Badshahi Mosque

Government College University, Lahore

Lahore History & Architecture

IDC-1106

TOPIC

BADSHAHI MASJID



















Submitted to:

Dr Anjum Rehmani

Submitted by:

Fariha Arshad (Roll no: 1726-BH-2014)

Ali Haider Chattha (Roll no: 1742-BH-2014)

Fiza Zaidi (Roll no: 1752-BH-2014)

CONTENTS

Introduction

Location

Importance

History

Mosque Under Mughal era

Mosque Under Sikh era

Mosque under British era

Mosque under Pakistan

Renovation of Mosque

Replacement work in 2008

Islamic Relics at Badshahi Mosque

Relics stolen from the mosque

Architecture

Measurements of the Mosque

Courtyard

Red Sand Stone

Prayer Chambers

White Marble













INTRODUCTION :

The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore which was commissioned by the sixth Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and completed in 1673, is currently the second
largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and presently the fifth largest
mosque in the world . It was indisputably the largest mosque in the world
from 1673 to 1986 when the Faisal Mosque was constructed in Islamabad.
Although it was built late in the Mughal era in a period of relative
decline, its beauty, elegance, and scale epitomize Mughal cultural
achievement like no other monument in Lahore.



Construction of the mosque began in 1671 under the orders of Aurangzeb
after he realized that there wasn't sufficient space for the people to
perform their paryers. Fida'i Khan Koka, Aurangzeb's foster brother and the
governor of Lahore was given the duty to monitor the construction of the
mosque. Its grand scale and design is greatly influenced by the Jama Mosque
of Delhi which had been built by Aurangzeb's father Shah Jahan. The plan of
Badshahi mosque is essentially a square measuring 170 meters on each side.

It is one of the favorite tourist destinations, located in Lahore. Being
one of the best landmarks it shows our heritage and Mughal Architecture
which is appreciated not only by Pakistanis but its grace, harmony, beauty
and architecture is appreciated by the whole world.

To appreciate its large size, the four minarets of the Badshahi Mosque are
13.9 ft (4.2 m) taller than those of the Taj Mahal and the main platform of
the Taj Mahal can fit inside the 278,784 sq ft (25,899.9 m2) courtyard of
the Badshahi Mosque, which is the largest mosque courtyard in the world.

In 1993, the Government of Pakistan recommended the inclusion of the
Badshahi Mosque as a World Heritage Site in UNESCO's World Heritage List,
where it has been included in Pakistan's Tentative List for possible
nomination to the World Heritage List by UNESCO.

LOCATION :

The approximate location of the mosque is 31.588089' N, 74.310133' E and is
located in provincial capital Lahore of Punjab.



It is situated on the North West of Lahore near Minar-e-Pakistan and in
fornt of Shahi Qila (Royal Fort). Since the north end of the mosque was
built along the edge of the Ravi river therefore it was not possible to
install a north gate like the one used in the Jama Mosque Delhi, and a
south gate was also not constructed in order to maintain the overall
symmetry. The prominence of the mosque in the imperial vision was such that
it was constructed just a few hundred meters to the west of Lahore Fort. A
special gate facing the mosque was added to the fort and designated the
Alamgiri gate. The space in between--the future Hazuri Bagh garden--was
used as a parade ground where Aurangzeb would review his troops and
courtiers. The Hazuri Bagh appears to be at a lower level than the mosque
since the latter was built on a six meter plinth to help prevent flooding.
Its clear from the above map that the mosque is surrounded by Minare
Pakistan, Sarmadi of Ranjit Singh and currently the Lady Wellingdon
Hospital, adjacent to the Lahore Fort.







