Lucknow: The foundation for the construction of the Dhannipur mosque in Ayodhya was laid on Republic Day after hoisting tricolor by the trustees of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF).
Significantly, Babri title dispute litigants, office-bearers of All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), prominent Muslim clerics and leaders stayed away from the foundation laying ceremony. None of them were extended any invitation by the IICF, entrusted with the task of mosque construction in Ayodhya.
With this, the process for the construction of the mosque in Ayodhya formally began on Tuesday on 5 acres of land allotted to UP Sunni Waqf Board by the Supreme Court in lieu of the land where Babri mosque once stood. The land is situated about 25 kms away from Ram Janambhoomi in villages Dhannipur and Raunahi falling in Sohaval tehsil of Ayodhya.
Out of nine, 6 trustees of the IICF, who were present on the occasion, planted trees to develop a green corridor within the complex to meet climate changes. The Chief Trustee Zufar Farooqui planted a tamarind sapling. He was followed by others who planted more saplings, brought from Amazon rainforest, Australia and different parts of the country.
The IICF Secretary Athar Hussain said that the mosque at Dhannipur will be constructed on 15,000 sq feet. “It will be of the same size as that of Babri mosque. But it will have a different design to give it a magnificent look matching international standards,” he added.
Initial designs suggest that it will be a circular-shaped mosque with a unique minaret over it. The Chief Architect S.M Akhtar, however, claimed that it may be changed to square-shaped, reminiscences Kaaba Sharif in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Hussain said that besides the mosque, the 5 acre complex will have a 200-bed super specialty hospital, a museum, a library, Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre, a community kitchen and a publishing house. “Half of the total five acres land will be developed as a green area to make the entire complex eco-friendly,” he added.
The Chief Trustee Zufar Farooqui said that the Dhannipur mosque will “give a message of Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb, love, peace, brotherhood and environment protection to the world.” He said that the super specialty hospital will provide medical facilities to villagers who had to go far off places for treatment. “We will also provide food to over 1,000 people free of cost,” he declared.
The IICF Secretary said that actual construction of the mosque and other structures will begin soon after they receive soil testing report, approvals of maps and drawings from Ayodhya Development Authority and clearance from 14 government departments.
