Moti Masjid gets back its view

This was a story by chance as I was roaming the streets of Bhopal to get some offbeat and stand alone pictures that I noticed the workers of the BMC clearing the front view of the Historic Moti Masjid. After a few discussion with the workers, went back to the office only to be told by my Editor to file a small piece on what happened there at the spot.

The front (eastern) entrance of the historic Moti Masji and its park, was virtually closed for general public from the past about two decades, were finally reopened on January 8th, 2001, after the removal of a nursery in the mosque’s park.
According to Syed Aftab-uddin alias Tabbu Miyan, the nursery run by one Munne Miyan in the park of the mosque had partially blocked the mosque’s view and totally prevented the people’s entrance.
The land belonging to Shahi Auqaf had been leased to Munne Miyan who established a nursery and paid Rs 30 per day to the Auqaf.
Because the nursery occupied the whole park, the Muslims were forced to offer prayers on roads on both sides of the mosque on the occasion of Eids.
This will not happen on the coming Eid thanks to the BMC’s effort.
The BMC, on the direction of the Chief Minister Digvijay Singh (according to the residents) removed above 100 truckloads of plants and trees from the nursery to give back the view of the magnificent building to the general public.
Moti Masjid was constructed by Bhopal’s second ruler Sikander Jahan Begum around 1850. it is built of red stone and marble and a fine piece of Islamic architecture.