely carved sandstone minarets have a remarkable and still not fully explained property: when one minaret is shaken, the vibration travels across the connecting structure and sets the other minaret gently swaying a few seconds later.
The engineering behind this sympathetic movement — whether deliberate earthquake-damping design or a happy accident of construction — has fascinated visitors and engineers for centuries. Carved with the delicate stonework typical of Ahmedabad’s Indo-Islamic architecture, the Jhulta Minar are a quirky, memorable highlight of the old city’s UNESCO-listed heritage. (Viewed from outside; the minarets are no longer shaken, to protect them.)
The carved Jhulta Minar.
From a riverside experiment to the road to freedom
The Sidi Bashir minarets.
Built in the Gujarat Sultanate era.
The famous pair stands by the mosque.
Shaking one sets the other moving.
The engineering still puzzles experts.
Reasons to make the time
Shaking minarets
A unique marvel.
15th-c carving
Fine sandstone work.
Engineering mystery
Still unexplained.
Sidi Bashir
The famous pair.
UNESCO old city
Part of the heritage.
A city curiosity
Quirky and memorable.
What to look for inside
Sidi Bashir
The famous minarets.
Stonework
Delicate detail.
The minarets
Tall carved sandstone towers.
The sway
Shaking one sets the other moving.
UNESCO heritage
Part of Ahmedabad's walled city.
The engineering
A feat that still puzzles experts.
How to spend an hour or two
See the minarets
The famous pair.
Learn the mystery
The sympathetic sway.
Admire the carving
Sandstone detail.
Photograph the pair
Against the sky.
Explore the old city
UNESCO heritage.
Ponder the engineering
How does it work?
Jhulta Minar stonework.
Carved swaying towers
The Jhulta Minar are tall, carved sandstone minarets of the 15th-century Gujarat Sultanate, the famous pair attached to the Sidi Bashir Mosque. Their fame rests on a curious property — shaking one minaret transmits a gentle sway to the other — a feat of construction whose mechanism still intrigues engineers, set within the delicate Indo-Islamic stone-carving of old Ahmedabad. (Viewed from outside.)
15th-century minarets
Carved sandstone
Sympathetic swaying
At Sidi Bashir Mosque
When to go
Cool and pleasant — the ideal season.
Green and atmospheric after rain.
Hot and dry — start early.
⏰ See the minarets on an old-city walk; they're no longer shaken — enjoy the carving and the curious story.
Timings & entry
- Viewed from outside
- On an old-city walk
- Mornings are pleasant
- A short visit
- No entry fee
- Minarets are not shaken now
- Respect the mosque
- Combine with old-city sights
Getting there
By Air
Ahmedabad airport.
By Rail
By Ahmedabad railway station.
By Road
In the old city.
At Jhulta Minar
STONE & MYSTERY
Ahmedabad's swaying minarets
What to shoot
The minaret pair.
Detail
Carved sandstone.
Best light
Morning light.
Composition
Against the sky.
Know before you go
Where to eat around the ashram
Gujarati Thali
Sweet-savoury full meals.
Dhokla & fafda
Steamed and fried snacks.
Manek Chowk
Night street-food bazaar.
Foodie city
Famous for thali, farsan & street food.
Jhulta Minar FAQ
What is the Jhulta Minar?
Ahmedabad's 'shaking minarets' — 15th-century minarets where shaking one sways the other.
Where are they?
The famous pair is at the Sidi Bashir Mosque, near the railway station.
How does the sway work?
The vibration transmits between the minarets — the exact mechanism still puzzles experts.
Can I shake them?
No — they're no longer shaken, to protect the monument.
Is there an entry fee?
No, it's free to view.
When were they built?
In the 15th century, in the Gujarat Sultanate era.
Is it part of the UNESCO city?
Yes — Ahmedabad's old city is a World Heritage Site.
When should I visit?
October to March, in the morning.
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