Importance

This mosque has a great importance keeping in mind its architecture and its
rich history. It has been a tourist spot over the years and its
architecture holds a great importance and artistical skill of the
architects are admireable. It the time of its construction it was the
largest mosque in the world which made it a place to visit along with that
it had the highest kursi among the mughal monuments at Lahore. Its also the
only monument to have 22 steps to approach its portal. Its notable for
having two prayer chambers and the largest number of minarets at Lahore
having more than 20. Its architectural importance can be noticed from the
fact that it departed the school of Kashikari and was built entirely in
stone. As far as the tourists are concerned, this mosque has been visited
by many famous personalites all over the world including the people from
all walks of life.



Abdul Rahman Sudias leading prayers at Badshahi Mosque in 2007



Abdul Rahman Sudais (Imaam e Kaaba) visited Pakistan and led prayer at
Badshahi Mosque in 2007 which was attended by 100,000 people.











Not only islamic scholars but many international politicians, sportsmen
have shown keen interest in visiting the mosque to witness the Mughal
architecture.

Micheal Vaughn (former England Test Captain) at Badshahi Mosque



HISTORY :

-Mosque under Mughal era (1673-1752)

This mosque maintains the beauty and passion of Mughal era and its one of
the majors tourist attaraction. For the construction of this mosque ,
Aurangzeb Alamgir appointed his foster brother , Muzaffar Khan who is also
known as Fiadi Khan Koka as Governor of Lahore. The supervision of the
construction work of the mosque was also given to him. The mosque was
constructed opposite to Lahore Fort, hence a new gate was built at the
Lahore Fort. This door was opened to "Hazuri Bagh" facing the Badshahi
Mosque. This gate was named as "Alamgiri Gate". It has four domes and eight
minarets; four major minarets and four minors minarets. Under Mughar era it
remianed a place where people would offer their prayers but as the decline
to the Mughal kingdom approached, the mosque was banned as a prayer place
and used for many other purposes.

-Mosque under Sikh rule (1799-1849)

The mosque was mistreated in the Sikh era and suffered great damage to the
architecture and religious prayers were also abondened.





More details regarding to the sikh era are given on the next page.

Mosque converted into stable for horses

On 7thJuly 1799, Ranjit Singh took control of Lahore after the Mughals were
defeated here and then came his decisions which greatly affected the beauty
of this historic building. During the Sikh rule the mosque was badly
mistreated and damaged several times as he used the courtyard of the
mosque for the horses of his army. He aslo made 80 hujras ; small rooms for
study purpose as quarters for his soldiers and as storehouses for weapons.
Ranjit Singh also used Alamgiri gate for his Royal court of audience.

Illustaration of Mosque in Sikh era



In 1841, a Sikh civil war was provoked between Sher Singh (son of Ranjeet
Singh) and Maharani Chand Kaur. During the war Sher Singh used the minarets
of Badshahi Mosque to place light guns called Zamburahs to bombard the
supporters of Maharni who took refuge in Shahi Qila. In one of the
bombardments, there was a hall for public audience in the Lahore Fort
,Dewaan-e-Aam was destroyed. Moreover, there was a tunnel inside the
Badshahi mosque, this tunnel connected Badshahi mosque to the Lahore Fort.
During these Days, this tunnel was filled with Gunpowder. Now there is a
Samadhi of Ranjit Singh behind one of the minarets of the Badshahi mosque.
The mosque faced severe damage to its architecture as it was also affected
badly due to the mistreatment of Sikh's.



Sources claim that the precious materials extracted from the mosque and
Lahore Fort during the Sikh era had been transported to Amritsar to build
the golden temple.





-Mosque under British rule (1852-1947)

The British overpower Sikhs and their rule came in 1846. They aslo
continued the Practice of Ranjit Singh and his son Sher Singh. The British
East India Company joint the Fort with the Mosque through Hazuri Bagh and
Continued the practice; hence making it a military garrison. The 80 hujras
which were made in British era were demolished by the British People and
they rebuilt them to form dalaans or open arcades.





Later in 1939 the Badshahi Mosque Authority started extensive repair work
to restore the mosque.


