Tughluq Shāhī mosque, Udaypur, Madhya Pradesh

The Tughluq Shāhī mosque is a small mosque directly west of the Nīlakaṇṭheśvara temple, Udaypur, Madhya Pradesh. It was constructed in the time of Muḥammad bin Tughluq (1325-51).^[1]

The building is part of the protected monument of national importance under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India, number N-MP-289 in the List of Monuments of National Importance in Madhya Pradesh/East.

Udaypur (Madhya Pradesh). Tughluq Shāhī mosque, prayer hall, looking north, as documented 1982.

The mosque consists of a covered prayer hall, built on the temple platform. It incorporates a number of older pillars, and preserves the balcony seats with sloping backs (kakṣāsna) that once surrounded most of the temple complex. A small arched mihrab was added to the western wall at the time construction.^[2]

The mosque was built in the 14th century, as testified by two inscriptions on small arched gates still standing either side of the Śiva temple.^[3] These inscriptions date 739 (i.e. 1338–39 CE).^[4]

"Hath said the Prophet, may God’s peace and blessings rest upon him: “He who builds a masjid in this world, God Almighty builds (for him) a palace in Paradise.” (Was built) this mosque during the reign and khilāfat (viceroyalty of) sovereign of kings, Abū’l-Mujāhid (Father of Warriors) Muḥammad son of Tughlaq, may his rule and kingdom be perpetuated. The builder of this pious (work is the) humble Aḥmad Wajih, (may) God enhance his dignity. (In the) year 737."

R. Saksena 1926.^[5]

References[edit]

^ Peter A. Jackson, The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History (Cambridge: University Press, 1999).
^ A. Cunningham, Archaeological Survey of India Reports, vol. 10, p. 68; D. R. Patil, The Descriptive and Classified List of Archaeological Monuments in Madhya Bharat (Gwalior: Dept. of Archaeology, Madhya Bharat Government, 1952): no. 1692; Indian Archaeology: A Review (1983-84), p. 56.
^ For an old photograph, see Archaeological Survey of India. (2024). Udaypur उदयपुर (Madhya Pradesh). Entrance to the courtyard with Persian and Arabic inscription, dated in the mid-fourteenth century CE. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10573804.
^ For the inscriptions, see Syed Abdur Rahim, Arabic, Persian and Urdu Inscriptions of Central India: A Topographical List (New Delhi: Sundeep Prakashan, 2000), p. 122 and R. Saksena, "Muslim Epigraphy in the Gwalior State," The Indian Antiquary 55 (1926): 4-5; correction in Z. A. Desai, ARIE (1964-65), p. 23
^ R. Saksena, "Muslim Epigraphy in the Gwalior State," The Indian Antiquary 55 (1926): 4-5.

[1] Peter A. Jackson, The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History (Cambridge: University Press, 1999).

[2] A. Cunningham, Archaeological Survey of India Reports, vol. 10, p. 68; D. R. Patil, The Descriptive and Classified List of Archaeological Monuments in Madhya Bharat (Gwalior: Dept. of Archaeology, Madhya Bharat Government, 1952): no. 1692; Indian Archaeology: A Review (1983-84), p. 56.

[3] For an old photograph, see Archaeological Survey of India. (2024). Udaypur उदयपुर (Madhya Pradesh). Entrance to the courtyard with Persian and Arabic inscription, dated in the mid-fourteenth century CE. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10573804.

[4] For the inscriptions, see Syed Abdur Rahim, Arabic, Persian and Urdu Inscriptions of Central India: A Topographical List (New Delhi: Sundeep Prakashan, 2000), p. 122 and R. Saksena, "Muslim Epigraphy in the Gwalior State," The Indian Antiquary 55 (1926): 4-5; correction in Z. A. Desai, ARIE (1964-65), p. 23

[5] R. Saksena, "Muslim Epigraphy in the Gwalior State," The Indian Antiquary 55 (1926): 4-5.

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