Alamgir Mosque
| Alamgir Mosque (Aurangzeb's Mosque) | |
|---|---|
आलमगीर मस्जिद | |
The mosque in 2009 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh |
| Country | India |
Location of the mosque in Uttar Pradesh | |
| Coordinates | 25°18′55″N 83°01′04″E / 25.31534°N 83.01781°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | |
| Founder | Aurangzeb |
| Completed | 1670s |
| Specifications | |
| Dome | Many |
| Minaret | Two (since removed) |
The Alamgir Mosque, also known as the Aurangzeb's Mosque (Hindi: आलमगीर मस्जिद), is a mosque in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.[1] The site was originally an ancient Hindu temple known as Bindu Madhav Temple, originally dedicated to Vishnu. The temple was destroyed in 1673 by Muslim Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb who built the mosque on the ruins of the temple.[2][3][4] The mosque is located at a prominent site above the Panchaganga Ghat. The ghat has broad steps that go down to the Ganges.[5]
Overview
Aurangzeb conquered Varanasi in 1669 and constructed a mosque named Alamagir Mosque, in the name of his own honorary title "Alamgir", which he had adopted after becoming the emperor of the Mughal empire.[6]
The minarets could not withstand the test of time and in the 19th century, an English scholar James Prinsep had to restore them. In 1948 one of the minarets collapsed killing a few people around the time of the floods. Later the government pulled down the other minaret, for security reasons.[7][8]
The mosque is architecturally a blend of Indo-Islamic and Hindu architecture.[7] The mosque has high domes and minarets.[9][8] Two of its minarets were damaged; one minaret collapsed killing a few people and the other was officially brought down owing to stability concerns.[8] The Panchaganga Ghat where the mosque is situated is where five streams are said to join. In October lamps are lighted on top of a bamboo staff as a mark of guidance to the ancestors.[9]
Gallery
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Exterior view
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Interior view
See also
References
- ^ Crowther, Raj & Wheeler 1984.
- ^ "Varanasi Guru | Book Heritage Walks & Boat Rides In Kashi". 30 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "Controversy arises as BJP MLA Neelkanth Tiwari cleans Alamgir mosque in Varanasi". The Times of India. 8 April 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- ^ "Another plea seeking 'puja' rights at Kashi Madhav temple filed". The Times of India. 1 June 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- ^ Hussain 1999, p. 70.
- ^ Davenport Adams, W. H. (1888). India Pictorial and Descriptive. T. Nelson and Sons. p. 138.
- ^ a b Kumar 2003, p. 90.
- ^ a b c Betts & McCulloch 2013, p. 213.
- ^ a b Shetty 2014, p. 73.
Bibliography
- Betts, Vanessa; McCulloch, Victoria (27 September 2013). India – The North: Forts, Palaces, the Himalaya Dream Trip. Footprint Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-907263-74-3.
- Crowther, Geoff; Raj, Prakash A.; Wheeler, Tony (1984). India, a Travel Survival Kit. Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-0-908086-54-2.
- Dunlop, Fiona; Sykes, Carol; Jackson, Felicity (2001). Fodor's Exploring India. Fodor's Travel Publications. ISBN 978-0-679-00707-4.
- Hussain, Ansar (1 January 1999). Rediscovery of India, The: A New Subcontinent. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-250-1595-6.
- Kumar, Brajesh (2003). Pilgrimage Centres of India. Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd. ISBN 978-81-7182-185-3.
- Shetty, Rekha (1 May 2014). Innovation Sutra: The Secret of Good Business and a Good Life. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 978-93-5118-696-0.
Further reading
- Vit-Suzan, Dr Ilan (28 March 2014). Architectural Heritage Revisited: A Holistic Engagement of its Tangible and Intangible Constituents. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4724-2064-0.
External links
Media related to Alamgir Mosque at Wikimedia Commons