There are a large number of new, old, and ancient mosques in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. This is consistent with the general personality of the city, which has a culture that mixes the old and the new with superb ease.
On a normal day in Lahore, you may see the latest four wheel drive SUV with a five thousand year old two wheel drive bull cart (reminiscent of the prehistoric civilisations of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa) travelling next to it. And neither would seem to notice the other or find anything strange about this free mixing of centuries and millennia.
Built by the last of Great Mughals, Aurganzeb, it is among the largest mosques in the world. No doubt Aurangzeb, well-known for his piety, was fulfilling an urge to pay the most impressive tribute to God in the form of a grand mosque. Inspired by the Jamia Mosque of Delhi and Agra, which predate it, the Badshahi Mosque is even more massive than they are.
Aurangzeb entrusted the mosque to Fidai Khan Koka. Above the arched entrance are many small turrets of red sandstone and marble. A tablet of white marble on the outer face of this entrance has the following inscription (besides the Kalima): "The mosque of Abu Zafar Mohiuddin Muhammad Alamgir, the Ghazi King, completed under the superintendence of the humblest servant of the household, Fidai Khan Koka, in 1084 AH".
Its exterior walls are painstakingly decorated with sculptured panels. Each corner is marked by a square tower capped with a red sandstone turret with a white marble cupola. The white-capped turret idea is repeated on a larger scale atop the 176-foot minarets which mark the corners of the mosque. These have 204 steps each.
In the chambers above the gate of the mosque are housed relics attributed to the Holy Prophet of Islam, his daughter and his son-in-law. These are said to have been brought to the subcontinent by Amir Taimur. The relics include a green turban, a cap, a green coat, white trousers, and a slipper worn by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the mark of his foot impressed on a sand-colored stone, and his white banner, with verses of the Holy Quran embroidered on it. The Mosque was built at a cost "exceeding six lakhs of rupees," according to Khulasat-ul-Tawarikh by Sujan Rac.
The courtyard of an immense size 530' x 530', dazzles you with its vastness as you enter the peshtaq of the east portal. The prayer chamber is placed on a raised platform, in the tradition of mosques built during Shah Jahan's period, which itself forewarns you regarding the immense scale of this mosque. The mosque allows over 60,000 worshippers to pray at any one time. The prayer chamber possesses three grand, bulbous marble domes. The prayer chamber measures 276 feet by 83 feet. It has a large central vault with five subsidiary arches on each side and four small octagonal minarets at the corners. The main entrance to the prayer chamber, with three central vaults, is paneled and enriched with marble inlay in lineal floral and geometrical patterns. The marble domes have a refined curvature constructed at the neck. The diameter of the central dome, which is higher than the rest, is 62 feet 10 inches. It is 69 feet high. The domes are crowned with spires of richly gilt brass. The floor of the vast court was originally paved in cooling brick laid in prayer carpet musalla shapes and bordered with black stone but is now replaced with red sandstone.
Eighty cells (hujras) built into the walls were originally study rooms. The British demolished them in 1856 and rebuilt to form arcades. The splendid mosque structure was subjected to severe damage when it was used as a magazine for storage of military stores. During the inter-Sikh wars, in 1841 Sher Singh used the minarets for zamburahs or light guns to bombard the supporters of Maharani Chand Kaur in the besieged fort, inflicting great damage to the fort itself. The earthquake of 1840, where it damaged portions of Shah Burj, also shook and damaged the minarets so that the top storey of the minarets was also lost. Due to major reconstruction, the damaged portions have been reconstructed. Today, tastefully lit up at night, it presents a fairy tale appearance composed as it is of an enormous Timurid aiwan gateway, multi-foiled arch arcading, deep alcoves, bulbous white domes and tall belvedere topped minarets.
This Mughal mosque is situated in the Naulakha area, southeast of the fortress-like railway station. You can approach it from the railway station, but it might be simpler to travel northeast on Nicholson Road from Qila Gujjar Singh Chowk, and continue straight across Allama Iqbal Road (formerly Mayo Road), past the Presbyterian Church and Boharwala Chowk. The comparatively narrow road veers left, terminating in a dead end at a gate guarding the railway platform beyond the fence.
On the left is a gate behind which is situated a mosque built by Dai Anga Zeb-un-Nisa, a wet nurse of Emperor Shah Jahan. Her family had been closely associated with the Mughal imperial family her husband Morad Khan served Jahangir as Adawlati or Magistrate of Bikaner, and her son Muhammad Rashid Khan, reputed to be one of the best archers in the kingdom, died fighting in the service of Shah Jahan's eldest born Dara Shikoh. Zeb-un-Nisa herself was highly regarded by Shah Jahan.
Passing through the gate one is overawed by the magnificent structure of. Dai Anga's mosque. Although a lot of restoration work has been carried out on the building—much appears to belong to later-period restorative efforts—it cannot take away from the magnificence of the original structure.
The design of the mosque is based on a single-aisle 3-bay plan form—a comparatively simplified version of the spectacular mosques built by the Mughals. The prayer chamber is divided into three compartments by means of lateral arches. The central bay, larger than the others, has exceptionally rich decoration. The usual arched recess sunk deeply into the western wall serves as the mihrab. It is crowned, like its flanking counterparts, with a high double dome placed on squinches composed of eight small arched panels. The side bays, less elaborately decorated, have double domes resting on pendentives. The central compartment has a pronounced projection created by means of an engrailed arch and a half-dome embellished with tiled panels. The projected frame is marked with slender pilasters on either corner, while at the two eastern corners of the prayer chamber are square minarets surmounted with a carved platform on which once rested the kiosk.
The exterior surface of the projection, as well as the flanking compartments, have been divided into numerous decorative panels of various shapes, sizes, and designs and filled with fluoridate patterns created by means of mosaic kashi. The dominant colours used in the tilery, here as well as in the interior panels, are blue, orange, and yellow. The treatment of facade into panels, embellished with scintillating multicoloured tile mosaic, a favourite decorative medium during Shah Jahan's days, yields one of the most spectacular facades of the period. The domes are plastered, but possess pronounced cavettos, reminiscent of similar treatment at the Moti Mosque of Lahore Fort. A 19' diameter dome in the middle flanked by two 16' domes, along with corner minarets, adds to the imposing character of the mosque. The central lofty Timurid iwan alcove, flanked by two smaller ones, as embellished as the facade, along with their decorative kalib kari or stalactite squinches represent the best of the Shahjahani Period.
The tall minarets rising from a square base on the two front extremities are terminated with kiosk-like structures carrying cupolas. Although simply treated today, they were no doubt once decorated with tile mosaic in the manner of those found in the mosque of Shah Jahan's grandee, Wazir Khan. The 84' wide platform, no doubt once part of the mosque courtyard, is paved with beautifully laid brick flooring divided into a simple square pattern. Within the courtyard in which the building stands, an ablution tank has been found, and traces exist of what may prove to be a second tank.
