Razia Mosque is situated on Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The mosque was built after demolishing Vishveshvara Temple.

Razia Mosque
Religion
AffiliationIslam
Location
LocationVaranasi, India
StateUttar Pradesh
Architecture
FounderRazia Sultana

History

The first original site of Vishveshvara or Vishvanatha Temple. However, first destruction took place in 1194 by the order of Qutb-ud-din Aibak,[1][2][3] including demolishing the temple of Visheshvara which was at the presently existing Razia Mosque. During her reign Razia Sultana (1236-1240) had built a mosque on the deserted site of the above temple.[4] In 1448 Muhmud Shah Sharqui demolished the debris existing there and expanded the Razia Bibi Mosque. The temple was rebuilt by a Gujarati merchant during the reign of Iltutmish (1211–1266 CE) before being demolished by Hussain Shah Sharqi (1447–1458) or Sikandar Lodhi (1489–1517).[5] Raja Man Singh got the temple re-constructed during Mughal emperor Akbar's rule at the Gyan Vapi precincts. [6] Raja Todar Mal further improved the temple in 1585.[7] Here, the lingam was housed for a few centuries until it fell victim to Aurangzeb's intense religious zealotry in 1669, when it was demolished and converted to a Gyaanvapi mosque.[8]

Architecture

The laonet of the prayer Hall in the Razia Bibi Mosque is unusual, the middle of the façade thrusts forward the central gate with three flanking arcades to either side. The interior is divided by a thick wall with openings provided by three arcades. The two hall thus formed are built of pillars lintels and slabs made from stone taken from a building dating back beyond CE 1000 (Original Vishvanatha Temple). Originally, the northern wall opened directly out onto a garden, there was no intervening wall but only two double columns bearing lintels in the east. This was clumsily walled up in relatively recent times. It is obvious from the close study of the architectural design and plan that mosque was not completed and that the south hall was originally supposed to be at the centre. The structure of the south hall is of 13th century (Razia Sultana)and the planned extension is probably 15th century (Mahmud Shah Sharqui).

Historicity

Hans T. Bakker largely affirms the broader thrust of narratives, as well.[9] On his reading of medieval sources, he deems the temple destroyed in 1194 to be likely devoted to Avimukteshwara and located in current-day Gyanvapi precincts; sometime around the late 13th century, the Hindus reclaimed the vacant Gyanvapi for a temple of Vishweshwar since the Razia mosque had occupied the "Hill of Vishweshwar".[9] This new temple was destroyed by the Jaunpur Sultanate, apparently to supply building materials for mosques at their new capital.[9] As per Meenakshi Jain, The great Vishwanath temple was destroyed at least thrice from the twelfth century onwards. It was first attacked by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1194 ce. Queen Razia Sultana (1236-1240), during her short chaotic reign, appropriated the site and had a mosque constructed there. The further history of Visveshvara has been described as "one of stubbornness and bigotry". The temple became a prime symbol of Hindu resistance; they repeatedly rebuilt, as Muslims continually destroyed.[10][11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Shin, Heeryoon (May 2015). Building a "Modern" Temple Town: Architecture and Patronage in Banaras, 1750-1900 (Thesis). Yale University. p. 4, 35, 38, 198.
  2. ^ Udayakumar, S. P. (2005). "Ramarajya: Envisioning the Future and Entrenching the Past". Presenting the Past: Anxious History and Ancient Future in Hindutva India. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-275-97209-7.
  3. ^ Bakker, Hans (1996). "Construction and Reconstruction of Sacred Space in Vārāṇasī". Numen. 43 (1): 42–43. doi:10.1163/1568527962598368. ISSN 0029-5973. JSTOR 3270235.
  4. ^ Dec 7, Binay Singh / TNN / Updated:; 2021; Ist, 09:52. "vishwanath: Destroyed, rebuilt over centuries, Kashi Vishwanath Temple emerges in new avatar | Varanasi News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2022-01-15. ((cite web)): |last2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Udayakumar, S. P. (2005). "Ramarajya: Envisioning the Future and Entrenching the Past". Presenting the Past: Anxious History and Ancient Future in Hindutva India. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-275-97209-7.
  6. ^ Searle-Chatterjee, Mary (April 1993). "Religious division and the mythology of the past". In Hertel, Bradley R.; Humes, Cynthia Ann (eds.). Living Banaras: Hindu Religion in Cultural Context. SUNY Series in Hindu Studies. Albany, New York: SUNY Press. pp. 152–158.
  7. ^ Udayakumar, S. P. (2005). "Ramarajya: Envisioning the Future and Entrenching the Past". Presenting the Past: Anxious History and Ancient Future in Hindutva India. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-275-97209-7.
  8. ^ Searle-Chatterjee, Mary (April 1993). "Religious division and the mythology of the past". In Hertel, Bradley R.; Humes, Cynthia Ann (eds.). Living Banaras: Hindu Religion in Cultural Context. SUNY Series in Hindu Studies. Albany, New York: SUNY Press. pp. 152–158.
  9. ^ a b c Bakker, Hans (1996). "Construction and Reconstruction of Sacred Space in Vārāṇasī". Numen. 43 (1): 42–43. doi:10.1163/1568527962598368. ISSN 0029-5973. JSTOR 3270235.
  10. ^ Jain, Meenakshi (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples : espisodes from Indian history. New Delhi. ISBN 978-81-7305-619-2. OCLC 1091630081.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. ^ Jain, Meenakshi (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples : espisodes from Indian history. New Delhi. ISBN 978-81-7305-619-2. OCLC 1091630081.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

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