Falling on the lonely trail are the Khirki and Begumpur mosques. Abandoned and least cared for these monuments have lost a lot of sheen but they remain standing in complete grandeur despite the fading and crumbling of its structure. The detailed work of art, the magnificent architectural style behind its making these fourteenth century structures no longer fall on the road not taken.
With the ever expanding Delhi, the isolated surroundings of Delhi around the structures today face a massive threat of encroachment form greedy and non-caring real estate goons. Believed to be built by FirozeshahTughlaqsPrime Minister, Khan-e-Jahan- Juna shah Telangani the Khirki mosque stands on Saket Chirag Dilli road and the maker of Begumpuri mosque remains doubtful.
Juna shah is debated to be the maker of both the mosques though the same has not been confirmed. Both the mosques carry a lot of similarities in their architectural style. In the recent years the mosques have appealed to many passerby’s and the locals surrounding the region. The once deserted region of Saket today sees a substantial amount of visitors. For tourists travelling from different parts of the country or world, the good news is that there is a guard appointed to prevent miscreants or hoodlums from carrying out unnecessary jobs and the region smells less of bat or donkey dung.
Juna Shah was known to have built seven mosque of which two were built in Ferozeabad, four mosque were built in the older settlements of South Delhi located at Nizam-ud-din, Khirki, Begumpur and Kalu Sarai. The last mosque was built outside Delhi and it never became of Shahjehan’sDilli according to researchers and archaeologists. Begumpur and Khirki mosques can be reached from two different sides. The monument is surrounded by iron fence and an iron gate to prevent encroachment but they sure make the deteriorating faced of the monument look worse further.
Once you pass the steps that are least taken care of you will reach the mosque and it still looks magnificent despite being jaded in appearance. Restoration works of the awnings and ceilings are being carried out to revive the monument. Like several monuments built in the sultanate period, the materials used in the making of the Khirki mosque are the same. Quartz for pillar, mixture of rubble cemented and soaked lime with crushed baked bricks as mortar for building the main load bearing structures were used. Reaching both Khirki and Begumpuri mosque is very easy.
Both the mosques are modest in size compared to Jama Masjid but no element was left behind to ensure the embellishments and the beautification of the mosque both its interiors and exteriors were well laid. The mosques should be visited as the more number of visitors will ensure the monument does not disintegrate completely and remains protected from misuse by miscreants.