It is believed that the mosque was built in 1045 AH/1635 AD, before Dai Anga went to perform Hajj. However, the inscription in the mosque is said to date it to 1060 AH/1649 AD. The mosque was well-maintained and frequented by worshippers, due to the waqf (bequest) by Dai Anga of her extensive property for the maintenance of the mosque. Once the Mughal Empire declined, this mosque, along with many other Mughal monuments, did duty as Ranjit Singh's military magazine. After the annexation of the Punjab by the British, Henry Cope, editor of the newspaper 'Lahore Chronicle' must have been pleased to have been allowed its use as his residence. However, later when the area, once known as Mohallah Dai Anga and populated by Mughal nobility, was acquired by the Punjab and Delhi Railway Co., Cope sold the mosque-residence to them for Rs. 12,000, and they converted it into the office of the traffic manager, Punjab Northern State Railway.
After Lord Curzon expressed his horror at the debased usage many of the historic monuments had been put to, in 1903 Dai Anga's mosque was returned to the Muslims of Lahore.
Data Durbar is the tomb of Hazrat Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri, the famous Sufi saint of South Asia, where hundreds of thousands of people come each year to pay their respects and to say their prayers. It is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The large complex also includes Jamia Hajveria, or Hajveri Mosque.
Muhammad Saleh is well known as the court chronicler during Shah Jahan's reign, and his Aml-e-Salih or Shahjahanama is one of the most important original sources of Shahjahani events, and considered "proof of the author's great literary attainments and skill as writer of Persian poetry and prose." The mosque is said to date from 1070/1659 - 1079/1668-69 and is also known as the Chinianwali Masjid because of the extraordinary mosaic tile work (kashi kari) for which the reign of Shah Jahan was famous. Although it was completed during Aurangzeb's reign, but the usual Shahajahani features—multifoil arches, stalactite squinches, delicately executed floral arabesque and interlacement in kashi and fresco—are in evidence. Not surprising since it was constructed under the supervision of Shah Jahan's court historian. The mosque, small in size, based on a single-aisle 3-bay arrangement, is approachable through steps, and is surmounted by three domes. Because of space restriction instead of a permanent one there is a small removable pulpit which is stored away after the sermon. Its brick lined courtyard offsets the scintillating mosaic tilework on the east facade of the mosque to advantage. It is located in the Mochi Gate area of the walled city.
Sonehri Mosque, also known as Masjid Talai (Talai=sonehri or golden), is a late-Mughal structure built by Nawab Bhikari Khan, son of Raushauddawla Turrabbaz Khan, Governor of Lahore during the viceroyalty of Mir Moinul Mulk or Mir Mannu (d. 1753), well known for his victorious battle with Ahmad Shah Durrani in Sirhind (1748).
Bhikari Khan himself acted as confidante of Mir Mannu's wife, who, on the death of her husband, acted as regent for her infant son. Known for his piety, Bhikari Khan constructed his mosque in Chowk Kashmiri Bazaar. According to epigraphical evidence provided on the facade of the prayer chamber, the mosque was built in 1749. The somewhat irregular plan of the mosque and necessity of providing two access staircases was due to the constrained site conditions. Although he was permitted to occupy an open space in the chowk (square) he could not persuade the religious authorities to allow incorporation of an existing small mosque into the new structure. Historian and Engineer Kanahhiya Lal credits Deputy Commissioner Lahore, Captain Nisbet in bringing Bhikari Khan's concept to fruition one hundred years later, by demolishing the small mosque in question and incorporating the space within Sonehri Mosque compound.
Built on a raised vaulted platform about 11 feet above the surrounding level, the structure covers a rectangular area measuring 102 feet by 45 feet. The basement is composed of deep, narrow cells. A flight of sixteen steps has been provided against a small entrance gate on the east. An open courtyard measuring 65 feet by 43 feet, with an ablution tank 25 feet by 27 feet, has been provided in front of the prayer chamber, measuring 40 feet by 16 feet. The northeast and southeast corners of the prayer chamber have minarets which rise 46 feet 9 inches, crowned with blind pavilions. The eastern facade of the prayer chamber, including the corner minarets, is lime-plastered, with panels of various sizes which originally had fresco decoration.
The prayer chamber is a single-aisle 3-bay structure, surmounted by 3 distinctive copper domes carrying polished gilding, which due to its shine, is visible from a great distance. Its four minarets marking the four extremities are also capped by golden cupolas, and are a reconstruction since their collapse in the earthquake of 1905.
The prayer chamber is divided into three compartments by four centered cusped arches carried on jambs nearly three feet thick. The central bay, nearly square and measuring around 15 feet, is bigger than those flanking it. In the centre of the western wall is the mihrab, balanced by similar niches in each of the two side bays. Pointed arched openings are provided in the eastern facade. The entire interim is decorated with frescos work. However, much of it was badly repainted later.
The roof of the mosque carries double bulbous domes with a high neck at the springing level, on which there is a row of pseudo-acanthus leaves. The domes are crowned with pinnacles and gilded. The core of each dome is of masonry, over which a casing of wood has been applied. Copper plates have been fixed over the wooden casing. The central dome is the largest.
The foresight of Bhikari Khan in elevating the mosque above shops—the rent from shops providing a source of revenue—ensured the upkeep of the mosque even during most of the Sikh rule. It was only when the Garanth Sahib (Sikh Holy Book) was placed in the adjacent baoli (stepped well) of Ranjit Singh, that complaints of disturbance from the azan (Muslim call for prayers) began to be voiced by the Sikh community. The orders of Ranjit Singh for dispossessing the imam (the custodian of the mosque) and placing the Garanth in the mosque were received with dismay by the Muslim populace. According to Kannahiya Lal it was the efforts of Fakir Azeezuddin and Nooruddin in enlisting support of Gullu Mashki (the watercarrier in high favour with Mahrani Jindan), to influence Ranjit Singh that resulted in the reversal of the Sikh ruler's decision. The undertaking given by the imam included reduced pitch of the azan and forfeiting the rent of the shops attached to the mosque.
This spectacular monument was built by the famous Subehdar (Governor) of the Punjab (1041/1632), Hakim Aliuddin (sometimes also referred to as Ilmuddin) in 1634. Hailing from the Punjab town of Chiniot on the banks of the river Chenab, Aliuddin had been employed by shahzada (prince) Khurram (later Emperor Shah Jahan) as a hakim (physician). He rendered great service to the prince during the various campaigns, and became one of the most trusted aides of the emperor—it was Aliuddin, along with Prince Shah Shuja, who was entrusted with the task of bringing the body of the deceased queen Mumtaz Mahal from Burhanpur to Agra to be buried in the Taj Mahal. Granted the title of Wazir Khan in 1620, he was raised to the mansab (title) of 5000 foot and 3000 horse (panj-hazari) on Shah Jahan's accession to the Mughal throne (1037/1628). It is the same Wazir Khan, who was entrusted with the building of the Khwabgah and Hammam-e-Badshahi in Lahore Fort, just before Shah Jahan embarked on his journey to Kashmir in the summer of 1634 from Lahore—his first visit to the Punjab capital after ascending the throne.
