If Delhi is the heart of India, the historical Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk is its heart beat. Facing the Mughal power, the Red Fort, the Fatehpuri mosque is a mute witness to the unfolding drama of history right from the period of the Mughal empire and British rule till date.
Fatehpuri Masjid was built in the year 1650 by Fatehpuri Begum who was one of Shah Jahan's wives. The mosque is built with red sandstone on a large scale and is crowned by a single dome. This mosque is an example of the magnificence of Mughal architecture and it stands as a silent witness to all the historical events that began from its inception through the British period and until the present day.
PC: Varun Shiv Kapur
Flanked by towering minarets, the mosque has a traditional design with the prayer hall having seven arched openings; and amongst the seven, the central arch remains the highest.
Best Time To Visit
All Muslim festivals are enthusiastically celebrated at the Masjid. These are the appropriate occasions to pay a visit to this Masjid, as they offer the unique opportunity to experience the immense faith and love of the devotees during this time.
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The Gates And The Graves
The masjid has three gates; one is in front of the Red Fort at Chandni Chowk, and the other two are in the North and South directions. Khari Baoli is in the North end and Katra Baryan in the South. The central courtyard is laid with red stones.
One can find a very large tank in the courtyard of the mosque which is made of marble. The tank is used for ablution. The pulpit inside the mosque is built of marble and has four steps. There are rows of red stone pillars, which stand on both sided of the mosque.
PC: Varun Shiv Kapur
In the courtyard, there are more than 20 graves of Islamic scholars. The graves of Hazrat Nanoo Shah, Mufti Mohd, Mazhar Ullah Shah, Maulana Mohd, etc, are some of them here amongst the various others. The mosque has single and double-storeyed apartments on the sides.
The History Of The Mosque
According to history, the mosque was home to the Indian troops in Delhi during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. It is also believed that during the Sepoy Mutiny, the British sold some parts of the mosque to a Hindu merchant, Lala Channa Mal. Later on, the mosque came back to the Muslims in the year 1877. During the Mughal days, the mosque housed some beautiful fountains and a huge central tank but were destroyed by the British troops after the 1857 mutiny.
In 1873, the government wanted to buy back the mosque from Lala Chhanna Mal for Rs 1,20,000 to return it back to the Muslims, but Lala did not agree. However, in 1876, when the then British Queen visited India, who also held her court in Delhi, she ordered the mosque to be returned back to the Muslims.
PC: Varun Shiv Kapur
The main mosque is built on a three-and-a-half feet high platform. There are strips of white marble on the main arch and on the domes of the mosque. The main dome is mammoth in structure and it has been plastered in such a way that from a distance, it would resemble a marble dome, but is actually built by lime mortar.
The mosque has two minarets, each of which is 80 ft high, which are also built using lime mortar. The mosque has a traditional design with the pillared prayer hall made up of multi-lobed arcades and columns.
So, when in Delhi, the Fatehpuri mosque is a must visit to experience the beauty of the structure in totality.