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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox religious building
|building_name= Hijron ka Khanqah
|image= Hijron ka Khanqah1.jpg
|caption= Hijron Ka Khanqah – Wall Mosque and Tombs
|location= [[New Delhi]]
|geo={{coord|28|31|19|N| 77|10|43|E|region:IN-DL_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|religious_affiliation=[[Islam]]
| map_type =India Delhi#India
|province= [[Delhi]]
|territory= [[Delhi]]
|district= [[New Delhi]]
|country = {{Flagicon|India}}, [[India]]
|consecration_year= 15th century
|status= [[Mosque]] and [[Tombs]]
|leadership= [[Sikander Lodi]]
|website=
|architect=
|architecture_type=Mosque and Tomb
|architecture_style=
|facade_direction=
|year_completed=
|construction_cost=
|capacity=
|length=
|width=
|width_nave=
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|materials= [[Sandstone]]
}}

'''Hijron Ka Khanqah''' is an [[Islamic]] monument located in [[Mehrauli]], [[South Delhi]], India. The literal meaning of Hijron ka [[Khanqah]] is a "Sufi spiritual retreat for eunuchs", with the word ''hijron'' (plural of ''hijra'') more widely referring to a specific community of transgender women throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the many monuments located in the [[Mehrauli]] village within the Archeological Park. It is maintained well by the [[Hijra (South Asia)|Hijras]] of [[Turkman Gate]], in [[Shahjahanabad]] (present day [[Old Delhi]]) who are in possession of this 15th-century monument since the 20th century.<ref name=Peck>{{Cite book|last=Peck|first=Lucy|title= Delhi -A thousand years of Building|work=Hijron Ka Khanqha|page=234|publisher=Roli Books Pvt Ltd.|location=New Delhi|year=2005|isbn=81-7436-354-8|url=https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no43813.htm|access-date=2009-07-25|quote =Page 234: --narrow entrance to the Hijron ka Khanqah (15th c) on the left. This wall mosque dates from the Lodi period but became the burial ground for the Delhi eunuchs. It is beautifully maintained and is surprisingly tranquil place, just off the main road}}</ref><ref name=Mehta>{{Cite book|last=Mehta|first=Vinod|title=Delhi & NCR City Guide|work=Hijron ka Khnanqah|page=317|publisher=Outlook Publishing (India)Private Limited|isbn=81-89449-04-4|quote=;;;This is a Lodi period Mosque and Khanqah or convent, which in the early twentieth century came under the possession of the hijras or the eunuch community of the Tukman gate area in Shahjahanabad. The Hijras still possess it and visit Mehrauli on religious occasions to distribute ''langar'' to the poor. The Khanqah also has tombs of several Hijras including one said to be of a hijra known only as Miyan Saheb.}}</ref><ref name=retreat>{{Cite web|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/retreating-into-the-sufis-shadow/380348/|title=Retreating into the Sufi’s shadow|access-date=2009-08-01|author=Aparna Das|publisher=Express India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929192835/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/retreating-into-the-sufis-shadow/380348/|archive-date=29 September 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Hijron Ka Khanqah is a [[wikt:pre-|pre]]-Mughal, [[Lodi dynasty|Lodi]] period, monument dated to the 15th century known for the serene atmosphere that exists at the monument where some [[Eunuch#India|eunuch]]s of Delhi were buried during the [[Lodi dynasty]]'s reign.<ref name=Peck/><ref name=Mehta/><ref name=retreat/> It is also said that Hijras of [[Turkman Gate]] who own this monument now visit the place on religious days to distribute food to the poor.<ref name=Mehta/>