The mosque is located about a furlong from the Delhi gate and off the Kashmiri bazaar. Traversing the bustling bazaar through a gateway, beyond which the towering minaret of Wazir Khan's mosque beckons you, you turn left into the chowk named after the builder of the mosque. The chowk outside the mosque probably once formed an important part of the plan of the old city of Lahore. The mosque was so located in the centre of the city that all the major routes and bazaars were linked with it at right angles.
The chowk or jilau khana is enclosed by other Mughal structures incorporating overlooking balconies. Although much dilapidated today, they were built by Wazir Khan and bequeathed to the mosque for its maintenance. In view of the lack of a jamia masjid in the fort during Shah Jahan's reign—Badshahi Masjid was built later—Wazir Khan's mosque served as imperial Jamia Masjid, utilized by the emperor and his grandees and large retinue to offer Friday prayers. Until the construction of Badshahi Mosque, surely, the emperor and his entire retinue, exiting from Akbari Gateway of the Fort, traversed the route via Masti Gate Bazaar, Chunna Mandi Chowk, Kotwali Walla Bazaar and Chowk Kotwali to arrive at the wonderfully decorated Wazir Khan Mosque.
The mosque is situated on a raised platform and is reached by a flight of steps to the east. The imposing east doorway—a lofty aiwan or Timurid peshtatq with its decorative muqarnas semi-domical roof, flanked by decorative oriel-like projecting balconies on the upper level—beckons you into its octagonal vestibule. The six steps in this wide passage lead to a platform under the front niche of this gate; another step leads to the centre of a covered octagonal court, the central domed position of this gate. This central roofed area is connected by steps on all four sides: one enters from the east and north through a stepped passage, and from this same centre, opposite the east entrance, one crosses several steps to the west to enter the courtyard of the mosque.
To the north and south of the great octagonal forecourt stretch out galleries with double rows of arcade chambers, each with a sixteen feet wide passage between. This part of the mosque, known as the forecourt, was a novel innovation in the evolution of the mosque plan. The central octagonal court also has double rooms in each of its four corners, probably reserved for the gatekeepers of the mosque. This arrangement is repeated on the upper story of this position. The northern and the southern sides of the main court of the mosque have eleven rooms each, of which those adjacent to the aiwan and minars are double, and probably were reserved for the library attached to the mosque, indicating that apart from serving as a place of worship, this mosque served as a college.
As you step into the enormous sunlit courtyard, 160' x 130', you could hardly have prepared yourself for the splendid piece of architecture that presents itself. This oasis of beauty, elegance and calm overpowers you as you stand in the mosque courtyard, framed by the praying chamber on the west, khanas or study cloisters for religious scholars on the north and south, and the deorhi with entrance cubicles on the east. The whole building presents a dazzling view of tile-mosaic and frescoes of extraordinary beauty, which could hardly have been imagined when you battled through the narrow winding streets filled with jostling crowds.
The arrangement of the 5-bay single aisle prayer chamber 130' long, framed by simple cusped arches carried on deep piers, is reminiscent of the Maryam Zamani (Begam Shahi) Mosque. The central dome, rising higher than others, accents the elegantly detailed mihrab, the ingenious construction of double domes carrying the voice of the imam to the extremity of the courtyard.
The arrangement of kalib kari, a tracery of pendentives, is used in large as well as intricate beehive patterns, giving a special flavour to the building. Its stately octagonal minarets rising to a height of over 100 feet and defining the four extremities of the courtyard, consist of several stages and are capped with a kiosk (chattri) configuration terminated with fluted cupolas, all profusely decorated with the best of Shahjahani tile mosaic. The work was supervised by leading Persian artists who had come to India on the orders of Shah Jahan. One of its most attractive features is the colorful floral and calligraphic designs in glazed tile mosaic work, said to be introduced from Thatta during the 16th century. It is in the decorated panels of this mosque that the cypress as a motif on enameled mosaic work appears for the first time. The improved octagonal minarets, among the earliest of this type in Mughal architecture, are another distinctive feature of the mosque.
The superb calligraphy by well known khattats (master calligraphers) in rendering verses from the Holy Quran and Persian poetry in elegant nastaliq, naskh and tughra forms is itself a treat. The extraordinary blend of calligraphy, geometrical forms and floral decoration along with large-scale scintillating kashi kari (tile mosaic), fresco painting, stone and chunam (plaster) decoration, with taza kari (brick outline fresco) lends the mosque a character entirely its own. Lockwood Kipling was not far wrong when he declared "This beautiful building is in itself a school of design."
In the basement of the courtyard of the mosque is situated the shrine of the saint Syed Muhammad Ishaq Gazruni, who died in the 14th century.
Moti Mosque (Pearl Mosque) is located in the Moti Mosque Quadrangle of the Lahore Fort. The mosque stands on a raised plinth of 6 feet 9 inches high. It is approached by a flight of eleven steps through an unpretentious portico at the northwest corner close to the portal of Jahangir's Makatib Khana.
As you step into the irregular octagonal hallway of the mosque, hardly 21' x 25', darkened, and with only a stream of light from the doorway, it is impressive in the composition of its vaults with their lofty proportions. Shorn of all decorative features, its marble dassa (carved edging) on a slightly raised floor featuring alcoves for shoes, alone echoes its lost grandeur.
After removing your shoes, however, as soon as you walk through the low height doorway into the courtyard, you are dazzled by the sunlit courtyard, and equally so by the luminous, elegant white edifice that is exposed to view. The courtyard, measuring 55 feet by 32 feet, is paved with marble slabs and is enclosed on the west by the prayer chamber, on the north and on east by compartments of irregular shapes, and on the south by a wall. The two-bay five-aisle prayer chamber stands on a plinth a little less than a foot high and is marked by a carved decorative string course which runs around the whole courtyard. The prayer chamber measures 55 feet by 25 feet, broken by five curved archways which create five compartments, each further divided by similar arched openings. The mosque is entirely faced with sang-e-murmur (white marble)—from its multifoil arched colonnade and its repertoire of arcuate roofing elements, squinch arches and lozenge muqarnas to flooring and dadoes.
Three compartments of the front aisle, the central one, and those at the extreme ends are covered by domes, while the remaining compartments of both aisles have vaulting. The central compartment of the near aisle contains a mihrab deeply recessed in the back wall within the outlines of a cuspid arch. Adjacent to it on the north stands a mimbar (pulpit) of marble. In each of the other compartments of that aisle, the mihrab is indicated only by the outlines of a cuspid arch which, however, contains a nearly square niche at a height of 3 feet 10 inches from the floor. This feature is repeated in the side walls of both aisles. The floor of the prayer chamber is paved with marble slabs having musallahs marked with a black marble line, while the dado is defined by a double line of black and yellow marble. On the east is a compartment of irregular shape with three arched openings, of which the central one is plain and others are cusped. The eastern compartment is faced with marble and flanked on either side by a rectangular doorway set within the outlines of a cusped arch. The doorway to the north communicates to the portico, while that to the south is an entrance to the staircase ascending at the back of the eastern compartment to the roof. The wall on the south, which is faced with marble, bears the outlines of three cusped arches corresponding to similar arches which enclose the door openings of the northern compartments. The parapet bears pietra dura decoration inlaid with semi-precious stones in marble.
