Kabuli Bagh Masjid, believed to be the first Mughal monument in India, was built by Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur to commemorate his victory over Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi in the first Battle of Panipat 500 years ago.
The monument witnessed the end of the Lodhi dynasty and the beginning of Mughal rule in the country. Babur laid the foundation of Mughal rule in India after defeating Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi in the historic battle fought in April 1526.
To commemorate the victory, Babur built a mosque and garden in Panipat and named it after his beloved queen, Musammat Kabuli Begum.
The 500-year-old monument is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), with a permanent guard posted there for its upkeep. However, the structure is in a dilapidated condition. Despite this, owing to its historical significance, visitors from different states as well as several countries continue to visit the site.
Panipat witnessed three historic battles. The first Battle of Panipat was fought on April 21, 1526 between Ibrahim Khan Lodhi and Zahir-ud-din Babur, the invader from Kabul. Ibrahim Lodhi, the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, was killed in the battle.
The second Battle of Panipat was fought on November 5, 1556 between Akbar, under regent Bairam Khan, and Hemchander alias Hemu Vikramaditya, the last Hindu emperor of Delhi. An arrow struck Hemu Vikramaditya in the eye, causing his army to retreat, after which Akbar won the battle.
Panipat’s third battle was fought on January 14, 1761 between the Maratha Empire, led by Sadashivrao Bhau, and Ahmad Shah Abdali. The Marathas suffered a crushing defeat in the battle.
According to available details, the mosque was constructed with bricks and stucco plaster within a compound wall. It is situated inside an enclosure with octagonal towers at the north-western and southwestern corners. Its entrance is on the northern side, in front of a gateway built with bricks and red sandstone, featuring an enclosed bracket-type lintel. A huge arch contains spandrels decorated with lotus medallions enclosed within rectangular panels with arched recesses.
The main prayer hall, square in plan, has annexes on either side. Each annexe has three deep and nine bays crowned with hemispherical domes. The central prayer hall has cells on either side of the mehrab. There is also a qibla, a niche in the prayer chamber wall.
The front façade of the mosque is high and consists of panels decorated with stucco lime plaster work. Each of the two wings has nine bays, with every bay topped by a hemispherical dome resting on low cylindrical bases.
A Chabutra-e-Fateh Mubarak, a masonry platform surrounding the mosque, was built by Mughal emperor Humayun to mark his victory over Salim Shah in 1627 near Panipat.
Considering its historical importance, the ASI declared it a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. However, the mosque has continued to deteriorate. The ASI has installed a warning board at the site for the monument’s protection, while a caretaker also resides there.
Jatin Sharma, an ASI caretaker, said the site was considered the first example of Mughal architecture in India and attracted visitors not only from Panipat but also from several states and countries.
Around 15-20 foreign visitors from Germany, Afghanistan, the United States and other countries visited the site over the past few months, while nearly 200-250 people visited on weekends and around 70-80 on an average day, he said.
Gaurav Narwal, Senior Conservation Assistant with the ASI, said the monument was being protected by the agency and around 4,000-5,000 people, including locals and tourists, visited the site every month.
The ASI usually undertakes special repair projects for structural monuments every five years, and the time for repairs to this monument was approaching, he said. A special conservation project would be prepared after a detailed study of the site, Narwal added.
