Masjid Moth

Facts & Figures
Built in	16th Century AD
Built by	Wazir Mirza Bhoiya
Location	Delhi

The Mosque From Lentil
The origin of the Masjid Moth or the mosque from lentil can be traced to an interesting incident that happened to Sikander Lodhi, the erstwhile ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, and his minister. This small monument not only reflects the architectural skills of the Lodhi dynasty, but also the bond of integrity that binds a servant to his master.

Indo-islamic Architecture
The Masjid Moth conforms to the Indo-Islamic style of architecture, which developed in the Indian subcontinent after the arrival of the Muslim rulers in India during the medieval period. The Indo-Islamic style of architecture took roots in India as a unique blend of the local Hindu style and the Islamic style. The Islamic style that reached India was in itself a mixture of different architectural styles (Persian, Central Asian etc). Although, the assimilation of the two styles took place, it was never in equal measure. The manifestations of this style varied from place to place largely owing to local conditions and the contributions made by different Muslim rulers of India, who further refined and enriched this style.

The Masjid Moth is a small edifice and lacks many of the architectural elements of traditional mosques. It is bereft of minarets, profuse calligraphic decorations etc. There is a little similarity between the outward appearances of this mosque and the Alai Darwaza (a grand gateway in the Qutab complex built by Ala-ud-din Khilji), though the latter is much more ornate and grand.

Masjid Moth
The Delhi Sultanate (kingdom of Delhi) was the first Muslim kingdom in India. The time span of the Delhi Sultanate (AD 1191-1526), was the one during which the development of the Indo-Islamic architecture took place. Each dynasty had its high points in architecture and refined the style further by their individual efforts. The Slave dynasty (AD 1191-1290) laid the foundation of this style by building the Qutab Minar and various other monuments within the Qutab complex. The high point of the Khilji dynasty (AD 1290 -1316) was the grand Alai Darwaza built inside the Qutab complex. The Tughlaq dynasty (AD 1316-1414) built a number of forts and tombs in Delhi, while the Sayyed dynasty (AD 1414-1451) did not make any significant contribution in the field of architecture. The last dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate was that of the Lodhis (AD 1451-1526).

Delhi witnessed a small revival of architectural activity during the time of the Lodhi dynasty and the Masjid Moth was one of the monuments built during this time. The Masjid Moth is a small mosque, which was built by one of the ministers of Sikander Lodhi. The architecture of this mosque is simple and lacks elaborate ornamentation. It is a square structure surmounted by a small semicircular dome. The mosque is made up of red sandstone with very little use of marble. The windows on the sides of this mosque have latticework screens. However these are not as intricate as the other Islamic monuments of India. This mosque probably served as a private place of worship of Sultan Sikandar Lodhi’s minister.

Legend Of Masjid Moth
Like most old monuments, the origin of the Masjid Moth has an interesting legend attached to it. The story goes back some five hundred years, when the area surrounding the mosque was forestland and the reins of the Delhi Sultanate were in the hands of Sikander Lodhi (AD 1488-1517). According to the story, when one day Miyan Bhoiya (an important minister in the court of Sikander Lodhi), and the king were strolling in the area, the king suddenly bent down and plucked a grain of moth ki dal (a kind of lentil) from a nearby shrub and with a flourish presented it to his wazir (minister). Bewildered at the gift bestowed on him, the loyal minister accepted it with matching humility and gratitude tucked it into the pocket of his robe.

On going home, the loyal minister spent all night wondering what to do with this unique gift from the king. If he threw away the grain, it would be nothing short of disrespect. But if he were to keep it, how should he safeguard this little grain? As dawn broke, an idea took root in Miyan Bhoiya’s head. He planted the seed in his garden! Everyday thereafter he dug the ground a little to see if the seed was intact. He however did not have to do that for too long. Much like Jack’s beanstalk, this seedling grew with remarkable zest and in the first year the single plant gave 200 grains of moth!

Within a few years, the wazir had multiplied the produce so much that history records a veritable seed revolution. There was so much surplus that Wazir Miyan Bhoiya decided to build a masjid (mosque), a place of worship, in celebration. It was then that he went to Sultan Sikander and invited him to visit the monument build from his gift. So pleased was the king with his minister that he even named the building Moth ki Masjid or the mosque made from lentil.

How To Reach
Delhi is well connected by air, rail and road to important centers in India and abroad. Travelers can reach the Masjid Moth by taking local buses from various points within the city to reach this monument, which is located in the southern part of the city or they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis for the purpose. The Masjid Moth is situated between Uday Park and South Extension (two residential colonies located in the southern part of Delhi city). One can take buses from important bus stations like the Inter State Bus Terminal and Connaught Place etc. to reach this monument.