The shallow domes that you see are double domes, devised for better acoustics. The bulbous double domes are covered with marble and have lotus cresting which seems to have been crowned by metallic finials, now disappeared. The central dome, the largest, stands on a raised platform, nearly square, which springs from a circular drum 4 feet high. The platform is ornamented with a band of molding. The other two domes have lower drums and no platforms.
In view of a lack of any historical sources or epigraphic evidence, there are conflicting opinions regarding the authorship of the mosque—whether it is Jahangir or Shah Jahan who should be credited with this splendid piece of architecture. The confusion was compounded by Henry Cope's assertion published in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1858 regarding an inscription that he had found, on "Moti Mandar in the fort" (a Sikh appellation for Moti Masjid). According to Cope a certain Soondur Khan, referring to himself as "the lowest of all slaves of Jahangir, Padshah, son of Jalal-ud-din Akbar Padshah Ghazi," had built the mosque.
However, apart from Cope no other record of this inscription exists, either in the writings of 19th century historians and archaeologists or of later researchers. On the other hand research regarding structural, architectural and decorative elements point towards Shah Jahan as the architect of this singular edifice.
The mosque structure is in a surprisingly well-conserved state—even after having served as government treasury for the British and as a mandir (temple) for Sikhs.
Even though it is a small mosque—implying private and restricted usage—it has all the constituents of a mosque: a sahn or courtyard, a place for wazoo (ablutions) east of the courtyard, hujras (cloisters) for scholars or ulema, and an aiwan (main prayer chamber) with a central mihrab or prayer niche.
Among the most courtly Mughal monuments is a mosque built by Jahangir's mother—the daughter of the famous Raja of Amber Bihari Mal and sister of Raja Bhagwant Das, later a grandee at Akbar's court—who carried the title of Maryamuzzamani or Mary of the Age.
The earliest extant Mughal mosque is tucked away across the road from the eastern fortification of Shahi Qila (the fort). To locate this remarkable mosque, also known as Begam Shahi Masjid, it is best to follow the street opposite Akbar's Masjidi Darwaza (Masti Darwaza in common parlance)/Akbari Gateway of the fort. This mosque is celebrated for two very important features: the double domes with which the prayer chamber is crowned, and the exquisite fresco paintings on the interior surface. The mosque covers an area 135 feet by 127 feet. Constructed of brick masonry and rendered with plaster, it is a massive structure representing a transitional phase of architecture between the Lodhi and the Mughal periods. The lofty aiwan gateway at the mosque's north entrance, provides access to the courtyard (128' x 82'), a few feet below the adjacent road level. Once boasting three lofty entrances (on north, south and east facades), the mosque today is hemmed in by later constructions, almost entirely concealing this jewel-like edifice.
The courtyard was originally enclosed by cloisters consisting of rows of cells on the north and south, some portions of which still exists. On the east along the gate is a 17-foot-wide platform, on which stands an enclosure consisting of an octagonal domed tomb and some other modern graves.
In the centre of the courtyard is a tank for ablutions measuring 31 feet 5 inches by 26 feet 3 inches, now much repaired. A modern roof of reinforced cement concrete supported by two rows of round pillars partially covers the tank. The courtyard must have been paved with brick tiles in usual Mughal fashion, but it has now been completely re-laid in modern brick. On the northwest and southwest corners beside the prayer chamber are the old staircases leading to the roof. Similar staircases on the northeast and southeast corners led to the roof of the cells. Only traces are left now.
The prayer chamber of the mosque is an oblong structure measuring internally 130.5 feet from south to north and 34 feet from east to west. It has five compartments divided by heavy engaged arches supported by massive jambs and surmounted by high domes. The central double dome is the highest, placed on a high, round neck (11 feet 1 inch). The double dome consists of two shells, the inner one being of stucco. A wooden frame connects the two shells for reinforcement. The outer shell (3.5 feet thick) has a small arched opening to the west. The front openings of the chambers, five in number, possess four central arches, the central one being the highest, with a high parapet and a projected frame. The whole outer surface of the front has been treated with thick lime plaster, creating decorative arched panels in recess.
Inside the prayer chamber, there is a series of high, deep arched recesses set in all five compartments on the west. The central mihrab has an engrailed arch treated specially with profuse stucco ornaments which are geometric, floral, and inscriptional. The half-domed niche of the central arched opening and the mihrab has been filled with low stalactites. The remaining four compartments have the same engrailed arch treatment, though comparatively smaller and less decorative.
At the four corners of the prayer chamber are placed small, square pavilions (6 feet 10 inches) with four arched openings surrounded by cupolas placed on octagonal drums. Originally, the cupolas were crowned with a low cresting and finials, like the five bigger domes over the main prayer chamber. These have now considerably decayed.
The mosque stands out for its unique fresco decoration, with which the whole interior surface of the prayer chamber is replete. The paintings are unrivalled for their delicacy, liveliness, perfection of technique, and variety of subject. The endless variety of geometric, floral, and inscriptional designs spread over the interior surface in a subtle colour scheme is not seen elsewhere. The surface has been divided into various panels of different shapes and dimensions according to the space available, and all the soffits, niches, squinches, arches, dome interiors, and apex are covered with these paintings.
The squinches have been provided with low stalactites painted with small flower twigs, while the adjoining areas are divided into arched panels which have bold interwoven floral patterns. Some of the borders of the panels have geometric schemes of decoration. The patterns have been mainly created by carving slightly incised lines in white. The interior of the dome has similarly been divided into honeycombed geometric patterns, filled with delicate floral tracery. The small space in between is filled elegantly with stars which bear some of the attributes of Allah done in Naskh characters.
The superb combination of colours is also noteworthy. Shades of green, ochre, red, blue, yellow, and black have been used with subtlety. The mosque possesses several inscriptions, both Quranic and non-Quranic, executed exclusively in plaster in high and bold relief, a characteristic first met with here among the historic Mughal monuments of Lahore. Among the non-Quranic inscriptions, the one executed over the arche of the entrance gate and one executed on the high facade of the prayer chamber are important, as they record the name of the founder and the date of completion of the mosque. The inscription in the entrance gate is in Nastaliq characters, and that on the facade of the prayer chamber is in Naskh-Suls.
It was due to the mosque's utilization as a gunpowder factory by Ranjit Singh, that the mosque became known as Barudkhana Wali Masjid. It was not until 1850 that the mosque was restored to the Muslims of Lahore who were able to rehabilitate it with their contributions.
This characteristic of Lahore, is probably the one trait that truly defines its unique culture.