[[Khanqah]] is [[Persian language|Persian]] word. It connotes a religious edifice where [[Muslims]] of [[Sufi]] religious order assemble to achieve spiritual peace and character building.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://agriculture.kosmix.com/topic/Khanqah|title=Khanqah|access-date=2009-08-01|publisher=Kosmix}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Hijras==
{{Main|Hijra (South Asia)}}
[[File:Hidras of Panscheel Park-New Delhi-1994-2.jpg|left|thumb|Hijras of Delhi]]
[[Hijra (South Asia)|Hijra]] generally describes the self-organised spiritual and social community (from either the Hindu or Muslim religious traditions) of transgender women in North India, while in a historical sense it can also denote [[eunuch]]s in the Western sense of the word (as males who have been castrated and who serve as members of a royal or noble court). Both eunuchs and hijra are described in South Asian history and literature. The ancient Hindu epic [[Mahabharata]] literature features a eunuch (castrated servant) named as [[Shikhandi]], while the treasurer during the reign of [[Alauddin Khalji|Allauddin Khalji]] in the early 14th century CE is said to have been a eunuch, and the Mughal Emperor [[Aurangzeb|Aurengzeb]] is said to have engaged a eunuch to harass his father, [[Shah Jahan|Shahjahan]], while the latter was being held in captivity. Meanwhile, the Hijra (transgender) community is associated with the imperial court of the Mughal Empire.

The Hijra are a well organized transgender community, considered by some as a "religious cult" in the sociological sense of the word.<ref name="Hindu">{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/05/19/stories/2003051900560200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040128040658/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/05/19/stories/2003051900560200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2004-01-28|title= Delhi's special people, then and now|access-date=2009-08-19|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=2003-05-19}}</ref><ref name="Freilich">{{Cite book|last=Freilich|first=Morris|author2=Douglas Raybeck |author3=Joel S. Savishinsky |title= Deviance: anthropological perspectives|work=Deviant Careers: The Hijras of India|pages =149–150|publisher= Greenwood Publishing Group|year=1991|isbn= 0-89789-204-6 }}</ref> Many members of the community describe themselves as belonging to a third gender, and are recognised as such by the governments of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. They are a highly visible community in [[North India]], especially as their presence in marriage functions and at the birth of a child in a house are considered auspicious .{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} Such a presence is also one of their source of livelihood. During family functions, they are even invited to dance, sing, clown, do typical drumming and bless the newly weds and the newborn. Though, no specifically enumerated census data is available of their numbers, a rough estimate puts this figure at about 50,000 in [[Mumbai]] and [[Delhi]].<ref name=Hindu/><ref name=Freilich/>

==Structure==
[[File:Hijron ka Khanqah.jpg|thumb|Tombs of eunuchs at Hijron ka Khanqah]]
After entering the premises of the monument through a narrow gate, marble steps lead to a large patio where white colored tombs are seen. There is a small terrace adjoining the tombs. The tombs are enclosed on the west in the prayer direction by a wall mosque.<ref name=retreat/>

Of the many white painted tombs (seen in picture) of Hijras or eunuchs here, the main tomb held in reverence is stated to be of a hijra called Miyan Saheb.<ref name=Mehta/>

==Access==
It is approached through a small gate from the narrow and winding main street of [[Mehrauli]] village. Entry to the tomb is restricted.<ref name=Peck/><ref name=Mehta/> Mehrauli village located in [[South Delhi]] is well connected by road, rail and air to all parts of the country. The nearest rail head is the [[New Delhi Railway Station]], which is {{convert|18|km|mi}} away. The Delhi [[International Airport]] is {{convert|17|km|mi}} away. The monument is located in a narrow lane called 'Chatta Wali Gali' in ward no 6 of main Mehrauli road.<ref name=Mehta/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.anandfoundation.com/monument.asp?MonuCatID=45.|title=Monuments|access-date=2009-08-22|publisher=Delhi Art Central: Anand Foundation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707135440/http://www.anandfoundation.com/monument.asp?MonuCatID=45.|archive-date=7 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Mosques in India}}
{{Delhi|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:15th-century mosques]]
[[Category:Mosques in Delhi]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Delhi]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Delhi]]
[[Category:Transgender topics and religion]]
[[Category:Mehrauli]]
[[Category:Hijra (South Asia)]]
[[Category:LGBT and Islam]]

Hijron Ka Khanqah - Revision history

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