Mubarak Begum Mosque: Difference between revisions

The '''Mubarak Begum Mosque''' also known as '''Tawaif ki Masjid''' is a 19th-century historical red [[sandstone]] mosque belonging to the [[Mughal Empire]] located in [[ Hauz Qazi]], [[Shahjahanabad]], [[Delhi]],  the Chawri Bazaar metro station in India. The mosque is also referred to as courtesan's mosque. On 19 July 2020, the central dome of the mosque collapsed due to heavy rainfall.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Heavy rains damage 200-year-old mosque in Indian capital|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/heavy-rains-damage-200-year-mosque-indian-capital-200720105454211.html|access-date=2020-07-20|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Shekhar|first=Himanshu|date=2020-07-20|title=Central dome of iconic Masjid Mubarak mosque in Old Delhi collapses in rain|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/masjid-mubarak-mosque-central-dome-falls-photo-old-delhi-delhi-rains-635588|access-date=2020-07-20|website=www.indiatvnews.com|language=en}}</ref> It was reported that only a part of the dome was crashed down around 6:45 am.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Delhi rains: Downpour damages central dome of 200-year-old Masjid Mubarak Begum|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2020/jul/20/delhi-rains-downpour-damages-central-dome-of-200-year-old-masjid-mubarak-begum-2172216.html|access-date=2020-07-20|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> Currently the mosque is under the custody of Delhi Wakf Board.

The mosque was built in the early decades of the 19th century in 1823 by a nautch girl called Mubarak Begum who also served as a courtesan in the Mughal court.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Central dome of heritage mosque 'Masjid Mubarak Begum' in Old Delhi damaged in heavy rain|url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/central-dome-of-heritage-mosque-masjid-mubarak-begum-in-old-delhi-damaged-in-heavy-rain-6384261.htm|access-date=2020-07-20|website=cnbctv18.com|language=en-US}}</ref> The mosque was built during the [[Mughal era]]. She was born into a poor rajput family initially pursued her career as a dancing girl in [[Pune]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Twitter Remembers Mughal Courtesan Mubarak Begum as Delhi Rain Damages 19th Century Mosque|url=https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/twitter-remembers-mughal-courtesan-mubarak-begum-after-delhi-rain-damages-her-19th-century-mosque-2724847.html|access-date=2020-07-20|website=News18}}</ref> Begum was also married to [[David Ochterlony]] who was a two time British resident to Mughal emperor's court in Delhi in 1802 and in 1822. After the death of Mubarak Begum in 1878, the control of the mosque was taken over by the British government.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-20|title=Masjid Mubarak Begum: The story behind ‘Rundi ki masjid’, built by an ambitious Mughal concubine|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/research/masjid-mubarak-begum-the-story-behind-rundi-ki-masjid-built-by-an-ambitious-mughal-concubine-6514901/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> It is one of the three mosques to be constructed by women in medieval India.<ref>{{Cite web|last=SALAM|first=ZIYA US|title=Dome of two-centuries-old Mubarak Begum Masjid collapses in Delhi rain|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/dispatches/dome-of-two-centuries-old-mubarak-begum-masjid-collapses-in-delhi-rain/article32140957.ece|access-date=2020-07-20|website=Frontline|language=en}}</ref> Some sources state the mosque was built by the David Ochterlony in memory of Mubarak Begum.