On a normal day in Lahore, you may see the latest four wheel drive SUV with a five thousand year old two wheel drive bull cart (reminiscent of the prehistoric civilisations of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa) travelling next to it. And neither would seem to notice the other or find anything strange about this free mixing of centuries and millennia.
Badshahi Masjid
Built by the last of Great Mughals, Aurganzeb, it is among the largest mosques in the world. No doubt Aurangzeb, well-known for his piety, was fulfilling an urge to pay the most impressive tribute to God in the form of a grand mosque. Inspired by the Jamia Mosque of Delhi and Agra, which predate it, the Badshahi Mosque is even more massive than they are.
Aurangzeb entrusted the mosque to Fidai Khan Koka. Above the arched entrance are many small turrets of red sandstone and marble. A tablet of white marble on the outer face of this entrance has the following inscription (besides the Kalima): "The mosque of Abu Zafar Mohiuddin Muhammad Alamgir, the Ghazi King, completed under the superintendence of the humblest servant of the household, Fidai Khan Koka, in 1084 AH".
Its exterior walls are painstakingly decorated with sculptured panels. Each corner is marked by a square tower capped with a red sandstone turret with a white marble cupola. The white-capped turret idea is repeated on a larger scale atop the 176-foot minarets which mark the corners of the mosque. These have 204 steps each.
In the chambers above the gate of the mosque are housed relics attributed to the Holy Prophet of Islam, his daughter and his son-in-law. These are said to have been brought to the subcontinent by Amir Taimur. The relics include a green turban, a cap, a green coat, white trousers, and a slipper worn by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the mark of his foot impressed on a sand-colored stone, and his white banner, with verses of the Holy Quran embroidered on it. The Mosque was built at a cost "exceeding six lakhs of rupees," according to Khulasat-ul-Tawarikh by Sujan Rac.
The courtyard of an immense size 530' x 530', dazzles you with its vastness as you enter the peshtaq of the east portal. The prayer chamber is placed on a raised platform, in the tradition of mosques built during Shah Jahan's period, which itself forewarns you regarding the immense scale of this mosque. The mosque allows over 60,000 worshippers to pray at any one time. The prayer chamber possesses three grand, bulbous marble domes. The prayer chamber measures 276 feet by 83 feet. It has a large central vault with five subsidiary arches on each side and four small octagonal minarets at the corners. The main entrance to the prayer chamber, with three central vaults, is paneled and enriched with marble inlay in lineal floral and geometrical patterns. The marble domes have a refined curvature constructed at the neck. The diameter of the central dome, which is higher than the rest, is 62 feet 10 inches. It is 69 feet high. The domes are crowned with spires of richly gilt brass. The floor of the vast court was originally paved in cooling brick laid in prayer carpet musalla shapes and bordered with black stone but is now replaced with red sandstone.
Eighty cells (hujras) built into the walls were originally study rooms. The British demolished them in 1856 and rebuilt to form arcades. The splendid mosque structure was subjected to severe damage when it was used as a magazine for storage of military stores. During the inter-Sikh wars, in 1841 Sher Singh used the minarets for zamburahs or light guns to bombard the supporters of Maharani Chand Kaur in the besieged fort, inflicting great damage to the fort itself. The earthquake of 1840, where it damaged portions of Shah Burj, also shook and damaged the minarets so that the top storey of the minarets was also lost. Due to major reconstruction, the damaged portions have been reconstructed. Today, tastefully lit up at night, it presents a fairy tale appearance composed as it is of an enormous Timurid aiwan gateway, multi-foiled arch arcading, deep alcoves, bulbous white domes and tall belvedere topped minarets.
Dai Anga Mosque
This Mughal mosque is situated in the Naulakha area, southeast of the fortress-like railway station. You can approach it from the railway station, but it might be simpler to travel northeast on Nicholson Road from Qila Gujjar Singh Chowk, and continue straight across Allama Iqbal Road (formerly Mayo Road), past the Presbyterian Church and Boharwala Chowk. The comparatively narrow road veers left, terminating in a dead end at a gate guarding the railway platform beyond the fence.
On the left is a gate behind which is situated a mosque built by Dai Anga Zeb-un-Nisa, a wet nurse of Emperor Shah Jahan. Her family had been closely associated with the Mughal imperial family her husband Morad Khan served Jahangir as Adawlati or Magistrate of Bikaner, and her son Muhammad Rashid Khan, reputed to be one of the best archers in the kingdom, died fighting in the service of Shah Jahan's eldest born Dara Shikoh. Zeb-un-Nisa herself was highly regarded by Shah Jahan.
Passing through the gate one is overawed by the magnificent structure of. Dai Anga's mosque. Although a lot of restoration work has been carried out on the building—much appears to belong to later-period restorative efforts—it cannot take away from the magnificence of the original structure.
The design of the mosque is based on a single-aisle 3-bay plan form—a comparatively simplified version of the spectacular mosques built by the Mughals. The prayer chamber is divided into three compartments by means of lateral arches. The central bay, larger than the others, has exceptionally rich decoration. The usual arched recess sunk deeply into the western wall serves as the mihrab. It is crowned, like its flanking counterparts, with a high double dome placed on squinches composed of eight small arched panels. The side bays, less elaborately decorated, have double domes resting on pendentives. The central compartment has a pronounced projection created by means of an engrailed arch and a half-dome embellished with tiled panels. The projected frame is marked with slender pilasters on either corner, while at the two eastern corners of the prayer chamber are square minarets surmounted with a carved platform on which once rested the kiosk.
The exterior surface of the projection, as well as the flanking compartments, have been divided into numerous decorative panels of various shapes, sizes, and designs and filled with fluoridate patterns created by means of mosaic kashi. The dominant colours used in the tilery, here as well as in the interior panels, are blue, orange, and yellow. The treatment of facade into panels, embellished with scintillating multicoloured tile mosaic, a favourite decorative medium during Shah Jahan's days, yields one of the most spectacular facades of the period. The domes are plastered, but possess pronounced cavettos, reminiscent of similar treatment at the Moti Mosque of Lahore Fort. A 19' diameter dome in the middle flanked by two 16' domes, along with corner minarets, adds to the imposing character of the mosque. The central lofty Timurid iwan alcove, flanked by two smaller ones, as embellished as the facade, along with their decorative kalib kari or stalactite squinches represent the best of the Shahjahani Period.
The tall minarets rising from a square base on the two front extremities are terminated with kiosk-like structures carrying cupolas. Although simply treated today, they were no doubt once decorated with tile mosaic in the manner of those found in the mosque of Shah Jahan's grandee, Wazir Khan. The 84' wide platform, no doubt once part of the mosque courtyard, is paved with beautifully laid brick flooring divided into a simple square pattern. Within the courtyard in which the building stands, an ablution tank has been found, and traces exist of what may prove to be a second tank.
