imported>Gowhk8 at 11:52, 21 August 2021

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox religious building
|building_name= Akbarabadi Mosque
|image=
|caption= Akbarabadi Mosque
|map_type=India Delhi|coordinates={{coord|28.6499|77.2379|display=title,inline}}|country = [[India]]
|location= [[Delhi]]
|geo=
|religious_affiliation=[[Islam]]
|rite=
|province=
|territory=[[Delhi]]
|district=[[Old Delhi]]
|consecration_year=
|status=[[Mosque]]
|leadership=
|website=
|architect=
|architecture_type=Mosque
|architecture_style=[[Indo-Islamic architecture|Indo-Islamic]]
|facade_direction=
|year_completed=
|construction_cost=
|capacity=
|length=
|width=
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}}

'''Akbarabadi Mosque''' was a [[mosque]] in [[Delhi|Delhi, India]]. It was built by [[Akbarabadi Mahal]], one of [[Shah Jahan]]'s wives in 1650. One of the several [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] era mosques in [[Old Delhi]], it was demolished by the [[British Raj|British]], following their [[Siege of Delhi|recapture of Delhi]] during the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|1857 Uprising]]. It is believed to have existed in modern-day Netaji Subhash Park locality of [[Old Delhi]].

==History==
Akbarabadi Masjid was built by one of [[Shah Jahan]]'s wives, Akbarabadi Begum. Built in 1650, it took two years to complete. Akbarabadi Begum is said{{who|date=October 2018}} to have translated the [[ Quran]] from [[Arabic]] to native [[Urdu]] at the site of the present Akbarabadi Masjid. It was in honor of her work that she came up with the idea of constructing the mosque at the same site. During its existence, it was one of the many mosques built by Royal Mughal females in [[Old Delhi|Shahjahanabad]], like the [[Fatehpuri Masjid]], Zeenat-ul Masjid, etc.

The mosque was reportedly{{cn|date=October 2018}} standing a good two centuries after its creation, before it fell to the British wrath in the aftermath of the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|1857 Uprising]]. The uprising of 1857 is one of the most important and decisive events in the history of [[British India]]. [[Delhi]] – the capital of the Mughals (see [[History of Delhi]]) was the epicenter of the uprising, which began in the army units posted around [[Delhi]]. While initially successful, the revolt subsequently withered away, due to many reasons, including lack of leadership and coordination, spying by local Indians for the British, etc. (For details, see [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]). [[Delhi]] was the last landmark of 1857 to be captured back by the British. To quell the dissent against [[British Raj|British rule]] from spreading further and prevent it from resurfacing, the British destroyed hundreds of structures in [[Old Delhi]]. The Mughal capital bore the wrath of the British reaction. Any structure that was used as the mutiny base by the sepoys was destroyed (for more details, see [[Siege of Delhi]]).<ref>[http://www.timeoutdelhi.net/client_coverstory/client_coverstory_details.asp?code=394 Why was Old Delhi Railway Station built in the heart of Shahjahanabad? Trisha Gupta]{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Akbarabadi Masjid was one of the mutiny bases which was demolished by the British forces. Its existence has since been legendary and passed on generation after generation. It is not known where the mosque exactly stood, though many local [[Muslim]] residents of Netaji Subhash Park in [[Old Delhi]] consider one particular site to be the possible ground where the mosque once stood.

The debris from the demolished mosque was put on sale and somehow found a noble buyer in [[Syed Ahmed Khan]], who bought the debris and used it in the construction of the [[Sir Syed Mosque]], [[Aligarh Muslim University]].

