Alamgir Mosque

It is also known as Beni Madhav ka Darera and Aurangzeb's Mosque. Its a beautiful mosque. Emperor Aurangzeb had captured Banaras in 17th century it caters to the city’s 250,000 Muslims comprising 29.7 percent of its population and built a mosque and named it as Alamagir Mosque in the name of his own honorific title "Alamgir", which he had adopted after becoming the emperor of the Mughal empire. The mosque is architecturally a blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture. Yet, perched atop Panchganga Ghat by the holy River Ganges, where five streams are said to join, is a lovely functioning mosque—Alamgir Mosque. It is also the largest structure on the ghats. Alamgir Mosque stands perpendicular to the ghats unlike the other buildings which line the river. This was to ensure it was in keeping with the Islamic directive which states the mighrab should always point towards Mecca. Alamgir means “Conqueror of the World.” It was the title Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan’s son, and the 6th Mughal ruler had bestowed on himself. —the mosque is open to non-Muslims. The Hindu locals are matter-of-fact about their Muslim neighbours and the mosque’s presence in the most holy of Hindu sites. Their rationale is simple: Isn’t spirituality meant to make you bigger in spirit. The mosque has high domes and minarets. Two of its minarets were damaged; one minaret collapsed killing a few people and the other was officially brought down owing to stability concerns. The Panchaganga Ghat where the mosque is situated is where five streams are said to join. In October lamps are lighted on top of a bamboo staff as a mark of guidance to the ancestors.