It is believed that the mosque was built in 1045 AH/1635 AD, before Dai Anga went to perform Hajj. However, the inscription in the mosque is said to date it to 1060 AH/1649 AD. The mosque was well-maintained and frequented by worshippers, due to the waqf (bequest) by Dai Anga of her extensive property for the maintenance of the mosque. Once the Mughal Empire declined, this mosque, along with many other Mughal monuments, did duty as Ranjit Singh's military magazine. After the annexation of the Punjab by the British, Henry Cope, editor of the newspaper 'Lahore Chronicle' must have been pleased to have been allowed its use as his residence. However, later when the area, once known as Mohallah Dai Anga and populated by Mughal nobility, was acquired by the Punjab and Delhi Railway Co., Cope sold the mosque-residence to them for Rs. 12,000, and they converted it into the office of the traffic manager, Punjab Northern State Railway.
After Lord Curzon expressed his horror at the debased usage many of the historic monuments had been put to, in 1903 Dai Anga's mosque was returned to the Muslims of Lahore.
Data Durbar Complex
Data Durbar is the tomb of Hazrat Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri, the famous Sufi saint of South Asia, where hundreds of thousands of people come each year to pay their respects and to say their prayers. It is located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The large complex also includes Jamia Hajveria, or Hajveri Mosque.
Saleh Kamboh Mosque
Muhammad Saleh is well known as the court chronicler during Shah Jahan's reign, and his Aml-e-Salih or Shahjahanama is one of the most important original sources of Shahjahani events, and considered "proof of the author's great literary attainments and skill as writer of Persian poetry and prose." The mosque is said to date from 1070/1659 - 1079/1668-69 and is also known as the Chinianwali Masjid because of the extraordinary mosaic tile work (kashi kari) for which the reign of Shah Jahan was famous. Although it was completed during Aurangzeb's reign, but the usual Shahajahani features—multifoil arches, stalactite squinches, delicately executed floral arabesque and interlacement in kashi and fresco—are in evidence. Not surprising since it was constructed under the supervision of Shah Jahan's court historian. The mosque, small in size, based on a single-aisle 3-bay arrangement, is approachable through steps, and is surmounted by three domes. Because of space restriction instead of a permanent one there is a small removable pulpit which is stored away after the sermon. Its brick lined courtyard offsets the scintillating mosaic tilework on the east facade of the mosque to advantage. It is located in the Mochi Gate area of the walled city.
Suneri Mosque
Sonehri Mosque, also known as Masjid Talai (Talai=sonehri or golden), is a late-Mughal structure built by Nawab Bhikari Khan, son of Raushauddawla Turrabbaz Khan, Governor of Lahore during the viceroyalty of Mir Moinul Mulk or Mir Mannu (d. 1753), well known for his victorious battle with Ahmad Shah Durrani in Sirhind (1748).
Bhikari Khan himself acted as confidante of Mir Mannu's wife, who, on the death of her husband, acted as regent for her infant son. Known for his piety, Bhikari Khan constructed his mosque in Chowk Kashmiri Bazaar. According to epigraphical evidence provided on the facade of the prayer chamber, the mosque was built in 1749. The somewhat irregular plan of the mosque and necessity of providing two access staircases was due to the constrained site conditions. Although he was permitted to occupy an open space in the chowk (square) he could not persuade the religious authorities to allow incorporation of an existing small mosque into the new structure. Historian and Engineer Kanahhiya Lal credits Deputy Commissioner Lahore, Captain Nisbet in bringing Bhikari Khan's concept to fruition one hundred years later, by demolishing the small mosque in question and incorporating the space within Sonehri Mosque compound.
Built on a raised vaulted platform about 11 feet above the surrounding level, the structure covers a rectangular area measuring 102 feet by 45 feet. The basement is composed of deep, narrow cells. A flight of sixteen steps has been provided against a small entrance gate on the east. An open courtyard measuring 65 feet by 43 feet, with an ablution tank 25 feet by 27 feet, has been provided in front of the prayer chamber, measuring 40 feet by 16 feet. The northeast and southeast corners of the prayer chamber have minarets which rise 46 feet 9 inches, crowned with blind pavilions. The eastern facade of the prayer chamber, including the corner minarets, is lime-plastered, with panels of various sizes which originally had fresco decoration.
The prayer chamber is a single-aisle 3-bay structure, surmounted by 3 distinctive copper domes carrying polished gilding, which due to its shine, is visible from a great distance. Its four minarets marking the four extremities are also capped by golden cupolas, and are a reconstruction since their collapse in the earthquake of 1905.
The prayer chamber is divided into three compartments by four centered cusped arches carried on jambs nearly three feet thick. The central bay, nearly square and measuring around 15 feet, is bigger than those flanking it. In the centre of the western wall is the mihrab, balanced by similar niches in each of the two side bays. Pointed arched openings are provided in the eastern facade. The entire interim is decorated with frescos work. However, much of it was badly repainted later.
The roof of the mosque carries double bulbous domes with a high neck at the springing level, on which there is a row of pseudo-acanthus leaves. The domes are crowned with pinnacles and gilded. The core of each dome is of masonry, over which a casing of wood has been applied. Copper plates have been fixed over the wooden casing. The central dome is the largest.
The foresight of Bhikari Khan in elevating the mosque above shops—the rent from shops providing a source of revenue—ensured the upkeep of the mosque even during most of the Sikh rule. It was only when the Garanth Sahib (Sikh Holy Book) was placed in the adjacent baoli (stepped well) of Ranjit Singh, that complaints of disturbance from the azan (Muslim call for prayers) began to be voiced by the Sikh community. The orders of Ranjit Singh for dispossessing the imam (the custodian of the mosque) and placing the Garanth in the mosque were received with dismay by the Muslim populace. According to Kannahiya Lal it was the efforts of Fakir Azeezuddin and Nooruddin in enlisting support of Gullu Mashki (the watercarrier in high favour with Mahrani Jindan), to influence Ranjit Singh that resulted in the reversal of the Sikh ruler's decision. The undertaking given by the imam included reduced pitch of the azan and forfeiting the rent of the shops attached to the mosque.
Wazir Khan Mosque
This spectacular monument was built by the famous Subehdar (Governor) of the Punjab (1041/1632), Hakim Aliuddin (sometimes also referred to as Ilmuddin) in 1634. Hailing from the Punjab town of Chiniot on the banks of the river Chenab, Aliuddin had been employed by shahzada (prince) Khurram (later Emperor Shah Jahan) as a hakim (physician). He rendered great service to the prince during the various campaigns, and became one of the most trusted aides of the emperor—it was Aliuddin, along with Prince Shah Shuja, who was entrusted with the task of bringing the body of the deceased queen Mumtaz Mahal from Burhanpur to Agra to be buried in the Taj Mahal. Granted the title of Wazir Khan in 1620, he was raised to the mansab (title) of 5000 foot and 3000 horse (panj-hazari) on Shah Jahan's accession to the Mughal throne (1037/1628). It is the same Wazir Khan, who was entrusted with the building of the Khwabgah and Hammam-e-Badshahi in Lahore Fort, just before Shah Jahan embarked on his journey to Kashmir in the summer of 1634 from Lahore—his first visit to the Punjab capital after ascending the throne.
