Portion of Historic Mosque Ceiling in Delhi Collapses, No One Injured
Although no one was injured in the incident, the residents in the area and the mosque management committee members said Friday’s incident was one of the major mishaps to take place at the mosque in the past two or three years.
Built in the 1650s by Fathehpuri Begum, a queen of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan, the over 300-year-old red sandstone mosque has not seen any major conservation efforts in the past 50 years.
Two months ago, Hindustan Times reported about the deteriorating condition of the mosque and the significant damage it has sustained; one of its flanking minarets is visibly leaning towards one side while the other minaret as well as the fluted dome have been ravaged by time.
Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, shahi imam of Fatehpuri Masjid, said the slab of red sandstone came crashing down around 5am Friday. “There were no worshippers at the mosque at the time, so, thankfully, no one was injured. A sizable portion of the ceiling fell off and it could have injured someone had there been people around. While a tragedy was averted, we are worried that the concrete from the ceiling will start falling now. Any major shock will further damage the ceiling and the minaret,” said Ahmed.
He said while the Waqf Board is carrying out some repair work on the mosque premises, urgent concerns related to the ceiling and the minaret have not been addressed. “Either the Waqf Board or a heritage body should carry out comprehensive repairs while keeping in mind the historical and architectural ethos of the structure. Pressing conservation concerns are not being tackled at the moment; some work on the walls of the main building is taking place. It is important that we take up the more crucial work,” he added.
Mohd Nafis, a social activist and an Old Delhi resident, said while a number of similar mishaps have taken place at the mosque over the past few years, Friday’s damage was far more extensive as a sizable portion of the ceiling came off.
“The ASI (Archaeological Survey of India), the Delhi government’s heritage department and the Waqf Board are not doing anything to conserve the mosque which is gradually disintegrating. At least three or four similar incidents have taken place in the past but the scale of today’s damage was much bigger. Had there been any people present, someone could have been seriously hurt,” said Nafis, a regular visitor to the mosque for prayers.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan, who is also the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, said the ceiling has been damaged by water seepage over the years and its repair work will start soon.
Khan said the Board has asked experts to carry out assessments and additional work soon. “The lime plaster ceiling has become damaged over the years. We repaired the ceiling and work is now being carried out on the walls of the mosque. Last year, we repaired the wuzu khaana (ablution centre) and now we have expanded work to other parts of the mosque. We will fix all that needs fixing, including the minaret. The mosque will get a complete makeover,” assured Khan.
Last month, when HT spoke to historian and author Swapna Liddle about the mosque and its deteriorating condition, she said that the iconic structure in Chandni Chowk required urgent conservation efforts. “It is crucial to look after and address immediate concerns but at the same time, a proper assessment of the whole building is important. Prevention is always better than cure when upkeep of historically important places is concerned,” said Liddle.
Source: Hindustan Times