-Mosque's Return To Muslims And Restoration :


Sensing increasing Muslim resentment against the use of the Mosque as a
military garrison, which was continuing since Sikh Rule, the British set up
the Badshahi Mosque Authority in 1852 to oversee the restoration and return
of the Mosque to Muslims as a place of religious worship. From 1852
onwards, piecemeal repairs were carried out under the supervision of the
Badshahi Mosque Authority. The repairs continued until 1960. Extensive
repairs commenced from 1939 onwards under the oversight of architect Nawab
Zen Yar Jang Bahadur, when the Punjab Premier Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan took
on the task of raising funds for this purpose and were completed at a cost
of 4.8 million.


Badshahi Mosque under Pakistan:


After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Lahore became a part of
Pakistan and so Badshahi Mosque with it. The Government of Pakistan used
holy relics to set up a museum inside main gateway entrance of Badshahi
Mosque. On the occasion of the 2nd Islamic Summit held at Lahore on
February 22, 1974, thirty-nine heads of Muslim states offered their Friday
prayers in the Badshahi Mosque, including, among others, Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto of Pakistan, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya,
Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Sabah III Al-
Salim Al-Sabah of Kuwait. The prayers were led by Mawlana Abdul Qadir Azad,
the then khatib of the Mosque




In 1993, the Government of Pakistan recommended the inclusion of the
Badshahi Mosque as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where it has been added to
Pakistan's Tentative List for possible nomination to the World Heritage
List.

In 2000, repair work was done to the marble inlay in the Main Prayer Hall
of Badshahi Mosque.

Renovation of the Mosque

Due to the lack of maintenance the flooring of the mosque was damaged and
it required renovation to keep the beauty of the monument intact and to
prevent the water from seeping into the foundations of the mosque. Auqaf
department is the caring authority of the mosque and holds the authority to
pay through the finance department. Nawab Zain Yar Jang Bahadur was
appointed the job to build the blueprints for the repairs. The red sand
stone flooring present at the mosque was laid in late 20th century around
1960's. The original floor of the prayer chamber was in cut and dressed
bricks with Sang-e-Abri and Marble designing illustrating the shape of a
prayer mat. After the repairs in 1960 the mosque had again been ignored for
about 4 decades. The picture below shows the deteriorating state of red
sand stone floor at Badshahi Mosque in 2003.

Damaged floor tiles in 2003



Replacement Work in 2008



In 2008, replacement work on the red sandstone tiles of Badshahi Mosque's
large courtyard were commenced. The sandstone used for this replacement was
imported form a place near Jaipur, Rajasthan in India which was original
source of the sandstone used when the mosque was constructed back in 1673.
The Mosque is now almost restored to its original 17th century condition.

The Punjab Archaeology Department (PAD) officials said the PAD was
renovating the Badshahi Masjid after an interval of 27 years.

They said the PAD had planned to renovate the verandah (made up of red
sandstone) of the mosque more than a decade ago. They said the PAD could
not start the work due to lack of funds. They said the PAD had no red stone
experts at its disposal. They said the stone, imported from India, had been
stacked at the back courtyard of the mosque since 1980s.
It said by the P.A.D that the unavailability of the red sandstone in
Pakistan was a main reason behind stacking it. The stone had been used in
architecture and foundation of the mosque, they said.
The rainwater had also played its role in damaging the verandah. The mosque
is owned by the Punjab Auqaf Department and is a protected monument under
the Punjab Special Premises Preservation Ordinance 1985. The maintenance
and repair of the mosque is the responsibility of the PAD.
PAD director general Shahbaz Khan said that previously the work could not
be started, as the PAD had not been provided funds by the Auqaf. He said
the total area of the floor was 0.2 million square foot. He said cracks had
appeared on the verandah due to rainwater.

