Indo Islamic Heritage
Nestled within Barabati Fort in Cuttack, the Shahi Qila Masjid is best reached via Cuttack Junction railway station, located just under 2 km away. For those traveling by road, the Badambadi Bus Stand serves as the nearest major bus hub, about 7 km from the mosque. The closest airport is Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, lying around 29–30 km south of Cuttack—typically a 45–60 minute drive, depending on traffic
The Shahi Qila Masjid within Cuttack’s historic Barabati Fort is a remarkable three-dome mosque believed to have been constructed in the early to mid-18th century. While historians Dr. K.C. Panigrahi and Dr. Jagannath Pattnaik credit its foundation to Nawab Alivardi Khan of Bengal in 1707 AD, others, including Prof. P.K. Mukherjee and Dr. R.P. Mohapatra, attribute it to Fateh Khan Rahman, a faujdar (military commander) stationed at the fort . The epitaph of Fateh Khan’s tomb, located nearby in the Qudam-e-Rasool complex, dates his death to Hijri 1128 (1768–69 AD), confirming that the mosque was built sometime before 1767 . Furthermore, an English officer, Thomas Mottee, under British rule, observed the mosque from the Mahanadi River in 1766, confirming its existence by that date . The mosque’s architecture—with its three towering domes, rear minarets, and Mughal-style resemblance to Qadam‑e‑Rasool—was originally intended to serve the religious needs of the fort’s garrison . Under British administration, it fell out of religious use and part of it was repurposed as an ammunition magazine, evidenced by two mihrabs that were later bricked up . Today, after being declared a protected heritage monument, it has been restored by the Odisha State Archaeology Department and is maintained by a local managing committee, once again serving the local Muslim community
Year of Built: 17th - 18th Century
Address: Cantonment Road, Biju Patnaik Colony, Cuttack, Odisha 753008, India
Country: India
State: Odisha
District: Cuttack
Pincode: 753008
Longitude: 85.8830° E
Latitude: 20.4625° N"