Finial crowns Delhi's Jama Masjid once again, 2 days before Eid-ul-Zuha

Last month, the DWB had enlisted the help of a conservation firm, comprising former Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), experts to undertake repair work on the 17th-century mosque.

The finial on the central dome of the Jama Masjid, which was damaged in a rainstorm this May 30, has been reinstalled after three weeks of repair work by conservation experts, the Delhi Waqf Board (DWB) authorities have said.

Jama Masjid, (ANI)

Last month, the DWB had enlisted the help of a conservation firm, comprising former Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), experts to undertake repair work on the 17th-century mosque.

Mehfooz Mohammad, section officer, DWB, said the finial (pinnacle) was repaired in less than a month despite the intricate nature of the work involved.

“The pinnacle weighed nearly 950 kilos. The process of removing the damaged portions and then rebuilding those portions was not easy. We were undertaking something that was last done nearly 350 years ago and it took significant effort,” said Mohammad.

Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656, Jama Masjid in the Walled City is not an ASI-protected monument. The responsibility of the mosque’s maintenance rests with the Delhi Waqf Board. However, as a special case, repairs on Jama Masjid have been carried out, from time to time, by the ASI since 1956.

While Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari had sought the assistance of the ASI in repairing the finial.

However, he said that the heritage body did not respond to his request. The Jama Masjid managing committee, chaired by Bukhari, and the waqf board, chaired by MLA Amanatullah Khan, later reached out to conservation experts to undertake repairs.

Mohammad said the finial of another of the mosque domes was also found to be in need of repair and the conservation team is working on that as well.

“The rod supporting the finial mounted on one of the smaller domes has sustained damage over time. The old rod has been removed and is being replaced with a new one,” said Mohammad.

He said work will also be carried out on the mosque’s minaret that was damaged during the thunderstorm on May 30 as well as some other portions of the heritage structure that are in need of urgent repairs.

In fact, several portions of the Mughal-era monument have sustained damage in the absence of conservation efforts in recent years. In June 2021, a slab of red sandstone from one of the minarets had collapsed,damaging the courtyard beneath it.

“The conservation firm comprises retired ASI experts. They also undertook the conservation work on Jama Masjid’s Shahi Gate some years ago. They have the needed expertise and we have asked them to prepare a detailed project report and give us an estimate on funds that would be required for undertaking wider conservation efforts on the mosque,” said Mohammad.