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The Mosque From Lentil
The origin of the Masjid Moth or the mosque from Lentil can be traced to
an interesting incident that happened to Sikander Lodi, the erstwhile
ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, and his minister. This small monument not
only reflects the architectural skills of the Lodi dynasty, but also the
bond of integrity that binds a servant to his master. Built during the
reign of Sikandar Lodi this mosque is now an abandoned, isolated place in
a rural setting within the rapidly spreading suburbs of south Delhi, 2-km
from Hauz Khas off the
Delhi-Mehrauli Road.
Legend Of Masjid Moth
The legend goes back some five hundred years, when the area surrounding
the mosque was forest land and the reins of the Delhi Sultanate were in
the hands of Sikander Lodhi. Legend has it that Sikandar Lodi picked a
grain of moth (a type of lentil) which was then sown by his minister Miyan
Bhuwa; the bumper crop multiplied again and again and so financed the
construction of the mosque. Some houses in the village of the same name
still have mangers.
An Indo Islamic Architectural Landmark
The Masjid Moth conforms to the Indo-Islamic style of architecture, which
developed in the Indian subcontinent after the arrival of the Muslim
rulers in India during the medieval period. The Indo-Islamic style of
architecture was a unique blend of the local Hindu style and the Islamic
style. The Islamic style that reached India was in itself a mixture of
various architectural styles such as Persian, Central Asian, etc.
The manifestations of this style varies from place to place depending on
the local conditions and the contributions made by different Muslim rulers
of India, who further refined and improved this style.
The Masjid Moth is a small structure that lacks many of the architectural
elements of traditional mosques. It is deprived of minarets, profuse
calligraphic decorations and embellishments. There is a little similarity
between the outward appearances of this mosque and the, Alai Darwaza, but
the gateway of the Qutub
complex is much more ornate and grand.
Revival Of Traditional Architecture
Delhi witnessed a small revival of architectural activity during the time
of the Lodi dynasty and the Masjid Moth was one of the monuments built
during this time. The Masjid Moth is a small mosque, which was built by
one of the ministers of Sikander Lodi. The architecture of this mosque is
simple and lacks elaborate ornamentation. It is a square structure
surmounted by a small semicircular dome.
The mosque is made up of red sandstone with very little use of marble.
The windows on the sides of this mosque have latticework screens still not
as intricate as the other Islamic monuments
of India. This mosque probably served as a private place of worship of
Sultan Sikandar Lodi's minister.