PATHER MASJID OR SHAHI MASJID OF KASHMIR

This mosque was built by queen Noor jahan in 1632AD. It is believed that its  construction was supervised by the renowned architect and a known Mughal historian Malik Hyder Chaudhary .The facade consists of nine arches, remarkable for their horizontal construction. stones of various dimensions have been used for construction of this mosque. lying of bank of river Jhelum (Vitasta) , It faces directly the Khaan kah of Shahe Hamdaan  built on the other side of river Jhelum. This mosque is approached from Zaina kadal or Fateh Kadal Bridges . One can reach this mosque from Nawbazar as well .During the rule of Fazil Khan (1697-1704 ) , a Hamam and a Madrasa was added to it . During the terrible famine  which hit kashmir  in 1754, the mosque was used to store Granary by rulers  . The mosque remained closed for a long time .It was also used to store armoury duruing sikh rule. Accepting Glency commission 's  recommendations ,Maharaja Hari singh  opened  the mosque after 113 years .  Temporory shops around the mosque got engulfed in a devastating blaze in mid sixties as a result of which the mosque sufferred damage. The mosque happens to be a protected monument  and a beautiful garden is also being maintained by Acheological survey in the mosque area .We visited the mosque in August 2009  from Zaina Kadal  side .Enjoy the views with  some lines from a   poem of  Ali sardar jafri.

Aasmaanon se Barastaa hai andheraa kaisaa,
Apni  palkon pe liye jashn-e-charaagn chaliye.


shola-e-jaan ko hawaa  deti hai  Khud baad-e-samoom,
shola-e-jaan  ki  tarah chaak_girebaan   chaliye.


Aql  ke noor  se  dil  keejiye apnaa raushan,
dil ki  raahon se soo-e-manzil-e-insaan chaliye.


Gham nayee  subh ke taare kaa bahut hai  lekin,
Le ke ab parcham-e-Khurshiid-e-zar_afshaan chaliye.


Sar-b-kaf chalne ki  Aadat men na farq  Aajaaye,
koocha-e-Daar men   sarmast-o-ghazal_Khwaan chaliye.


(Ali ''Sardar'' Jafari )



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