Delhi Waqf board inks deal to repair Masjid Mubarak Begum, restore it to its former glory

Masjid Mubarak Begum was commissioned in 1822 by Mubarak Begum, the wife of David Ochterlony, the first British Resident to the Mughal court after the British conquest of Delhi

The nearly 200-year-old Masjid Mubarak Begum’s central dome, which was damaged due to heavy rain last year, will be restored to its former glory with the help of an international heritage site preservation fund, officials of the Delhi Waqf board (DWB) said.

The central dome of Masjid Mubarak Begum was damaged during a storm in July last year. (Photo by Amal KS/ Hindustan Times) (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

Mehfooz Mohammad, section officer, DWB, said the board has already inked an agreement with World Monument Fund (WMF) -- a non-profit organisation that provides direct financial and technical support for preservation of heritage sites across the globe -- on the directions of the Waqf board CEO Tanvir Ahmed, and work on repairing one of the mosque’s three domes that collapsed due to heavy rain in July last year “will begin soon”. WMF officials said the work should be completed in “four-five months”.

Waqf board officials said WMF approached the board with an offer to help in August last year. “We are hopeful that the mosque will be restored to its former glory. Work will be carried out on the central dome as well as some others areas damaged by the dome collapse,” said Mohammad, adding that the board had signed the agreement with Christopher Jeannopoulos, chief financial and administrative officer, WMF.

Amita Baig, executive director, WMF India, said, “We are going to restore the broken dome and fix other portions inside. While we hope to complete the project in four to five months, there might be delays due to the pandemic.”

Commissioned in 1822

Masjid Mubarak Begum was commissioned in 1822 by Mubarak Begum, the wife of David Ochterlony, the first British Resident to the Mughal court after the British conquest of Delhi, said author and historian Swapna Liddle. Located in Old Delhi’s Hauz Qazi Chowk, the mosque is built using sandstone and painted in terracotta colour.

Liddle said that conservation experts should take appropriate measures for the mosque’s repair and maintenance while factoring in its historical importance.

“Mubarak Begum commissioned the construction of the mosque, and lived in a haveli next to it. She was well-respected and exercised much influence. People who wanted to approach Ochterlony would go through her. She was popularly called ‘Generalee Begum’ as Ochterlony was known as General Ochterlony,” 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.