Built in Mughal Emperor Akbar’s period (1526), the once-upon-a-time strong walls of Khair-u’l-Manazil Masjid now stand ignored. The mosque is often mistaken to be a part of Purana Quila complex, though it was built much after.
Sometimes overshadowed by the much larger Purana Quila which lies on the opposite side of the road, Khair-u’l-Manazil has its own charm. It is situated adjacent to Lal Darwaza – one of the gates to Sher Shah Suri’s capital and probably that is why it is often mistaken to be of the same period. But the fact is that Khair-u’l Manazil was built under the command of Maham Anga, the wet nurse who was also quite politically influential during the early reigning years of Akbar.
The entry gate takes you to a hexagonal water basin, situated in the centre of the courtyard. The three walls surrounding it have small rooms, which were earlier used to serve as a Madrasa.
The masjid is constructed in red sandstone and lime and interestingly, was built without a foundation, which is a rarity in large constructions even today. “If we go back in history, this mosque is almost 500 years old,” says Naseer, who has been looking after the structure for the past 20 years.
“The water in the well,” claims Naseer is “as old as the Mughal period. You will get the world’s most fresh and coldest water in that well. Surprisingly, the level of water has been 25 feet since the olden ages. It has not come up, nor has it gone down.
We have a rope that measures 25 feet and it has been the same since those days.” he informs.
Though this historical mosque is said to be protected by the ASI, it lies in a dilapidated condition. Bricks have fallen and there are no doors left. Even the script can no more be read clearly. But the mosque is still used for offering prayers.