Islamic Relics at the Badshahi Mosque

Islamic relics belonging to Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W) and his family are
present at the mosque in a museum. The origin of from where these relics
came is debatable as different sources have different claims to the import
of these relics, some sources claim that the British had placed the relics
at the mosque but a report published in BBC stated that

"The shoes are said to have been presented to the emperor Tamerlane on the
conquest of Damascus in 1400. They were eventually brought to the sub-
continent, along with other relics, in the 16th century, during the early
Moghul period. "

So according to this we may come to the conclusion that it were the Mughals
who got hold of the relics in sub continent





Another online source states that

"In the chambers above the gate of the mosque (above center), are housed
relics attributed to Muhammad (PBUH), the Muslims' Holy Prophet, His
Daughter and His Son-in-Law and are said to have been brought to the sub-
continent by Amir Taimur. Owing to the religious sensitivities and respect,
photography of the relics is strictly prohibited."

So its not really known how these relics reached Sub Continent.


Holy relics attributed to Prophet Mohammad at Badshahi Mosque


Holy Relics stolen from the Mosque

A controversy sparked when a pair of holy slippers belonging to Prophet
(S.A.W) went missing from the Badshahi mosque museum in 2002.

The CMIT conducted an inquiry into the theft of the holy slippers on the
order of Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. A pair of the holy
slippers was stolen from the Badshahi Mosque in July last year.

In its inquiry, the CMIT found that the Auqaf department did not take
enough measures to protect the holy relics at the mosque.
The Badshahi Mosque has been under the auqaf department's control since
1961. To protect it's 27 relics, the department deputed a daily-wage
security guard. The inquiry team suggested that there should be at least
three guards from rangers employed on regular basis to protect the relics.
It also recommended that Religious Affairs Director Tahir Raza Bokhari
should be transferred and posted to the Islamic Research Institute, where
he should serve for at least a year. "It will be in the interest of the
department as well as for him," the team added.
The inquiry team, however, found the sacked employees, assistant
receptionist Fahim Siddiqi, a daily wager, and watchman Arshad Mahmood
innocent.
Rejecting the ulema's request to appoint ISI officials for a separate
inquiry, it suggested that the police team should be allowed to continue
its work. The police team has failed to find any clue so far.
The CMIT report said the allegation levelled by Badshahi Mosque's former
Khateeb Maulana Ali Asghar Abbasi that the auqaf secretary, the director
religious affairs and the Punjab archaeology director were involved in the
sale of the holy slippers to Brunei for Rs50 million was baseless.
It, however, confirmed that a delegation of muftis from Brunei had visited
Lahore in July 2000, and took "One Asa and a pair of holy slippers" from
the Badshahi Mosque with the permission of President Gen Pervez Musharraf,
but they had returned those in Aug 2001.
According to the CMIT, the information provided by former auqaf minister
Ghulam Sarwar Qadri that the holy slippers would be recovered from London
was false.

Architecture
The architecture of the Mosque depicts the beauty of Islamic Muhgal
architecture which stands firm even after centuries have passed. Its a
beauty in its own type. The architecture and design of Badshahi mosque is
similar to the Jama Mosque in Delhi India.
Jama mosque Delhi was also built by Mughals. Red sandstone tiles are widely
used in construction of both mosques. Mosque design was inspired by
Persian, Asian and Indian architecture. Despite long span of time mosque is
still in good condition.

Like the character of its builder, the mosque is gigantic and majestic in
its appearance. The internal side of the building has rich decorative work
in stucco tracery (Manbatkari) and panelling with a fresco touch, all in
bold relief, as well as marble inlay.
The external side of the building is decorated with stone carving with
marble inlay on red sandstone, especially of loti form motifs in bold
relief. The embellishment has Indo-Greek, Central Asian and Indian
architectural influence both in technique and motifs.

