Restoration of ancient relic nears completion

National Heritage and Culture Division, Department of Archaeology and Museum has completed 80 per cent excavation and cleaning work on Mai Qamro Mosque and Muqarab Khan Tomb located in a small village ‘Bagh Jogian’ in the vicinity of Islamabad. The Mosque is believed to have been built by Mai Qamro, Hathi Khan Ghakkar’s wife, a Ghakkar dynasty scion in which women occupied a prestigious and influential position. According to DOAM, this Mosque was constructed in the early 16th century, a great specimen of Ghakkar architecture. It was built on a rectangular plan and crowned with three squat domes. The southern dome of the mosque has caved in but the two others are in fairly good condition. It is noted for its three arched entrances. The central entrance is flanked by two recessed arches which lend an amazing beauty to the façade of the structure. Above the arched entrance, one finds a beautiful cut-brick ornamentation. Such embellishments cannot be found elsewhere in Potohar. Dressed stone has been used to construct the mosque. Formerly, it was plastered, traces of which are still visible on the façade of the mosque. Parts of the boundary wall of the mosque have survived the ravages of time. The northern boundary is still standing. The remains of the southern and eastern walls are also visible. Published in The Express Tribune May 1st, 2024.

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