Jama Masjid – The Largest Mosque
The Persian name, Masjid-i Jahan-Numa may not ring a bell, but the name Jama Masjid does bring a lot of images into an Indian’s mind. An architectural marvel built by Shah Jahan, Jama Masjid is India’s largest mosque. The Persian name meaning ‘the World-reflecting Mosque’ was later given as a reference to the weekly Friday noon congregation prayers of Muslims, known as the Jummah.
Construction of the Jama Masjid began in October 1650 in Shahjahanabad, one of the nine cities of Delhi. The Emperor himself laid the foundation. Over 6,000 workers toiled for over a period of six years incurring a cost of 10 lakh rupees to build this monument. When completed, the Jama Masjid had three great gates, four angle towers and two 40 m high minarets that were all made of alternate vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble, not to mention a massive courtyard that could accommodate at least 25,000 devotees.
The huge rectangular courtyard is paved with red stone and is flanked on three sides with arched walkways. The pillars are all carved from Hindu and Jain traditions. The central courtyard is accessible from the east and leads to the mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed Shah. The tower of the Jama Masjid is made up of five storeys, each one of the storeys has a projecting balcony.
The courtyard of the mosque can be reached from the east, north and south by three flights of steps, all built of red sandstone. The mosque faces south stands on a platform of about five feet. At the arched entrances there are tablets of white marble with inscriptions from the Quran in black marble.
The floor of the mosque is covered with white and black marble markings that look like a prayer mat. The floor is painted with 899 squares for each worshipper.
It is possible to climb the southern minaret where the views from the top are breathtaking. It is possible to see a lot of other monuments and modern structures from the top.
A cabinet near the north gate of the Jama Masjid contains a collection of Prophet Muhammad’s relics – the Koran written on deerskin, a red beard-hair of the prophet, his sandals and his footprints, implanted in a marble block.
Jama Masjid is located off Netaji Subhash Marg, west of Red Fort. Open to non-Muslims from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm and 1.45 pm to 5.30 pm, tourists not allowed during prayer hours. On Fridays the mosque is closed from 12 pm to 2 pm. The entry is free. But you will have to pay a fee for photography.
The current Imam is a descendent of the original Imam-Us-Sultan, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah of Bukhara, personally appointed by Shah Jahan.
For More Info: Jama Masjid New Delhi and Places To Visit in New Delhi
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