200-year-old Walled City mosque in Delhi awaits repair since 2020 damage

Local residents who still pray at sandstone structure say that the authorities have made no efforts in the last three years to restore the historical structure.

In its 200th year of existence, the terracota-painted Masjid Mubarak Begum stands forlorn at probably the most important intersection in the Walled City, missing its central dome that collapsed during heavy rains in July 2020.

The central dome of Masjid Mubarak Begum at Hauz Qazi Chowk collapsed in July 2020 due to heavy rains. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Local residents who still pray at the sandstone structure say that the authorities have made no efforts in the last three years to restore the historical structure.

The mosque is located at the Hauz Qazi Chowk -- the intersection where roads from Chawri Bazar, Bazar Sitaram, Ajmeri Gate and Lal Kuan-Khari Baoli merge. It was commissioned in 1822 by Mubarak Begum, the wife of David Ochterlony, the first British Resident of Delhi to the Mughal court.

The Delhi Waqf Board, which is the custodian of the mosque, had inked an agreement with the World Monument Fund — a non-profit organisation that provides direct financial and technical support for the preservation of heritage sites across the globe — in 2021. But efforts could not take off since the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) failed to give a clearance. Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) is a committee setup under the chairmanship of Special Secretary / Additional Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development for protection of Heritage Buildings, Heritage Precincts and Natural features in Delhi.

Mehfooz Mohammad, section officer, DWB, said, “The heritage conservation committee did not give clearance for repairing the dome. The committee said that the entire mosque needs to be taken up for repairs and not just the dome. The board doesn’t have the funds to undertake such a mammoth exercise.”

Besides the fallen dome, strectural cracks are present on the walls and arches. Due to water seepage at various parts, the structural safety of the mosque has also weakened. During the monsoon, water also seeps into the walls of the shops below.

According to the minutes of an HCC meeting that took place on January 28 last year, a sub-committee comprising four members from HCC and a member of erstwhile North DMC inspected the site on December 14, 2021. Member of Delhi Waqf Board, WMF and a conservation architect too were present. In its report, the sub-committee noted that the heritage structure had been exposed to harsh weather conditions and has developed visible defects in the building including cracks, holes, and chipped surfaces.

“Long structural cracks have been noticed on parts of the building including the dome, walls and arch opening. Seepage patches have been seen on several locations along the crack line, seepage is further deteriorating the masonry works of buildings,” noted the committee. It suggested that a structural audit of the whole structure is conducted and strengthening measures are taken up to prevent further deterioration of the mosque. As per the minutes, HCC accepted the recommendations of the subcommittee and sought more details from the board and the architects regarding comprehensive conservation that will be carried out.

Mehfoooz Mohammad, section officer, Delhi Waqf Board, said that the HCC did not share the minutes of the meeting with it nor did it give any NOC for carrying out conservation. “The HCC did not give us any NOC stating that subject to the conditions of the meeting, we could proceed with conservation,” said Mohammad. He added that the board did not have conservation experts or funds required for undertaking lareg scale repairs.

Local resident Nek Mohammad said it was an utter neglect of the city’s historical legacy. Mohmmad ,who works in a shop at Hauz Qazi Chow, said, “The dome was damaged almost three years ago. After the incident, a notice was posted outside the structuren saying that the mosque is not safe, and anyone praying there is responsible for their safety. After such a long period, nothing has been done for the mosque’s repair. A historical mosque on the main road stands without a dome but no agency is concerned about restoring our historical legacy.”

A resident of the nearby Kucha Pandit, Mohammad added that worshippers and local area residents were ready to contribute for repair work but no intervention was being allowed. “Neither is the board (waqf board) is doing anything nor is it allowing anyone else to undertake the necessary work. People are willing to contribute and repair the mosque but there is no official permission,” said Mohammad.

A shop keeper who performs namaz at the mosque said that the waqf board has done little to resolve the various challenges plaguing the mosque. “The dome is damaged, water supply at the mosque is in a disarray but the board is not concerned. We grew up watching the mosque and offering prayers here so it’s disappointing to see it deteriorate,” said the Turkman Gate resident, who asked not to be named.

Naved Mustafa, a Lal Kuan resident, who is among the regular worshippers at the mosque, said that the structure had not been conserved in a long time and it struggled with water seepage during monsoon. “With its central dome missing, the mosque looks incomplete. It’s a historical mosque but nothing has been done to fix the damage. Everyone can see that the dome is missing yet no government agency is taking any measures to repair the structure,” said Mustafa.

Author and historian Swapna Liddle said that the mosque is a significant place of historical importance and agencies needed to take up responsiblity for their upkeep. “Masjid Mubarak Begum is a historical mosque as well as a living mosque in the city. A monument of such significance needs support. The Waqf Board needs to take up responsibility and figure out how it will mobilise money for conservation. If the HCC has made suggestion, the board should act upon on them,” said Liddle.

She added that Begum remained active for a long time and was a frequent visitor at the courts of Bahadur Shah Zafar and Akbar Shah. “Mubarak Begum commissioned the construction of the mosque and lived in a haveli next to it. In her time, she was quite well respected and exercised much influence. People who wanted to approach Ochterlony would go through her. She was popularly called ‘Generalee Begum’ because Ochterlony was known as General Ochterlony,” said Liddle.