Indo Islamic Heritage
Moti Masjid, also known as the Pearl Mosque, is a modest local mosque located in the Moti Bagh area of Subhash Nagar (near Mughalpura), Faizabad (now part of Ayodhya district), Uttar Pradesh. It serves as a community place of worship and reflects the architectural style common to many mosques built during the Nawabi era in Awadh, featuring whitewashed walls and bulbous domes.
Faizabad, historically the first capital of the Nawabs of Awadh in the 18th century, is dotted with several mosques that share similar architectural features, including three bulbous domes, white facades, and intricate stucco work. Among these is the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), situated in the Moti Bagh locality, close to Subhash Nagar and Mughalpura areas. This local mosque exemplifies the regional Islamic architecture influenced by the Awadh Nawabs, though it is not as grand or widely documented as the famous Mughal-era Moti Masjids in Agra, Delhi, or Lahore. Unlike its more renowned namesakes built by Mughal emperors like Shah Jahan or Aurangzeb, this Moti Masjid in Faizabad appears to be a smaller, community-oriented structure from the Nawabi period, likely constructed in the 18th or 19th century. Exact historical records on its construction are limited, but it aligns with the proliferation of similar mosques in the region during the rule of the Awadh Nawabs, who patronized Islamic architecture alongside tombs and palaces. The mosque continues to serve local residents for daily prayers and remains a quiet testament to Faizabad's rich Islamic heritage.
Year of Built: Not Available
Address: Q5H2+73P, Maqbara-to-Fatehganj Road, Motibagh, Subhash Nagar, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh 224001
Country: India
State: Uttar Pradesh
District: Faizabad
Pincode: 224001
Longitude: 82.144° E
Latitude: 26.773° N