In many of its construction style like the big square courtyard, the side
aisles (dalans), the four corner minarets, the projecting central transept
of the prayer chamber and the grand entrance gate, is summed up the history
of development of mosque architecture of the Muslim world over the thousand
years prior to its construction in 1673.
The walls of its building were built with small kiln-burnt bricks, lime
mortar (a kind of hydraulic lime) but have a veneer of red sandstone. The
steps leading towards the prayer area are in spotted marble. The prayer
area consists of seven portions by engraved curvature carried on very heavy
dock. These seven portions have also, three double domes with marble
curvature, and remaining have curvilinear domes along with a central beam
in their interior and flat roof above.
There are two inscriptions in the mosque; one is near to entrance and
another of Kalimah in the prayer area under the main high vault.











The measurements of Badshahi, as provided by a sign at the mosque are:
Courtyard: 528 -8 x 528 -4 (Area: 278,784 ft2), divided into upper and
lower levels

Prayer Chamber: 275 -8 x 83 -7 x 50 -6 high, with its main vault 37 -3
x 59 -4 high and a total area of 22,825 sq ft

Corner Minarets: 67 in circumference, 176 -4 high are in four stages and
have a contained staircase with 204 steps.

Central Dome: Diameter 65 at bottom (at bulging 70 -6 ); height 49 ;
pinnacle 24 ft and neck 15 ft high.

Side Domes: Diameter 51 -6 (at bulging 54 -2 ); height 32 ft; pinnacle 19
ft; neck 9 -6 high.

Gateway: 66 -7 x 62 -10 x 65 high including domelets; vault 21 -6 x 32 -
6 high. Its three sided approach steps are 22 in number.

Side aisles (Dalans): 80 in number. Height above floor 23 -9 ; plinth 2 -
7 .

Central Tank: 50 x 50 x 3 deep (Area: 2,500 sq ft)



Minare of the Mosque


Courtyard

The courtyard of the mosque is square in plane and has a water pond in
middle and a 11 arched opening in front.

The courtyard has been divided into two portions. The front lower portion
meant for funeral prayers. At the centre it has an abolution tank meant for
abolution. The water tank is enclosed on four sides by a raised platform
finished by white marble slaps. The top at the inner side is set with
blustrate for the protection and decoration of the tank.


The floor and the surface of the water tank are also finished with white
marble. A fountain is present at the centre and and underground ducts are
present for the disposal of water.The courtyard also has similar
arrangements for the disposal of water.




The Courtyard of Badshahi Mosque

The courtyard is enclosed on North, East and South sides by smalls cells or
Hujras meant for the study of the students. These cells are of two types.
One type has wagonear shape celining and the other rests in squinches. Both
these cells have openings in the courtyard and the outside. The faceds are
dressed in red sand stone which is finished in carving.
In past it may have fresco painting present, which is currently missing.
Abolution tank in the courtyard
Red Sand Stone

The Old Red Sandstone is an assemblage of rocks in the North Atlantic
region largely of Devonian age. It extends in the east across Britain,
Ireland and Norway and in the west along the northeastern seaboard of North
America. It also extends northwards into Greenland and Svalbard. In Britain
it is a lithostratigraphic unit (a sequence of rock strata) to which
stratigraphers accord supergroup status and which is of considerable
importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the
term, ORS is often used in literature on the subject. The term was coined
to distinguish the sequence from the younger New Red Sandstone which also
occurs widely throughout Britain.







The Old Red Sandstone describes a suite of sedimentary rocks deposited in a
variety of environments during the Devonian but extending back into the
late Silurian and on into the earliest part of the Carboniferous. The body
of rock, or facies, is dominated by alluvial sediments and conglomerates at
its base, and progresses to a combination of dunes, lakes and river
sediments.



The familiar red colour of these rocks arises from the presence of iron
oxide but not all the Old Red Sandstone is red or sandstone the sequence
also includes conglomerates, mudstones, siltstones and thin limestones and
colours can range from grey and green through red to purple. These deposits
are closely associated with the erosion of the Caledonian Mountain chain
which was thrown up by the collision of the former continents of Avalonia,
Baltica and Laurentia to form the Old Red Sandstone Continent- an event
known as the Caledonian Olegy.

