Shahi Eidgah (Delhi)

 eidgah, listed building / architectural heritage

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Sarai Khalil, Sadar Bazaar, New Delhi, Delhi 110055
When the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgeer ascended the throne in the year 1658, he decided to build a big Eidgah, on the outskirts of then Shahjahanabad now known as the walled city.

Shahi Eidgah was built on a area of 31,484 sq yds land, surrounded by thousands of sq yds / sq ft open maidan ( grounds ), which were also for the namazi.

The Shahi Eidgah complex has 2,83,257 sq fts, which at any time can be used by 50,000 namazi. The main gate at the front side has also two small gates besides it for the entrance and exit of the devotees. The same pattern is followed on the north and south sides of the Shahi Eidgah.

The Shahi Eidgah complex is one of its own kind and to our knowledge its replica cannot be found across Asia. For about 350 years,the Shahi Eidgah and its maidan ( grounds ) were well maintained and taken care of. As time passed, due to negligence, the surrounding maidan ( grounds ) on all sides were encroached upon by illegal occupants, who remained there for a long period of time.

In the years 1968-69, the Delhi unit of Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind decided to approach the government for the removal of these encroachers. They met the then Deputy Law minister Mr. Mohd. Yunus Salim (GOI ) and the then Lt. Governor of Delhi Mr. A.N. Jha and were partly successful in removing the then encroachers.

When Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad became the President of India, he took keen interest in the development works of the Shahi Eidgah and its surrounding maidan ( grounds ). In the year 1975 the encroachers were totally removed. The Delhi Development Authority ( Horticulture Department ) was directed to beautify and maintain the surrounding maidan ( grounds ) of the Shahi Eidgah, which was duly done. Even Id-Melas were also organized on these surrounding maidan ( grounds ). But after the death of Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad, things around the Shahi Eidgah got neglected and got from bad to worse, with no care being taken for their maintenance and remained so for a long period of time.

Then in the year 2007. Mr. Zahid Hussain Qureshi, a social worker, took upon himself the challenge of getting the old glory of the Shahi Eidgah restored. For this he met Mr. Kapil Sibal, Member of Parliament ( Chandni Chowk ), regarding the works of Shahi Eidgah and was advised to form a committee that would look after the affairs of the Shahi Eidgah.

A committee under the patronage of Mr. Zafar H Jung with Mr. Shakir Dost Mohd as President, Mr.Zahid Hussain Qureshi as General Secretary and Mr. Malik Islam, Mr. Saghir Hussain, Mr. Mohd Yahya,

Mr. Naqi Malhotra, Mr. Mansoor Jamal, Mr. Wasim Ansari, Mr. Atiq Saeed, Mr. Haji Mohd Saleem, Mr. I.D. Choudhry, Mr. Ateeq Meraj, Mr. Azam Sheikh, Mr. M. Zakir, Mr. M. Ashiqeen,

Mr. M. Ameen, Mr. M. Firoz Ansari as members was formed. The committee was duly approved and recognized by Mr. Choudhry Mateen Ahmad ( Chairman Delhi Waqf Board ).

After the formation of the committee its very energetic and enthusiastic General Secretary Mr. Zahid Hussain Qureshi, with the co-operation of all the members, pursued the development works of the Shahi Eidgah with Mr. Kapil Sibal, Member of Parliament ( Chandni Chowk ), who as always was very kind and positive for the development works of the Shahi Eidgah and his office also supported for Shahi Eidgah.

At present the beautification work of the Shahi Eidgah with sincere efforts of Mr. kapil Sibal and co-operation of the Delhi Development Authority is in progress.

Here it would not be out of place to mention the name of Mr. Zafar H Jung (patron in Chief) of the committee without whose guidance and untiring efforts in pursuing the matters with the concerned authorities it would not have been possible.

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