Toli Masjid (1671 AD), also known as Damri Masjid, is a mosque in Karwan,

Hyderabad, India Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. ...

. It is 2 km from the

Golconda Fort (Telugu: గోల్కొండ, romanized: ''Gōlkōnḍa'') is a historic fortress and ruined city located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was originally called Mankal. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparu ...

fort on the way to

Charminar The Charminar () is a mosque and monument located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Constructed in 1591, the landmark is a symbol of Hyderabad and officially incorporated in the emblem of Telangana The Charminar's long history includes the exist ...

. Built by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar during the reign of

Abdullah Qutb Shah Abdullah Qutb Shah (also transliterated in different ways) was the seventh ruler of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India under the Qutb Shahi dynasty. He ruled from 1626 to 1672. Abdullah, son of Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, was a polyglot, ...

in (1082 AH). This mosque is

INTACH The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is a non-profit charitable organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a special consultative status with Unit ...

awarded and a declared

heritage site A historic site or heritage site is an official location where pieces of political, military, cultural, or social history have been preserved due to their cultural heritage value. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have been rec ...

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander ...

.INTACH
/ref> On scale of architecture Toli Mosque ranks next after Mecca Masjid,

.''India: past & present'', 2003, , by Prakash Chander, Page-148

History

Built by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar in 1671 AD during the rule of

Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...

Abdullah Qutub Shah, it is one of the finest examples of

Qutub Shahi The Qutb Shahi dynasty also called as Golconda Sultanate (Persian: ''Qutb Shāhiyān'' or ''Sultanat-e Golkonde'') was a Persianate Shia Islam dynasty of Turkoman origin that ruled the sultanate of Golkonda in southern India. After the coll ...

architecture. He used architect Mecca Masjid of

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. ...

and royal architect of

Abdullah Qutub Shah. There is a chapter in the royal records called the "Gulzar-e-Asafia." It mentions that when the royal architect was building Mecca Masjid, he was given one damri/damdi (coin) out of every rupee spent on it. The sum of money thus collected was used by Musa Khan to construct the Toli Masjid. Hence, this masjid is also called Damri Masjid.

Architecture

Jali_wall_and_Minarets_on_the_facade_of_Toli_Masjid

The mosque is built on a raised platform with a high plinth, divided into two halls, the outer one having five-arched openings, among five outer arches the central arch is the largest and most decorated. The central arch is a bit wider and more ornate than the remaining four. The inscription in the prayer hall reveals that Musa Khan (who played an important role in the accession of the last

Qutb Shahi The Qutb Shahi dynasty also called as Golconda Sultanate ( Persian: ''Qutb Shāhiyān'' or ''Sultanat-e Golkonde'') was a Persianate Shia Islam dynasty of Turkoman origin that ruled the sultanate of Golkonda in southern India. After the coll ...

Sultan,

Abul Hasan Qutb Shah Abul Hasan Qutb Shah, also known as Abul Hasan Tana Shah was the eighth and last ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, sovereign of the Kingdom of Golconda in South India. He ruled from 1672 to 1686. The last Sultan of this Shia Islamic dynasty, Tan ...

to the throne of

) built the mosque. The Musa Burj (bastion) of the

fort is also his work.

Deterioration

According to ''

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...

'', the land around the Toli Masjid had been encroached by the local residents under political influence, and due to pollution and lack of maintenance the mosque minarets are losing its carved beauty.Indian Ecological Society
/ref>

Gallery

File:Architectural detail on Entrance arches of Toli Masjid.jpg, Architectural detail on Entrance arches of Toli Masjid File:Architecture of Toli Masjid 1.jpg, Architecture of Toli Masjid 1 File:Entrance arches of Toli Masjid 5.jpg, Entrance arches of Toli Masjid 5 File:Jali wall and Minarets on the facade of Toli Masjid.jpg, Jali wall and Minarets on the facade of Toli Masjid File:Jali Window on Toli Masjid.jpg, Jali Window on Toli Masjid

References

{{Hyderabad topics Mosques in Hyderabad, India Tourist attractions in Hyderabad, India Heritage structures in Hyderabad, India Hyderabad State 1671 establishments in India Religious buildings and structures completed in 1671 Qutb Shahi architecture

History

Architecture

Deterioration

Gallery

See also

References