==Possible discovery==
On 6 July 2012, while digging earth in Netaji Subhash Park area to construct a Metro station, the officials of the [[Delhi Metro Rail Corporation|DMRC]] came across remains of some medieval era construction buried under the ground.<ref>[http://www.ancientdigger.com/2012/07/possible-remains-of-akbarabadi-masjid.html Akbarabadi Masjid found?]</ref> After investigation by the [[Archaeological Survey of India|ASI]], it has been confirmed that the remains belong to the Mughal era due to the material used the style of construction and other things like pottery excavated from the site.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131029214530/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-07/delhi/32577261_1_asi-official-mcd-s-jama-masjid-mosque Relics belong to Mughal era]</ref> It has however, not yet been ascertained if the remains are those of Akbarabadi Masjid or are a part of it. The [[Archaeological Survey of India|ASI]] says that its investigations to establish the exact identity of the ruins are on. The digging by [[Delhi Metro Rail Corporation|DMRC]] has been suspended. It was part of [[Delhi Metro]]'s Phase-3 plan and minor modification to the route may have to be done to adhere to the [[Archaeological Survey of India|ASI]] construction norms in protected heritage areas.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Further-probe-required-on-akbarabadi-ruins-ASI/Article1-886625.aspx |title=Metro plans for alternative location |access-date=19 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031202612/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Further-probe-required-on-akbarabadi-ruins-ASI/Article1-886625.aspx |archive-date=31 October 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The discovery has triggered excitement among local residents, who certainly believe the remains to belong to Akbarabadi Masjid. Following the construction of an illegal brick structure – which endangered the integrity of the ASI excavations – Muslim residents started offering [[namaaz]] at the site of the ruins.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120715043152/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Hundreds-offer-Friday-namaz-at-Akbarabadi-mosque-ruins/Article1-888632.aspx People offer namaaz at possible Mosque site]</ref> Soon after the discovery, the local MLA Shoaib Iqbal began supervising re-construction of the mosque at the same site but it was stopped after orders from the Delhi government. This led to stone pelting and minor arson when the police tried to remove copies of the [[Quran]] and some prayer mats from the site.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Riots-proving-new-headache-for-city-cops/Article1-924668.aspx |title=Riots proving new headache for city cops |newspaper=Hindustan Times |date=5 September 2012 |accessdate=23 October 2012 |author=Hader, Faidan |location=New Delhi |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031214141/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Riots-proving-new-headache-for-city-cops/Article1-924668.aspx |archivedate=31 October 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article3667112.ece | title=High drama at Akbarabadi mosque site | newspaper=The Hindu | date=22 July 2012 | accessdate=23 October 2012 |author1=Bhatnagar, Gaurav Vivek |author2=Kumar, Ashok | location=New Delhi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article3671647.ece | title=Two held for violence at Akbarabadi mosque site | newspaper=The Hindu | date=23 July 2012 | accessdate=23 October 2012 | location=New Delhi}}</ref>

The local civic agency [[Municipal Corporation of Delhi#Trifurcation|North Delhi Municipal Corporation]] had initially banned any activity except offering namaaz at the site.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130126164155/http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/ndmc-bans-construction-at-site-from-where-relics-excavated/1024547.html Construction at relics site banned]</ref> However, on 20 July 2012 the [[Delhi High Court]] issued a ban on any construction and religious activities at the site, reasoning that it was not yet ascertained if the site belonged to some ancient mosque and that for over a century has no religious activity been carried out at the site.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article3661152.ece All activity banned at site]</ref> It also ordered [[Municipal Corporation of Delhi#Trifurcation|North Delhi Municipal Corporation]] to hand over the land to [[Archaeological Survey of India|ASI]] for its investigations to begin.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130126202718/http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/will-ensure-that-hc-directions-on-mosque-are-followed-police/1025332.html Hand over land to ASI: Delhi High Court]</ref> On 25 July 2012 the site was handed over to [[Archaeological Survey of India|ASI]] but the archaeology body said that it would start excavating the site only after the monsoons. Heavy police cover shall be provided to [[Archaeological Survey of India|ASI]] during its work.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article3684867.ece Work on site only after monsoons: ASI]</ref> Following request by [[Archaeological Survey of India|ASI]], the [[Delhi High Court]] on 30 July 2012 ordered [[Municipal Corporation of Delhi#Trifurcation|North Delhi Municipal Corporation]] to demolish the illegal construction and asked for heavy policing to maintain law and order.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120730215118/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Demolish-structure-over-Mughal-era-ruins-Delhi-HC/Article1-905415.aspx Demolish structure over Mughal-era ruins: Delhi HC]</ref> On 11 October 2012, after much delay due to monsoons, the [[Municipal Corporation of Delhi#Trifurcation|North Delhi Municipal Corporation]] sought Paramilitary cover in a bid to start the demolition drive at the site.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-12/delhi/34411463_1_illegal-structure-india-files-justice-sanjay-kishan-kaul | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029183829/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-12/delhi/34411463_1_illegal-structure-india-files-justice-sanjay-kishan-kaul | url-status=dead | archive-date=29 October 2013 | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=Now, corporation seeks paramilitary cover | date=12 October 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Fatehpuri Masjid]]
* [[History of Delhi]]
* [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]
* [[Old Delhi]]
* [[Shah Jahan]]
* [[Siege of Delhi]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Mosques in Delhi]]
[[Category:Archaeological projects]]
[[Category:Destroyed mosques]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1650]]
[[Category:Indian Rebellion of 1857]]
[[Category:Mughal mosques]]
[[Category:1650 establishments in the Mughal Empire]]
[[Category:Former mosques in India]]
[[Category:Attacks on religious buildings and structures in India]]

Akbarabadi Mosque - Revision history

imported>Gowhk8 at 11:52, 21 August 2021