A miracle of faith, this Varanasi mosque was built in a night
Mosques are places of peace, prayer and piety. Starting today, HT takes a look at some mosques of UP as well as their history and tradition of amity.
VARANASI : Ek Raat Ki Masjid — the name catches one’s attention immediately for its uniqueness.
Believed to have been built in one night, the mosque is located in a narrow lane of Varanasi’s Lallapura, an area famous for the master weavers who turn silk yarn into Banarsi sarees and stoles.
Some of the visitors, who walk through the lanes to watch sarees being woven on handloom, also go to see the mosque.
Dr Abdul Waheed Ansari, a local scholar, says, “The mosque is known as Ek Raat Ki Masjid since it was built in a night around 175 years ago. A faqir had taken the initiative for its construction and locals helped him implement his plan.”
Dr Ansari says many people express surprise when they learn the mosque was built in a night.
“Some invisible forces had helped the locals during the construction due to which the work was completed in a night,” Dr Ansari claims.
He says the ground floor has many shops and namaaz is offered on the first and second floors.
Locals raise funds for maintenance of the mosque, which was rebuilt over a decade ago.
Octogenarian Haqim Haji Moinuddin, who lives in Lallapura, also says the mosque was built in just one night with the aid of invisible forces.
He says he was informed about it by his parents.
“Whether anyone believes it or not, Ek Raat Ki Masjid was built within a night. That is how it got its names,” he says.
Youngsters strongly believe in the ‘one night construction theory’.
Mohammad Rashid, who runs a general store on the ground floor of the mosque, says: “Invisible forces, along with locals were involved in construction of this mosque. Therefore, it was built within a night.”
He says it is a unique mosque. “I offer namaz here and feel my prayers are answered. It was rebuilt in 2004 and the entire exercise then took a fortnight,” he says.
Ghyasuddin Ahmad, a local trader, says, “The mosque’s name generates curiosity among people. Some people visit Lallapura to see the mosque which is very old.”
SOME OF THE VISITORS, WHO WALK THROUGH THE LANES TO WATCH SAREES BEING WOVEN ON HANDLOOM, ALSO GO TO SEE THE MOSQUE.