Masjid Mubarak Begum in Shahjahanabad has been ignored for the longest time due to the many prejudices against it. After the recent collapse of its dome, it now needs to be restored and with it, gain its much-deserved attention, says Abu Sufiyan
Lal Masjid’s or Masjid Mubarak Begum’s middle dome collapsed due to heavy rains on Sunday, early in the morning. Zahid, the imam of the mosque, said that he heard thunder and when he rushed out of his room, he saw the ruptured dome.
“I was sleeping in my room inside the mosque when I heard thunder. We have locked the mosque since the day but we continue offering Namaz in the open courtyard,” said 45-year-old Zahid.
He revealed that the mosque was last repaired in 2016 and since then, there hasn’t been any repairing. It was not just the lightning and rainfall that led to the damage but also the age. The dome and the roof had started developing cracks over the past few years. Zahid applied at the Delhi Waqf Board (DWB), asking for the restoration of the damaged structure. He said that officers from the Board had visited the site to assess the damage on Monday.
I would often visit the mosque for prayers and noticed the cracks. These could have been the outcome of a number of constructions carried out by the Delhi Metro station, which is hardly 100 metres away from the mosque. When the underground metro runs through under the building, it causes vibrations in the nearby structures.
The 200-year old mosque, built of red sandstone, measures 29’0” north and south by 14’0” east and west, as quoted in Monuments of Delhi by Maulvi Zafar Hasan. It’s a two-storeyed mosque. The first storey, which forms the floor of the mosque, consists of arched rooms used as shops. The upper storey consists of a courtyard and prayer hall of three compartments roofed by onion-shaped domes, and has three arch-shaped entrances. The central arch bears the inscription on a piece of white marble.
The mosque, built in 1822-23 by Mubarak Begum, is just 15 steps from the road. She was one of the 13 wives of Sir David Ochterlony (Akhtar Loony, nicknamed by locals). It is said that Mubarak Begum built this mosque superior to the arched sky. Its dignity is much more than that of Jerusalem, rather this should be called a second Jerusalem.
Begum came from Pune as part of a dance troupe and presented to Ochterlony, stated William Dalrymple (in a note from the Delhi Residency Archives, published in 1861). She became a courtesan and found her way to Delhi where she converted to Islam and married Ochterlony. She was tactful and desirous, although she was much younger than Ochterlony, Mubarak Begum, who was referred to as ‘Beebee Mahruttun Moobaruck ul Nissa Begume’, always had an upper hand in their relationship.
In White Mughals, Dalrymple quoted an observer at the time who remarked that making Ochterlony as the ‘Commissioner’ of Delhi was the same as giving the position to her, who also came to be known as the ‘Generallee Begum’. After marriage, she possessed Ochterlony’s property, through which she built the mosque, Lal Masjid or Masjid Mubarak Begum. She also built a neighbouring house, where the last mushaira (poetry symposium) of Delhi, organised by Mughal prince Mirza Farhatullah Baig, was held. Stalwarts like Ghalib, Zauq and Momin also attended the event. The structure now houses the Hauz Qazi police station.
It was for the first time that a nautch girl, not royalty, had commissioned a mosque and hence, it offended the Britishers and the Nawabs, which is why they started calling it Randi ki Masjid.
In early 19th-century, randis (strumpet) were city’s divas not only skilled in dance but also singing, conversation and poetry. And the elites and Nawabs lined up to seek their company. Their manner of presenting themselves was so refined that the young Nawabs were sent to them to learn the art of conversation. They were always surrounded by the powerful men of the court, the Nawabs and the British residence. These women knew the city’s secrets. Therefore, even the rich reached out to them to be well-informed about particular situations. Their large kothis or multi-storeyed homes with courtyards marked their stature. They were not condemned rather flaunted by the city’s elite men who had long-term relationships with them.
However, in the modern times, this name of the mosque has only acted as a symbol of prejudice against it. “For the longest time, the stigma of being ‘Randi Ki Masjid’ has aggravated the ignorance towards the mosque,” stated Alishah, walk leader, Purani Dilli Walo Ki Baatein.
An old adage goes that too many cooks spoil the broth. And it can be witnessed in true spirit in Shahjahanabad. For the preservation of heritage of the special conservation zone of Master Plan 2021, multiple governing bodies are responsible — mosque committee, mohalla committee, DWB, Delhi Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and Shahjahanabad Re-development Corporation (SRDC). However, none has emerged successful to rectify these malpractices. Although at the local level, members from these departments can be witnessed chatting over a cup of tea with local builder lobby, reported a Namazi at the mosque.
“Two more days the news will be doing rounds on the internet. Heritage enthusiasts will be making posts on history, importance of the mosque and then the mosque will be summoned to cheap restoration, killing the authenticity of the structure. Numerous mosques like Masjid Mubarak Begum, Masjid Rukn-ud-daulah, Masjid Badal Beg etc., in Shahjahanabad have met this ill fate,” rued Alishah.
Engineers of the Delhi Waqf Board, which maintains the mosque, said it is “beyond repair” in terms of its heritage. “It is tough to reach the roof, which has become vulnerable and collect the bricks. They have not been cleared as we are waiting for them to be inspected by experts, with whom we are trying to get in touch. We will preserve the malba (rubble) for research and see if it or some other material could be used for its restoration,” said Mohammad Mehfuz, section officer, Delhi Waqf Board.
The official also said that the DWB has contacted the ASI to seek its expertise and help in restoration as they do not have any experts or architects within the board and would like to reach out to other conservation agencies if they would like to come forward and help in the task.
(The writer is the founder of Purani Dilli Walo Ki Baatein.)
