Smaller mosque of Aurangzeb, with the north minaret covered with scaffolding in Varanasi - 1826.
Water-colour painting of the smaller mosque of Aurangzeb at Varanasi by James Prinsep (1799-1840) dating to 1826. Inscribed on the reverse is: 'Madhoray Ghat and the Minarets. 10 March 1826'. This image was reproduced in 'Benares illustrated', lithographed by L. Haghe and accompanied by the following text, 'At the time of drawing the sketch, the Musjid and Meenars were under repair, - a hazardous undertaking, as regarded the latter, for they were both found to incline outwards 15 inches from the perpendicular. One of them was struck by lightning the very day the scaffolding was removed ...'.