A view of a site that was allotted by authorities for a new mosque, about 15 miles from the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
As the Ram temple consecration celebrations continue in Ayodhya, the mosque still remains a barren piece of land.
The Supreme Court verdict in the 'Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid' case came on November 9, 2019. The apex court backed the construction of Ram temple at the Babri Masjid site and ruled for the finding of an alternative plot for the construction of a mosque.
The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) will be building the mosque on five-acre land in Ayodhya's Dhannipur. IICF intends on appointing in-charges in different states to raise funds.
Here are the top ten things you need to know about the mosque:
According to IICF Chief trustee Zufar Farooqui, the final design of the mosque will likely be ready by mid-February and will go for administrative approval thereafter.
A 200-bed hospital, a community kitchen ('saarvjanik bhojnalaya') and a modern library will also be set up in the complex, the Mint reported.
A museum will also come up at the site.
Additonally, IICF will also construct a research institute at the site.
The mosque will be egg shaped and will not have a dome or minarets inside.
Solar power will be installed in mosque.
Around 2,000 people will be able to offer namaz (prayers) at a time.
The initial design of the mosque was based on the mosques built in India historically but it was rejected and a new design inspired by Middle Eastern countries is in the works.
Initially, the mosque was to be built on 15,000 square feet of land and now it will be build on 40,000 square feet of land.
Map of the proposed mosque and other buildings was submitted to the Ayodhya Development Authority in 2021 and it was approved in March 2023. Now, the construction is expected to start in May this year, if the news design of the mosque is approved.
(With PTI inputs)