A queen’s quiet prayer

A contrast to the grand Jama Masjid,Fatehpuri Masjid is subtle and subdued. The red sandstone structure,with one dome,three gateways,not so tall minarets,dainty little fountain and tank in the courtyard,is without the flamboyance of the mosque that Shah Jahan built. This one was built by Fatehpuri Begum,one of Shah Jahan’s wives. The queen,whose actual name is not known,also built a madrasa.

What’s striking about the structure is the geometric symmetry of its arches and pillars. The dome looks like a marble one but is actually lime and mortar. The lack of lavishness is what makes the mosque unique—there’s a feminine charm to its simplicity that makes one wonder whether it’s akin to its builder’s personality. The beauty of the monument was,however,not a deterrent for the British,who after quelling the 1857 revolt,closed this mosque and stationed their horses in its courtyard,just as they used the mosque built by Shah Jahan’s grand daughter Zeenut-un-nisa at Darya Ganj as a bakery. Later,Lala Chunnamal,whose haveli stands near the Fatehpuri Masjid,bought the mosque from the British for Rs 19,000. It was not before 1877 that the mosque was restored to the Muslims of Delhi.

Rampyari,meanwhile,didn’t seem inclined to admire the mosque or appreciate its historic significance. Instead,she rushed to the Shahi Imam’s chamber at one end of the courtyard and finding him busy with Ramzan-related preparations,poured out her woes to the Imam’s son,Md Anas Ahmad. She wanted a tabeez for her wayward and alcoholic husband. “My life is hell,” she cried as the young man consoled her. He prayed for her for a while and gave her a talisman. Her mission accomplished,a relieved Rampyari left.

It’s about to rain with dark clouds hovering over the while dome. Unlike Jama Masjid where a flight of steps can lead one to the panoramic view of the walled city,here,behind the arched gates the city is invisible and one sees just the sky overhead. Md Anas Ahmad says Rampyari is not an exception. “People irrespective of religion have faith in the spiritual atmosphere of the mosque. It was here that religious debate between Bishop Lefroy and Sharf-ul-Haq took place in the last century. Lala Chunnamal’s descendants used to visit us till a few years ago. And even former President A P J Abdul Kalam offered prayers here,” he says.

In the courtyard,one can’t miss the graves of former Imams and spiritual leaders. But the builder of the mosque was not laid to rest here. Fatehpuri Begum,along with another wife of Shah Jahan,Akbarabadi Begum,rests at the southern point of the 60-bigha Taj Mahal complex,under the shadow of the emperor and his favourite wife.