BEGUMPUR MOSQUE

The Begumpur Mosque, the second largest mosque in Delhi after the Jama Masjid, was built in the 14th century during the reign of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq. It was a congregational mosque in the heart of Jahanpanah. It is one of the seven mosques built later by Khan-Jahan Junan Shah, the Prime Minister during the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388) (Firoz Shah’s tomb is at the Hauz Khas complex). Tughlaq was keenly interested in architecture, and he changed the way mosques were built in India. During Tughlaq’s tenure, Khan-Jahan Junan Shah succeeded in constructing seven mosques, each an architectural wonder in its own right.

The courtyard is large, arcaded and imposing - of the Timurid type, with a single gate for entry from the eastern side and single-vaulted arcade wings in the north, west and south. There is a prayer hall facing the Mecca, as is typical of all mosques. A unique feature of the mosque is its 64 domes with the central one having a 9-foot-high ceiling. It is the first example in India of the “Brhatmukhi” mosque type - at the center of the 24 arches on its main façade, an extremely large arch stands out.

It is likely that the stonework and domes would have been covered with bright limestone plasterwork. The mosque is built using rubble masonry but looks also like a fortress and is capable of being used for defence. There is also a smaller Mulla khana (zenana mosque) for the royal women with a passageway to connect it to the Bijay Mahal (palace). At one time, it was an important religious and social centre and housed a madrassa and a treasury within it. The mosque was in use until 1739 when the Mughal dynasty weakened and the city was plundered by Nadir Shah, the ruler of Persia, and the locals took refuge and moved their belongings into the mosque complex and continued to live there. It was also used during the Partition in 1947 when refugees fled from Pakistan soon after independence