India » Delhi » Old Delhi » Jama Masjid
Location: 500 meters west of Red Fort, near Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi
Time to Visit: On all days from Sunrise to Sunset
Preferred Timings: Summer/ Winter: 7.00 am-12.15 pm & 1.45 pm till sunset/ 8.30 am-12.15 pm & 1.45 pm till sunset; Muslim ladies: After Fazar Prayers (after dawn) till Maghrib Prayers (between sunset and twilight), all round the year except during Ramadan (Ramzan) when they are allowed entry from Fazar Prayers to Maghrib Prayers
Admission: Free and open to all except during prayer timings. Tourists should cover their knees as well their arms and remove their shoes before entering the mosque. Cloth to be draped around your limbs or feet, is available at the entrance and is provided on request.
Photography charges: Citizen/foreigner: INR 20/ 150
Charges to climb southern Minaret: INR 10
How to Reach: Tourists can either take local buses from various points within the city to reach this monument, which is located in Old Delhi, or they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis or metro rail.
Parking: Free and open to all
Nearest Railway Station: Old Delhi Railway Station
Nearest Metro Station: Kashmiri Gate
Functional Metro Station: Kashmiri Gate
Nearest International Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport
Time required for sightseeing: 2 hours
Just 500 meters west of Red Fort lies the largest mosque of India, Jama Masjid. Originally called Masjid-i-Jahanuma or 'The Mosque commanding a view of the World', the Masjid is the last architectural work of Shah Jahan. Jama Masjid is also known as Friday Mosque as 'Jama' means Friday, which is the holy day of the Muslims. The construction of the mosque began in 1650 and was completed after six years, in 1656. The mosque stands on a rock or a high platform and has three imposing double-storeyed gateways on the north, south and east to reach the courtyard. The eastern gateway, the largest of all was reserved for the emperor and the royal ladies. Tourists can enter the Masjid from the North or South gate and it is mandatory for both men and women to remove their shoes and cover themselves modestly, from head to toe.
The architect of this magnificent mosque was Ustad Khalil. Built of red sandstone, the main features of the mosque are its four-storeyed tapering minarets, which are 130 feet high, the full bulbous domes shaped like a drum at their base and the use of alternating stripes of black and white marble in all the three domes. Enclosed by pillared corridors with domed pavilions at the corners, the courtyard of the mosque measures around 100 square meters and has a capacity of 25000 people. In the center of the courtyard is an ablution tank, Hauz and in front of it is a raised platform called Dikka. The mosque is so big that muballigh (the second cleric), used to stand on the Dikka and relay the chants of the Imam (the chief cleric) to the devotees who were unable to hear him. This practice was stopped when loudspeakers were introduced at prayer services in the Jama Masjid.
In the northeast corner is a small pavilion containing relics of Prophet Mohammed, which is considered very sacred. Pilgrims from all over the world throng the place to see the precious contents like two very old copies of the Quran on deerskin, one long hair from the Prophet's beard, his sandals and a footprint of the Prophet in marble. It is said that in 1766, a worshipper had a vision here of the Prophet standing by the celestial tank in paradise. It is believed that the he will appear again here on Judgment Day. Though not mandatory it is advisable to offer some rupees here, as an offering, in good faith.
On the west is the rectangular prayer hall, which measures 61 meters by 27.5 meters. It has a splendid façade of eleven arches decorated with marble frames. Panels with inscriptions in black and white marble are placed above the arches. The central arch of the façade is higher than the rest giving it a perfect proportion. The inscriptions inform visitors about the history of the structure, the cost of building the mosque (one million rupees), the architect and the builder (Nur Allah Ahmed). Three domes surmount the prayer hall, which is two-bays in depth with the western bay having only seven arches.
The special feature of this mosque is that the current chief cleric, Imam Bukhari, is the direct descendant of the Mullah who came from Bukhara to inaugurate the Jama Masjid, on 23rd July 1656, at the invitation of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan.
Visitors can climb the southern minaret of Jama Masjid but one needs to be careful at the top. The views are just wonderful as one can see the whole Old Delhi, the impressive Red Fort and even Rashtrapati Bhawan in central Delhi, in the distance. Women are not allowed to go alone to the top of the minaret.
Annual Event/Special Event: The mosque is at its best during Muslim festivals of Id-ul-Fitr and Id-ul-Zoha when thousands of devotees at a time offer their prayers in the courtyard. There is a festival and carnival like atmosphere in the area and Islam looks at its most impressive in this great urban mosque, on a special occasion like Id.
Nearby Tourist Attractions: Nearby tourist attractions include Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Salimgarh Fort, St James Church and Raj Ghat.
Nearby Places to Eat: Karims, famous for its kebabs. Ghantewala sweet shop, food stalls near Jama Masjid, and Paranthewali Gali, specialize in Indian street food. In Daryaganj try the Moti Mahal, Flora and Peshwari Restaurant for local flavor or Natraj Hotel for a decent Indian meal, or Chor Bizarre at Broadway Hotel for authentic Kashmiri Cuisine in a heritage ambience.
Nearby Shopping Venues: Chandni Chowk, literally 'Silver Street' and traditionally the place to shop for silver jewelry and utensils. You can also shop here for traditionally embroidered clothing, exotic food and curios. Old gramophone players and photographic equipment are also a popular purchase from Chandni Chowk. Chatta Chowk for traditional and contemporary jewelry and handicrafts), Nai Sarak for books, Chor Bazaar for electronic goods and Daryaganj book market, a Sunday attraction, is not to be missed.
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