Sunehri Masjid, Red Fort: Then and Now

ranasafvi — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 05:55:32 +0000

[Shelfmark: Add.Or.5475 British Library [From ‘Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi commissioned by Metcalfe]
This beautiful mosque was built by Javed Khan Khwaja Sara in 1747AD. Khwaja Sara was the title given to eunuchs who were an integral part of medieval India. They guarded the harems and were also confidants of the Emperors and women of the harem.
Javed Khan was a favourite of Nawab Qudsia Begum, wife of Emperor Mohammad Shah and mother of Emperor Ahmed Shah. He was in charge of the harem and given title of Nawab Bahadur. Qudsia Begum, also known as Udham Bai, was very powerful in the initial years of Mohammad Shah’s reign. When her son, Ahmand Shah, succeeded to the throne in 1748 Qudsia Begum and Javed Khan became centres of power.

There is a beautiful gate which leads upto the courtyard and the mosque.

It was the time of Zohar prayers when we went there and the faithful were gathered there.
The uniqueness of this mosque is tat it’s made of sang e basee a light salmon coloured stone which is not usually used in mosques.

The mosque is surmounted by three domes, which were originally gilt with copper from which it derives its name.

The faithful gathered for prayers, leave their footwear outside as is prescribed for holy places.
The mosque has a main prayer hall and two minarets. These minarets were also gilded but were damaged and replaced by sang e basee by Bahadur Shah.
The central arch of the mosque bears an inscription about the builder of the mosque and date of its construction.

In 1852, Bahadur Shah II had the mosque repaired and replaced the copper plates of the domes with sandstone facing.

Asif Khan Dehlvi waits patiently for me as I am busy clicking pictures.
Thomas Metcalfe in his Imperial Delhi writes
” The natives of India though willing to erect expensive edifices in order to perpetuate their own names, are not equally liberal in repairing the public works of their predecessors.
The Nawab Ahmud Bukhsh Khan, father of the wretched Nawab of Ferozepoor, was an exception to this rule, for he repaired the Mosque in question with a view to the benefit of the neighborhood. Soon after when passing by with his second and favorite son, he was attacked by an infuriated elephant, who killed one of the horses and dashed the vehicle to pieces.
The Nawab and his son were only saved from destruction by the proximity of this mosque in which they were able to take refuge.
This incident has added not a little to the interest of the building.”

Shelfmark: WD179
Pencil and wash drawing of a mosque at Delhi by Thomas (1749-1840) and William (1769-1837) Daniell, dated 23 February 1789.
If you see carefully you will see that this sketch from 1789 is very different from today. A lot of the buildings were destroyed by The British post 1857.
The entrance has a small area which has now been given to the birds which flock most old monuments
The Green grass near it attract weary people and provide a place to rest

Sunehri Masjid or Golden Mosque of Chandni Chowk

ranasafvi — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 09:05:31 +0000

Alexander Cunningham the grand old man of ASI wrote that , “Some buildings maybe remarkable only for their historical interest, but they are worth preserving on that account alone, although they maybe otherwise insignificant. Such,for instance, is the small mosque of Raushnud daulah in the Chandni Chauk of Delhi, where Nader Shah sat for several hours while plunder and massacre were going on all around him.”

A painting by Ghulam Ali Khan in the 1850s.
Masjid Roshun ood Daulah near the Kotuabe at Delhee.
Now

The history of Nadir Shah by Abdul Karim, says that a rumour had been spread in the city that Emperor Mohammad Shah had assasinated Nadir Shah in the citadel. The Qazilbash or soldiers of Nader Shah were attacked by the citizens of Delhi,and it is said about 3000 were killed. By midnight the report of these happenings reached Nader Shah who at first disbelieved it. The orderlee he sent to enquire was murdered. Then Nader Shah ordered 2000 Jazarchees to occupy the gates of the Fort and fire into the crowd. For a while the disturbance abated but by morning it started again. He rode out of the fort to the Roshanud daulah mosque and ordered that no man dressed as a Hind was to be spared.
“On the morning of 22 March, (1739) Nader mounted his horse and rode from the palace to the Roshan-od-Dowala mosque (the former name of Sunehri Masjid). As he arrived there with his men about him, some people threw stones from balconies and windows around the mosque, and a shot was fired, killing an officer beside him. He had already made up his mind, but this final insult may have added fury to Nader’s frustration. He went to the roof of the mosque and stood by the golden domes, looking out over the houses, shops and roof of the Chandni Chowk district. He ordered that no one should be left alive in any part where any of his soldiers had been killed, and then drew his sword as a signal that the massacre should begin.”
The Sword of Persia: Nader Shah, from Tribal Warrior to Conquering Tyrant, by Michael Axworthy
From 7am to 4pm Delhi was given up to massacre. Emperor Muhammad Shah alarmed at the reports that reached him and sent a messenger to Nader Shah begging for forgiveness; “the tyrant relented and spared the people of Delhi for the sake of Mohammad Shah.”
Another account says that Mirza Mehdi the physician of Nader Shah was seated on the steps of the mosque when Asif Jah, the PRime Minister of Mohammad Shah came with a petition to beg for mercy and Nader Shah forgave the citizens of Delhi and soldiers immediately sheathed their swords.

These photographs are from Jan 2015 when i visited it.
Today unless you know about ot you will give it a miss and never notice its tarnished golden domes.
This mosque is an oblong of 48 feet by 19 feet; it stands on a masonry platform from the level of the road which it overlooks. There is a grill on its unpretending gateway. 8 narrow steps lead up to the courtyard.

There are 3 arched entrances to the mosque which are normally kept locked. They lead to three rooms.
The three rooms are covered by three gilt domes,the centre dome being larger than those on the side.

When i visited it was covered by a green tarp so I couldn’t capture the domes.

From the internet.
There is encroachment from all sides. The stairs leading up.from the courtyard of the mosque lead upto a warren of rooms which are occupied. I climbed up it thinking I could go upto the roof and landed inside someone’s room instead.
Opposite it is the magnificent Sisganj Gurudwara.
The Kotwali of the Mughal era used to be next to this mosque once upon a time.

An adjoining sehan

Encroachment from all sides

sunehri masjid – Rana Safvi

Sunehri Masjid, Red Fort: Then and Now

Sunehri Masjid or Golden Mosque of Chandni Chowk