The mosque is located about a furlong from the Delhi gate and off the Kashmiri bazaar. Traversing the bustling bazaar through a gateway, beyond which the towering minaret of Wazir Khan's mosque beckons you, you turn left into the chowk named after the builder of the mosque. The chowk outside the mosque probably once formed an important part of the plan of the old city of Lahore. The mosque was so located in the centre of the city that all the major routes and bazaars were linked with it at right angles.
The chowk or jilau khana is enclosed by other Mughal structures incorporating overlooking balconies. Although much dilapidated today, they were built by Wazir Khan and bequeathed to the mosque for its maintenance. In view of the lack of a jamia masjid in the fort during Shah Jahan's reign—Badshahi Masjid was built later—Wazir Khan's mosque served as imperial Jamia Masjid, utilized by the emperor and his grandees and large retinue to offer Friday prayers. Until the construction of Badshahi Mosque, surely, the emperor and his entire retinue, exiting from Akbari Gateway of the Fort, traversed the route via Masti Gate Bazaar, Chunna Mandi Chowk, Kotwali Walla Bazaar and Chowk Kotwali to arrive at the wonderfully decorated Wazir Khan Mosque.
The mosque is situated on a raised platform and is reached by a flight of steps to the east. The imposing east doorway—a lofty aiwan or Timurid peshtatq with its decorative muqarnas semi-domical roof, flanked by decorative oriel-like projecting balconies on the upper level—beckons you into its octagonal vestibule. The six steps in this wide passage lead to a platform under the front niche of this gate; another step leads to the centre of a covered octagonal court, the central domed position of this gate. This central roofed area is connected by steps on all four sides: one enters from the east and north through a stepped passage, and from this same centre, opposite the east entrance, one crosses several steps to the west to enter the courtyard of the mosque.
To the north and south of the great octagonal forecourt stretch out galleries with double rows of arcade chambers, each with a sixteen feet wide passage between. This part of the mosque, known as the forecourt, was a novel innovation in the evolution of the mosque plan. The central octagonal court also has double rooms in each of its four corners, probably reserved for the gatekeepers of the mosque. This arrangement is repeated on the upper story of this position. The northern and the southern sides of the main court of the mosque have eleven rooms each, of which those adjacent to the aiwan and minars are double, and probably were reserved for the library attached to the mosque, indicating that apart from serving as a place of worship, this mosque served as a college.
As you step into the enormous sunlit courtyard, 160' x 130', you could hardly have prepared yourself for the splendid piece of architecture that presents itself. This oasis of beauty, elegance and calm overpowers you as you stand in the mosque courtyard, framed by the praying chamber on the west, khanas or study cloisters for religious scholars on the north and south, and the deorhi with entrance cubicles on the east. The whole building presents a dazzling view of tile-mosaic and frescoes of extraordinary beauty, which could hardly have been imagined when you battled through the narrow winding streets filled with jostling crowds.
The arrangement of the 5-bay single aisle prayer chamber 130' long, framed by simple cusped arches carried on deep piers, is reminiscent of the Maryam Zamani (Begam Shahi) Mosque. The central dome, rising higher than others, accents the elegantly detailed mihrab, the ingenious construction of double domes carrying the voice of the imam to the extremity of the courtyard.
The arrangement of kalib kari, a tracery of pendentives, is used in large as well as intricate beehive patterns, giving a special flavour to the building. Its stately octagonal minarets rising to a height of over 100 feet and defining the four extremities of the courtyard, consist of several stages and are capped with a kiosk (chattri) configuration terminated with fluted cupolas, all profusely decorated with the best of Shahjahani tile mosaic. The work was supervised by leading Persian artists who had come to India on the orders of Shah Jahan. One of its most attractive features is the colorful floral and calligraphic designs in glazed tile mosaic work, said to be introduced from Thatta during the 16th century. It is in the decorated panels of this mosque that the cypress as a motif on enameled mosaic work appears for the first time. The improved octagonal minarets, among the earliest of this type in Mughal architecture, are another distinctive feature of the mosque.
The superb calligraphy by well known khattats (master calligraphers) in rendering verses from the Holy Quran and Persian poetry in elegant nastaliq, naskh and tughra forms is itself a treat. The extraordinary blend of calligraphy, geometrical forms and floral decoration along with large-scale scintillating kashi kari (tile mosaic), fresco painting, stone and chunam (plaster) decoration, with taza kari (brick outline fresco) lends the mosque a character entirely its own. Lockwood Kipling was not far wrong when he declared "This beautiful building is in itself a school of design."
In the basement of the courtyard of the mosque is situated the shrine of the saint Syed Muhammad Ishaq Gazruni, who died in the 14th century.
Moti Masjid
Moti Mosque (Pearl Mosque) is located in the Moti Mosque Quadrangle of the Lahore Fort. The mosque stands on a raised plinth of 6 feet 9 inches high. It is approached by a flight of eleven steps through an unpretentious portico at the northwest corner close to the portal of Jahangir's Makatib Khana.
As you step into the irregular octagonal hallway of the mosque, hardly 21' x 25', darkened, and with only a stream of light from the doorway, it is impressive in the composition of its vaults with their lofty proportions. Shorn of all decorative features, its marble dassa (carved edging) on a slightly raised floor featuring alcoves for shoes, alone echoes its lost grandeur.
After removing your shoes, however, as soon as you walk through the low height doorway into the courtyard, you are dazzled by the sunlit courtyard, and equally so by the luminous, elegant white edifice that is exposed to view. The courtyard, measuring 55 feet by 32 feet, is paved with marble slabs and is enclosed on the west by the prayer chamber, on the north and on east by compartments of irregular shapes, and on the south by a wall. The two-bay five-aisle prayer chamber stands on a plinth a little less than a foot high and is marked by a carved decorative string course which runs around the whole courtyard. The prayer chamber measures 55 feet by 25 feet, broken by five curved archways which create five compartments, each further divided by similar arched openings. The mosque is entirely faced with sang-e-murmur (white marble)—from its multifoil arched colonnade and its repertoire of arcuate roofing elements, squinch arches and lozenge muqarnas to flooring and dadoes.
Three compartments of the front aisle, the central one, and those at the extreme ends are covered by domes, while the remaining compartments of both aisles have vaulting. The central compartment of the near aisle contains a mihrab deeply recessed in the back wall within the outlines of a cuspid arch. Adjacent to it on the north stands a mimbar (pulpit) of marble. In each of the other compartments of that aisle, the mihrab is indicated only by the outlines of a cuspid arch which, however, contains a nearly square niche at a height of 3 feet 10 inches from the floor. This feature is repeated in the side walls of both aisles. The floor of the prayer chamber is paved with marble slabs having musallahs marked with a black marble line, while the dado is defined by a double line of black and yellow marble. On the east is a compartment of irregular shape with three arched openings, of which the central one is plain and others are cusped. The eastern compartment is faced with marble and flanked on either side by a rectangular doorway set within the outlines of a cusped arch. The doorway to the north communicates to the portico, while that to the south is an entrance to the staircase ascending at the back of the eastern compartment to the roof. The wall on the south, which is faced with marble, bears the outlines of three cusped arches corresponding to similar arches which enclose the door openings of the northern compartments. The parapet bears pietra dura decoration inlaid with semi-precious stones in marble.
