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Basti Khan’s Mosque

KhwajaSara Basti Khan was an important noble in the reign of Sikander Lodi. Though today its in a limited area but he had enclosed an extensive piece of land near Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti and built a mosque, baoli and tomb in it with an impressive gateway as an entrance to it. The tomb was built in 1488 AD.

The Baoli dried up centuries ago but the gateway and tomb survive.

It is the Jama Masjid of Defence Colony.

A  few photographs from my visit thee with Syed Mohammad Qasim follow.

The Gateway

The Madarsa attached to the Gateway

The area between the tomb and mosque has been covered and is used for namaz.

the original mosque is much altered now

 

As it was time for zohar prayers I offered my prayers here

Most people however preferred to pray in the courtyard under a warm wintry sun

Staircase leads upto Basti Khan’s tomb on the top

No sign of the grave now

Since it is now a madarsa and mosque, the tomb is quite neglected. As per Islam concrete graves are frowned upon and so no attention paid to it.Originally there were four chatris on four corners of the tomb but now only one remains.

The interior of the tomb The staircase leading upto the tomb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The brightly coloured ceiling of the mosque

Student of the madarsa

there are no traces of the baoli which was built by him and probably the tank for ablution has replaced it.

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