Memoirs of the Badshahi Mosque: Notes on History and Architecture based on Archives, Literature, and Archaic Images

Memoirs of the Bādshāhī Mosque brings together historical, political, and artistic aspects of the Badshahi Mosque in a single narrative. While a number of general historical studies have been done over the years, few books have taken a critical approach towards the history of this monument. is imperial building has retained a striking peculiarity which underscores the need for further research. It is at once recognizable and yet not fully understood. Avoiding a linear narrative, this study focuses on the obscure facets of the mosque’s history, including its stints as a staging ground for colonial armies.

This study began as a research paper on the nature of the interiors and embellishments of the mosque. With time, it expanded into a broader project which attempts to bridge the narrative gaps that have existed in the discourse about the mosque’s history. To aid further research by historians interested in this era, British colonial archives as well as some Sikh era materials pertaining to the mosque have been transcribed and presented in this book. A collection of archaic images moreover shed light on events that are not particularly evident from texts alone. Nevertheless, much remains to be unearthed from the archival collections in Lahore and Delhi. To this end, while some questions are answered, more are raised in the process. What is hoped in the end is that the reader will walk away with an understanding of the historical character of this mosque which is enriched by the fact that it experienced the reign of three different empires and witnessed the birth of a new nation. is book should benet not only those interested in architectural history, but also those with an interest in political and social history of pre-partition India.