The shallow domes that you see are double domes, devised for better acoustics. The bulbous double domes are covered with marble and have lotus cresting which seems to have been crowned by metallic finials, now disappeared. The central dome, the largest, stands on a raised platform, nearly square, which springs from a circular drum 4 feet high. The platform is ornamented with a band of molding. The other two domes have lower drums and no platforms.
In view of a lack of any historical sources or epigraphic evidence, there are conflicting opinions regarding the authorship of the mosque—whether it is Jahangir or Shah Jahan who should be credited with this splendid piece of architecture. The confusion was compounded by Henry Cope's assertion published in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1858 regarding an inscription that he had found, on "Moti Mandar in the fort" (a Sikh appellation for Moti Masjid). According to Cope a certain Soondur Khan, referring to himself as "the lowest of all slaves of Jahangir, Padshah, son of Jalal-ud-din Akbar Padshah Ghazi," had built the mosque.
However, apart from Cope no other record of this inscription exists, either in the writings of 19th century historians and archaeologists or of later researchers. On the other hand research regarding structural, architectural and decorative elements point towards Shah Jahan as the architect of this singular edifice.
The mosque structure is in a surprisingly well-conserved state—even after having served as government treasury for the British and as a mandir (temple) for Sikhs.
Even though it is a small mosque—implying private and restricted usage—it has all the constituents of a mosque: a sahn or courtyard, a place for wazoo (ablutions) east of the courtyard, hujras (cloisters) for scholars or ulema, and an aiwan (main prayer chamber) with a central mihrab or prayer niche.
Maryam Zamani Mosque
Among the most courtly Mughal monuments is a mosque built by Jahangir's mother—the daughter of the famous Raja of Amber Bihari Mal and sister of Raja Bhagwant Das, later a grandee at Akbar's court—who carried the title of Maryamuzzamani or Mary of the Age.
The earliest extant Mughal mosque is tucked away across the road from the eastern fortification of Shahi Qila (the fort). To locate this remarkable mosque, also known as Begam Shahi Masjid, it is best to follow the street opposite Akbar's Masjidi Darwaza (Masti Darwaza in common parlance)/Akbari Gateway of the fort. This mosque is celebrated for two very important features: the double domes with which the prayer chamber is crowned, and the exquisite fresco paintings on the interior surface. The mosque covers an area 135 feet by 127 feet. Constructed of brick masonry and rendered with plaster, it is a massive structure representing a transitional phase of architecture between the Lodhi and the Mughal periods. The lofty aiwan gateway at the mosque's north entrance, provides access to the courtyard (128' x 82'), a few feet below the adjacent road level. Once boasting three lofty entrances (on north, south and east facades), the mosque today is hemmed in by later constructions, almost entirely concealing this jewel-like edifice.
The courtyard was originally enclosed by cloisters consisting of rows of cells on the north and south, some portions of which still exists. On the east along the gate is a 17-foot-wide platform, on which stands an enclosure consisting of an octagonal domed tomb and some other modern graves.
In the centre of the courtyard is a tank for ablutions measuring 31 feet 5 inches by 26 feet 3 inches, now much repaired. A modern roof of reinforced cement concrete supported by two rows of round pillars partially covers the tank. The courtyard must have been paved with brick tiles in usual Mughal fashion, but it has now been completely re-laid in modern brick. On the northwest and southwest corners beside the prayer chamber are the old staircases leading to the roof. Similar staircases on the northeast and southeast corners led to the roof of the cells. Only traces are left now.
The prayer chamber of the mosque is an oblong structure measuring internally 130.5 feet from south to north and 34 feet from east to west. It has five compartments divided by heavy engaged arches supported by massive jambs and surmounted by high domes. The central double dome is the highest, placed on a high, round neck (11 feet 1 inch). The double dome consists of two shells, the inner one being of stucco. A wooden frame connects the two shells for reinforcement. The outer shell (3.5 feet thick) has a small arched opening to the west. The front openings of the chambers, five in number, possess four central arches, the central one being the highest, with a high parapet and a projected frame. The whole outer surface of the front has been treated with thick lime plaster, creating decorative arched panels in recess.
Inside the prayer chamber, there is a series of high, deep arched recesses set in all five compartments on the west. The central mihrab has an engrailed arch treated specially with profuse stucco ornaments which are geometric, floral, and inscriptional. The half-domed niche of the central arched opening and the mihrab has been filled with low stalactites. The remaining four compartments have the same engrailed arch treatment, though comparatively smaller and less decorative.
At the four corners of the prayer chamber are placed small, square pavilions (6 feet 10 inches) with four arched openings surrounded by cupolas placed on octagonal drums. Originally, the cupolas were crowned with a low cresting and finials, like the five bigger domes over the main prayer chamber. These have now considerably decayed.
The mosque stands out for its unique fresco decoration, with which the whole interior surface of the prayer chamber is replete. The paintings are unrivalled for their delicacy, liveliness, perfection of technique, and variety of subject. The endless variety of geometric, floral, and inscriptional designs spread over the interior surface in a subtle colour scheme is not seen elsewhere. The surface has been divided into various panels of different shapes and dimensions according to the space available, and all the soffits, niches, squinches, arches, dome interiors, and apex are covered with these paintings.
The squinches have been provided with low stalactites painted with small flower twigs, while the adjoining areas are divided into arched panels which have bold interwoven floral patterns. Some of the borders of the panels have geometric schemes of decoration. The patterns have been mainly created by carving slightly incised lines in white. The interior of the dome has similarly been divided into honeycombed geometric patterns, filled with delicate floral tracery. The small space in between is filled elegantly with stars which bear some of the attributes of Allah done in Naskh characters.
The superb combination of colours is also noteworthy. Shades of green, ochre, red, blue, yellow, and black have been used with subtlety. The mosque possesses several inscriptions, both Quranic and non-Quranic, executed exclusively in plaster in high and bold relief, a characteristic first met with here among the historic Mughal monuments of Lahore. Among the non-Quranic inscriptions, the one executed over the arche of the entrance gate and one executed on the high facade of the prayer chamber are important, as they record the name of the founder and the date of completion of the mosque. The inscription in the entrance gate is in Nastaliq characters, and that on the facade of the prayer chamber is in Naskh-Suls.
It was due to the mosque's utilization as a gunpowder factory by Ranjit Singh, that the mosque became known as Barudkhana Wali Masjid. It was not until 1850 that the mosque was restored to the Muslims of Lahore who were able to rehabilitate it with their contributions.
This characteristic of Lahore, is probably the one trait that truly defines its unique culture.
