Places To Visit In Delhi - Jama Masjid

Places To Visit In Delhi - Jama Masjid

Masjid-i-Jehan-Numa, commonly known as Jama Masjid of Delhi, is one of the largest mosques in India. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, between 1644 and 1656, and inaugurated by his first imam, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari. Wikipedia

Masjid-i-Jehan-Numa (Persian: مسجدِ جهان نما), commonly known as the Jama Masjid (Urdu: جامع مسجد, romanized: jāme masjid) of Delhi, is one of the largest mosques in India.

Its builder is the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, between 1644 and 1656, and inaugurated by its first Imam, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari. Situated in the Mughal capital of Shahjahanabad (today Old Delhi), it served as the imperial mosque of the Mughal emperors until the demise of the empire in 1857. The Jama Masjid was regarded as a symbolic gesture of Islamic power across India, well into the colonial era. It was also a site of political significance during several key periods of British rule. It remains in active use, and is one of Delhi's most iconic sites, closely identified with the ethos of Old Delhi.

Names - Jama Masjid

The mosque has two names. The oldest, granted by Shah Jahan, is Masjid-i-Jehān-Numā, interpreted as "mosque that reflects the entire world", probably in allusion to the Jām-e-Jehān Numā. The other most common one is Jāmā Masjid (Urdu: جامع مسجد, from Arabic meaning "congregational mosque"), which emerged among the common population. The term 'Jama Masjid' is not exclusive to this mosque; Since the 7th century, it has been used to denote the community mosque or Friday mosque and therefore many around the world bear this name and variants of it.

Places To Visit In Delhi - Jama Masjid

Location - Jama Masjid

The mosque is located within the historic city of Shahjahanabad, today known as the town of Old Delhi. Opposite the mosque are the Red Fort and Sunehri Masjid.[4] As one of the focal points of Old Delhi, Jama Masjid is surrounded by several shopping malls, including the historic Chandni Chowk.[5] The tomb of Abul Kalam Azad, an Indian independence activist, is located next to the mosque.

History - Jama Masjid

Construction and Mughal era

Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built Jama Masjid between 1650 and 1656, at the highest point of Shahjahanabad. It was built by approximately 5,000 workers.[7][8][9] The workforce was diverse and consisted of Indians, Arabs, Persians, Turks and Europeans. Construction was mainly supervised by Sadullah Khan, the vizier (or prime minister) during Shah Jahan's reign, and Fazil Khan, the comptroller of Shah Jahan's household. The construction cost at that time was ten lakh (one million) rupees.[10] The mosque was inaugurated on July 23, 1656 by Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari, of Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Shah Jahan had invited him to be the Shahi Imam (Royal Imam) of the mosque.

The mosque was one of the last monuments built under Shah Jahan. After its completion, it served as the royal mosque of the emperors until the end of the Mughal period. The khutba was recited by the Mughal emperor during Friday noon prayer, legitimizing his rule. Therefore, the mosque was a symbol of Mughal sovereignty in India and had political significance. It was also an important center of social life for the residents of Shahjahanabad, providing a space that transcended class divisions for diverse people to interact.

Places To Visit In Delhi - Jama Masjid

Architecture - Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid was built as part of Shah Jahan's new capital in Delhi, Shahjahanabad. At the time of its construction, it was the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent. Shah Jahan stated that the mosque was modeled after the Jama Masjid of Fatehpur Sikri, and this is reflected in the design of many exterior elements, such as the façade and courtyard. However, the interior of the mosque looks more like the Jama Masjid in Agra.[38] The mosque predominantly uses red sandstone and is distinguished from its predecessors by more extensive use of white marble. Black marble also appears as a decorative element. On various surfaces of the structure there are Arabic and Persian calligraphic pieces, whose content ranges from the religious to the panegyric.

Having been built on a hill, the mosque is situated on a pedestal elevated 10 meters above the surrounding city. The complex faces west, towards Mecca. Next to the structure there used to be an imperial college, an imperial dispensary and a madrasa, but they were destroyed in the 1857 uprisings.

From Wikipedia

Places To Visit In Delhi - Jama Masjid

• Address: Jama Masjid, Old Delhi, Delhi, 110006, India
• Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahori
• Construction cost: One million rupees
• Opened: 1656
• Architectural style: Mughal architecture
• Capacity: 25,000

Hours: 

• Wednesday 7 AM–12 PM, 1:30–6:30 PM
• Thursday 7 AM–12 PM, 1:30–6:30 PM
• Friday 7 AM–12 PM, 1:30–6:30 PM
• Saturday 7 AM–12 PM, 1:30–6:30 PM
• Sunday 7 AM–12 PM, 1:30–6:30 PM
• Monday 7 AM–12 PM, 1:30–6:30 PM
• Tuesday 7 AM–12 PM, 1:30–6:30 PM

• Phone: +91 11 2336 5358
• Length: 40 metres (130 ft)
• Dome(s): 3
• Materials: Red sandstone, marble
• Geographic coordinates: 28°39′03″N 77°14′00″E / 28.6507°N 77.2334°E

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