Begum Shahi Mosque

**Begum Shahi Mosque**, officially de **Mosque of Mariyam Zamani Begum**, be a 17th-century mosque wey situate insyd de interior walled city of Lahore insyd Punjab, Pakistan. Mughal empress Mariam-uz-Zamani, chief consort of Akbar construct am. Na dem build de mosque between 1611 den 1614 during de reign of Jahangir.

Ebe Lahore ein earliest dated Mughal-era mosque. Ebe known for ein exquisite fresco decoration of geometric den floral motifs dem paint for stucco, along plus inscriptions of de names of God.

Na Islam teach about de oneness den infinity of God (Ahad), dat He be one wey He get divine power, wey Ein oneness be self-evident based for Ein eternity den omnipresence top. Masjids dey project de principle of tawhid by dem dey capture de concepts of God's infinity den oneness, Ein divine unity (ahadiyya), den de unity of all creation (wahdat al-wujud) insyd dema architectural designs den decorations. Na dem achieve dey use arches den domes den a regular den even division of space, wich dey reflect de harmonious patterns den cosmic unity insyd de universe. **Masjid Maryam Zamani** den Wazir Khan Mosques be true examples of such mosques.

## Background

Na Empress Maryam Zamani, an empress of de Mughal Emperor Akbar den de mommie of Emperor Jahangir build de mosque. Na dem construct am during de early period of Jahangir, insyd 1023 A.H./1614 A.D., as dem record insyd a Persian inscription fixed for de facade of de northern gate.

Na Maryam Zamani, a Hindu princess by birth, marry into a Muslim community wey she trade for Christian dominated waterways widout dem constrain am by religious impediments. Na ein status as a sequestered financier provide am plus both de adventure of overseas trade den protection from religious restriction.

Na dem know dis mosque insyd common memory as 'Begum Shahi Mosque' after one of ein titles, 'Shahi Begum' ( Empress Consort).

## Location

De mosque dey locate close to de old Masti Gate of de Walled City of Lahore, opposite de eastern walls of de Lahore Fort.

## History

Na dem build dis mosque as a Jami mosque for those wey dey attend de court. Na construction begin insyd 1611 wey e last til 1614. Na de mosque remain frequented for prayer by de Mughal nobility den de common man alike for more dan two hundred years til na dem turn am into a gunpowder factory.

During de Sikh rule insyd Lahore, na dem turn dis mosque into a gunpowder factory by Ranjit Singh, for wich dem know am then as Barudkhana Wali Masjid ("Gunpowder Mosque"). Na gunpowder factory dem establish insyd de mosque get a full-fledged staff working under de supervision of Jawahar Mal Mistri.

Insyd 1850 A.D., Major McGregor, then Deputy Commissioner of Lahore, restore de mosque to de Muslims, along plus shops den houses dem attach to am, wey na e acquire ein now official name, **"Masjid Mariyam Zamani."**

## Architecture

De Mosque of Wali Nimat Mariam-uz-Zamani Begum dey represent a transitional phase of architecture wey dey feature both Mughal influences den influences from de earlier Pashtun Lodi Dynasty wich na e previously rule de region. Short domes den wide arches dey represent de earlier Lodi style, while de mosque ein balconies, side rooms, den embellishments dey insyd de Mughal style.

De mosque dey establish a style wey na dem dey see insyd subsequent Mughal mosques den buildings: a single-aisled, rectangular space dem divide into five bays. De mosque ein exterior form dey belong to a type long popular insyd Indo-Islamic architecture.

De mosque dey feature Lahore ein first five-bay prayer chamber wey later go be typical of all later Mughal mosques such as de Wazir Khan Mosque den Badshahi Mosque. De mosque ein central bay dey insyd de style of de Persian *Char Taq*, wey ebe flanked by one smaller dome for either syd. Na de mosque originally get 3 gateways, of wich 2 survive.

### Layout
De mosque dey cover an area of land wey dey measure 135 feet 6 inches by 127 feet 6 inches. Dem construct am of brick masonry wey dem render am plus plaster wey ebe a massive structure wey dey represent a transitional phase of de architecture between de Lodi den de Mughal periods. E get two entrances thru deeply recessed arched gateways for ein north den east syds. A flight of four steps insyd each gateway dey lead down to de main courtyard, wey dey measure 123 feet by 83 feet. Na dem originally enclose de courtyard by rows of cell for ein north den south, sam portion of wich dey exist. For de east, along de gate, be a 17 feet wide platform for wich dey stand an enclosure wey dey consist of an octagonal domed tomb den sam oda modern graves.

Insyd de center of de courtyard a tank for ablution wey dey measure 31 feet 5 inches by 26 feet 3 inches, be now much repaired. A modern roof of reinforced Badaun den elsewer insyd de subcontinent dey give an idea of dema gradual development den de perfection wich na dem achieve during de Mughal period.

## Conservation

Insyd Pakistan, na dem encroach upon de mosque by chaw shops, wey na dem obstruct views of de mosque from de Akbari Gate of de Lahore Fort by illegally constructed tire shops. Insyd July 2016, de Walled City of Lahore Authority announce say dem go komot de shops, wey na dem sanso go conserve den restore de mosque.

## Gallery

File:Mosque of Mariyam Zamani Begum 6 (WCLA).jpg|Entry sign
File:Inside Maryam Zamani.jpg|Insyd Maryam Zamani
File:Maryam_Zamani_Masjid.jpg|De mosque get richly embellished muqarnas.
File:Ablution Area, Mariyam Zamani Mosque.JPG|Dem cover de central fountain den ablution area by a new-build canopy.
File:Mosque_of_Mariyam_Zamani_Begum_5_(WCLA).jpg
File:Interior_of_the_Mariyam_Zamani_Begum_Mosque.jpg
File:Ablution area inside the Mosque of Mariyam Zamani Begum.jpg|Ablution area


## References


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