| Moti Masjid | |
|---|---|
 The mosquefaçade in 2009 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Mehrauli,South Delhi,Delhi NCT |
| Country | India |
  Location of the mosque inDelhi | |
| Coordinates | 28°31′09″N77°10′49″E / 28.51918°N 77.18020°E /28.51918; 77.18020 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | Mughal |
| Completed | 1709 |
| Specifications | |
| Dome | Three |
| Materials | White marble |
TheMoti Masjid (lit. 'Pearl Mosque')[1]: 63 is an 18th-centuryMughal mosque located inMehrauli, in theSouth Delhi district ofIndia. Named for its white marble,[2] the mosque was constructed during the reign ofBahadur Shah I, in the vicinity of thedargah ofQutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki.
The Moti Masjid is located in Mehrauli, to the west of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki'sdargah. Adjacent to the mosque is a burial enclosure containing the graves of several 18th and 19th-century emperors, such asBahadur Shah I,Ahmad Shah,Shah Alam II, andAkbar II.[1]: 63 [3]
The Moti Masjid was built in 1709, during the reign ofMughal emperorBahadur Shah I.[1] The mosque is typically considered to have been constructed by Bahadur Shah; however, Dadlani argues that it is more likely the mosque was built by a family member or deputy of the emperor.[1]: 184 The construction of the mosque in the vicinity of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki'sdargah is reflective of the unprecedented Mughal patronage at thedargah beginning with Bahadur Shah I.[3]
During communal uprisings in thepartition era, the Moti Masjid was attacked, despite being a protected monument. The mosque's marbleminars were torn off and smashed. This was amidst the occurrence of similar attacks on several other Islamic religious sites in Delhi, as part of larger anti-Muslim violence in the city.[4]
The Moti Masjid in Mehrauli is the last example in the Mughal tradition of providing small marble-faced mosques. The mosque is a single-aisled prayer hall of five bays.[5] This is a departure from the previousMoti Masjid in the Red Fort, which is double-aisled.[3] Thefaçade of the mosque bears three scalloped archways,[2] with apishtaq in the centre.[5] The structure is topped by three domes, resting on constricted necks. Each corner of the east central bay is lined by balustrade-like columns.[3]
The mosque is surrounded by enclosure walls; one of these walls is shared with that of thedargah, while the southern wall opens to the burial enclosure, also made of marble.[1]: 63
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Media related toMoti Mosque, Mehrauli at Wikimedia Commons
