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Question 223 of 248 · Monuments & Religious Places
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The Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) inside the Red Fort of Delhi was built during the reign of:

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Answer: Option D — Aurangzeb

Detailed Solution

The Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) inside the Red Fort of Delhi was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, around 1659-1660, for his personal use.

About the mosque:

  • It is a small mosque built entirely of white marble, which gives it the name "Pearl Mosque".
  • It stands to the west of the royal bath (hammam) in the Red Fort.
  • It was built for the emperor's private prayers, so that he did not need to go to the Jama Masjid outside the fort.
  • It is said to have cost about 1,60,000 rupees.
  • It has three domes (originally covered with copper, later replaced with marble), and a small courtyard.
  • Its prayer hall has three arched openings and is decorated with fine floral carvings in low relief.
  • The walls of the courtyard are high, giving the mosque privacy.
  • The floor of the prayer hall is inlaid with outlines of individual prayer mats in black marble.

Aurangzeb's architecture:

  • Aurangzeb built fewer monuments than his predecessors, because of his focus on military campaigns and his simple personal tastes.
  • His major buildings include the Bibi ka Maqbara in Aurangabad (built by his son).
  • He also built mosques in Banaras and Mathura.

About the Red Fort, Delhi:

  • It was built by Shah Jahan between 1639 and 1648, as the palace-fortress of his new capital, Shahjahanabad.
  • It was built of red sandstone, which gave it the name "Lal Qila".
  • Inside are the Diwan-i-Aam, the Diwan-i-Khas, the Rang Mahal, the Khas Mahal, the hammam and the Nahr-i-Bihisht (Canal of Paradise).
  • It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.
  • The Prime Minister of India hoists the national flag at the Red Fort every Independence Day.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Shah Jahan built the Red Fort itself.
  • ✗Bahadur Shah I and Akbar did not build this mosque.

Quick tip

Remember: Moti Masjid in the Red Fort, Delhi = Aurangzeb (about 1659-60; white marble; for private prayers); Red Fort built by Shah Jahan (1639-1648).

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Monuments & Religious Places — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Monuments & Religious Places, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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