New Delhi: The Delhi Wakf Board has received an offer of help from the World Monuments Fund in carrying out the repair of the central dome of the 200-year-old Mubarak Begum mosque that was damaged due to heavy rain.
The central dome of the mosque at Hauz Qazi Chowk here was damaged due to heavy rain and lightning last month.
The Delhi Waqf Board had written to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for a technical survey before removal of debris and repair work, according to a Waqf Board official.
The World Monuments Fund
The World Monuments Fund (WMF), a New York-based non-profit group, has assured us of help in taking up the repair work to restore the damaged dome, the official said.
“We have been approached by the WMF with regard to repair of Mubarak Begum Masjid. A technical team of the organisation is expected to visit the mosque for assessment,” said the official.
No comment was immediately available from the WMF.
The WMF
The WMF is a private nonprofit organization based in New York. With affiliate organisations established in countries like Britain, India, Peru, Portugal, and Spain, it sponsors programmes for the conservation of cultural heritage worldwide.
The Waqf Board
The Waqf Board is the custodian of notified heritage mosque buildings.
The Board had also informed the member-secretary of the Heritage Conservation Committee about the damage and need for inspection, the official said.
The History of Begum’s mosque
The mosque was commissioned in the early nineteenth century by Mubarak Begum, who was the wife of a British resident in the Mughal Court, according to historical references.
The debris of the damaged dome has been removed from the roof of the mosque and kept safely to be used in repair work expected to begin after the monsoon season, the Waqf Board official said.
Structure of Masjid Mubarak Begum
The mosque is a two-storey structure, which has prayer chambers on the upper floor and shops on the ground floor. The building is constructed of red sandstone and lakhori bricks.
The Waqf Board has also written to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for a structural safety inspection before beginning the restoration work, the official said.
The help of other experts has also been availed by the Waqf Board including Professor Mehtab Alam of the Civil Engineering department at Jamia Millia Islamia.
Professor Alam inspected the mosque last week and will soon file his report, added the official.