Badshahi Mosque is one of the most prominent historical landmarks that stand proudly in the Walled City of Lahore. It was constructed during the 17th century by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb under the supervision of his foster brother, Fida’i Khan Koka who was also the governor of Lahore at that time. It is the second-largest mosque in Pakistan that spreads over an area of 29,867.2 square meters and it can accommodate up to 55,000 worshippers at one time. Although the world knows it is the Badshahi Mosque but its original name is known to very few people mostly those who visited it. The original name of the mosque is engraved on the entrance as “Masjid Abul Zafar Muhy-ud-Din Mohammad Alamgir Badshah Ghazi”. The Mosque has been part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1993.

History

There are numerous theories behind the construction of the Badshahi Mosque. Historic accounts state that the mosque was constructed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to celebrate his military campaign against Chhatrapati Shivji, the Maratha king. Another theory associated with the construction of the mosque is that the mosque was constructed to change the bed of River Ravi that was streaming nearby. On the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, barriers were placed at a point in the river so that the water does not flow near the mosque and damage the structure of the mosque. With passing time the river changed its bed due to the barrier inside the river.

The Badshahi Mosque once had the privilege to be known as the largest mosque in the world for over 300 years. But after the fall of the Mughal Empire, the mosque lost its status as one of the most known religious sites when Maharaja Ranjit Singh, ruler of the Sikh Empire took over the whole city in 1799. The mosque was severely damaged during the Sikh civil war. The courtyard of the mosque was used as a stable for horses by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. When the British arrived they continued to use it as military storage and was never maintained until the independence of Pakistan

The British Empire (East India Company) took control of Lahore city in the mid of 18th century and they continued to use the Mosque for military purposes until 1852. The increasing resentment of Muslims to use the mosque for military purposes forced the British East India Company to create a Badshahi Mosque Authority to restore the mosque to its original form so it could be returned to Muslims as a place of worship. In 1939, under the supervision of the Badshahi Mosque Authority, the extensive repairs to the restored mosque started that continued even after the creation of Pakistan. The restoration and maintenance of the mosque have been going on by the government of Pakistan until 2008.

Architecture and Design

The mosque also has a touch of Persian, Indian, and Central Asian architecture. The design of the mosque is quite similar to its predecessor in Delhi, Jama Mosque which was constructed in 1648 A.D by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, father of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The exterior walls of the mosque are embellished with red stone.  The exterior walls of the mosque are embellished with red stone. Minarets stand at the corner of each wall, and have a height of 53.75 meters. The minarets consist of turrets that are made of sandstone, and the cupolas that are made of expensive white marble. The interior of the mosque has rich ornamentation decorated with stucco, fresco, and marble. The main prayer hall of the mosque is divided into seven parts separated by arches. The mosque is an architectural wonder of Greek, Islamic and Indian culture. The unique Mughal architecture of the Mosque attracts a large number of tourists from all across the world. Badshahi Mosque is considered one of the most iconic landmarks of Lahore and the best-preserved mosque from the Mughal era.