The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, located in the Qutb Minar enclosure in Delhi, holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving mosque in India.
Its construction commenced in 1193 under the rule of Qutb-ud-Din Aibak, the first Sultan of Delhi and the founder of the Slave Dynasty.
Within four years, it was completed, and subsequent Sultans in the 13th and 14th centuries made further additions.
This historical mosque was erected on the grounds of Rai Pithora’s Hindu temple, utilizing materials salvaged from 27 other Hindu and Jain temples.
Intriguingly, the recycled masonry still bears traces of carved Hindu motifs, including tasselled ropes, bells, tendrils, cows, and leaves.
In the early 13th century, Iltutmish extended the mosque, incorporating fundamentally Islamic designs such as diapered arabesque patterns and Quranic inscriptions.
Explore the rich history of India’s earliest mosque, where Hindu and Islamic influences converge.
Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque: India’s Oldest
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