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The Sunehri Masjid () is an 18th-century mosque in
The Sunehri Masjid () is an 18th-century mosque in Old Delhi
Old Delhi or Purani Dilli is an area in the Central Delhi district of Delhi, India. It was founded as a walled city named Shahjahanabad in 1648, when Shah Jahan (the Mughal emperor at the time) decided to shift the Mughal capital from Agra. Th ...
. It was built by Mughal noble Roshan-ud-Daula, during the reign of Mughal Emperor
The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...
Muhammad Shah
Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah (born Roshan Akhtar; 7 August 1702 – 26 April 1748) was the 13th Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1719 to 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. After being chosen by the ...
. It is located near the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib is one of the nine historical Gurdwaras in Delhi. It was first constructed in 1783 as a small shrine by Baghel Singh to commemorate the martyrdom site of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur and was probably expanded ...
in Chandni Chowk
The Chandni Chowk, also known as Moonlight Square is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. It is located close to the Old Delhi Railway Station. The Red Fort monument is located at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk. It was bu ...
, once an imperial boulevard leading to the Red Fort
The Red Fort or Lal Qila () is a historic fort in Old Delhi, Delhi in India that served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift hi ...
.
The mosque's original appearance has been altered as extensions to accommodate the faithful have been constructed. The mosque is also under threat from encroachment.
History
The Sunehri Masjid was built in the period 1721-1722 by Roshan-ud-Daula, a Mughalamir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...
who was beginning to rise to power in the court of the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. The mosque was dedicated to Roshan-ud-Daula's spiritual mentor, Shah Bhik.
In 1739, the Persian Nadir Shah
Nader Shah Afshar ( fa, نادر شاه افشار; also known as ''Nader Qoli Beyg'' or ''Tahmāsp Qoli Khan'' ) (August 1688 – 19 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian h ...
invaded Delhi. Standing in the Sunehri Masjid, he ordered the plunder of Delhi, which resulted in an immense loss of life and damage to the city.
Architecture
Elevated above street level on a plinth, the Sunehri Masjid is reached by a flight of stairs. The mosque is topped by three bulbous, gilted domes, and features slender minarets. The facade of the mosque bears three arched entryways. The interior of the mosque is divided into threebays
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a narr ...
. Stucco decoration work appears in both the interior and exterior of the mosque, in the form of arabesques and floral motifs.
References
External links
{{Mosques in India Mosques in Delhi Mughal mosques Religious buildings and structures completed in 1722 1722 establishments in India