Many fossils are found within the rocks, including early fishes, arthropods
and plants. The rocks may appear paleontologically barren to amateur
geologists but careful study, particularly with an accomplished fossil
hunter, can uncover pockets of fossils. Rocks of this age were also laid
down in southwest England (hence the name 'Devonian') though these are of
true marine origin and are not included within the Old Red Sandstone





Prayer Chambers


The mosque has two prayer chambers, one at the front and the other at the
back. The front chamber shows eleven arch opening in the front and one each
on north and southern side.



The back prayer chamber has pulpit niche. The floor of the chambers is
divided into musallas with finishing with stones.



The floor of the chamber is divided into Musallas with finishing from
stones.
The pulpit is entirely carved out of white marble and the prayer niche also
has similar material. The dedos are also dressed in stones, The wall
surface of the ceiling is painted over by stucco tacery, fresco painting
and stone inlay.



Provided that the almost that the whole of the exterior of the mosque was
decorated with red sandstone on which bold marble inlay was created but the
interior has decoration of Stucco ornamentation of various colors, The
interior of the entrance vestibule has also been decorated in many colors.
The interior of the central compartment of the Aiwan has white marble
facing the arches of the four sides on which rossettes and stylized
acanthus leaves have been created.



The ceiling of the prayer chamber is also finished in two types, one is of
wagonear shape and other on squinches. The whole fasars of prayer chamber
are finished with red sand stone having white and black marble inlay. They
are floral in geometry. The roof at the top end is decorated with merius.
The roof at the top has 3 domes finished in white marble. The interior of
the arched opening is decorated with fresco painting and stone inlay.

The four lofty minarets at the corner of the courtyard are divided into
different stages and minaret stairs raise from the ground level to the top.
The central arch at the front of the courtyard is enclosed on each side by
a guldasta parallel to it are also built two guldastas at the back.

White Marble

As the favorite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects ,
marble has become a cultural symbol of tradition and refined taste. Its
extremely varied and colorful patterns make it a favorite decorative
material, and it is often imitated in background patterns for computer
displays, etc.
Places named after the stone include Marblehead, Ohio; Marblehead,
Massachusetts;Marble Arch, London; the Sea of Marmara; India's Marble
Rocks; and the towns of Marble, Minnesota; Marble, Colorado; Marble Falls,
Texas, and Marble Hill, Manhattan, New York. The Elgin Marbles are marble
sculptures from the Parthenon that are on display in the British Museum.
They were brought to Britain by the Earl of Elgin.











White marble was also used in the making of Taj Mahal and in many other
mughal monuments. The production of white marble in todays world is taking
place as follows.



Marble production is dominated by 4 countries that account for almost half
of world production of marble and decorative stone. Italy is the world
leader in marble production, with 20% share in global marble production
followed by China with 16% of world production. India is third ranking with
10% of world production, followed by Spain in fourth ranking position with
6% of world production. The other marble producing countries of the world
represent the remaining other half of world marble production.

















BIBLIOGRAPHY


Khan, Ahmad Nabi. Islamic Architecture of Pakistan: An Analytical
Exposition
Islamabad: National Hijra Council, 1990.

Muhammad Wali Ulla Khan. Lahore and its Important Monuments
Karachi: Anjuman Press, 1973.

Rajput, A. B. Architecture in Pakistan
Karachi: Pakistan Publications, 1963.

Wikipedia.com

http://vudesk.com/

Koch, Ebba. Mughal Architecture
New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2002.



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Current Location of Badshahi Mosque




Plan view of Lahore fort and Badshahi Mosque




White Marble and Red Sand Stone Work at Badshahi Mosque




Badshahi Mosque in 1870




Interior of Badshahi Mosque




Ceiling of the Prayer Chamber




Domes of Badshahi Mosque made of White Marble