Jama Masjid

The biggest mosque of India, Jama Masjid, officially and formerly called Masjid-i-Jahanuma or even is described as The Mosque commanding a view of the World. It lies at the starting point of a very busy central street in Old Delhi, the Chawri Bazar Road.

It is believed that it was the last architectural work of Shah Jahan. Jama Masjid is also recognized as Friday Mosque since Jama means Friday, the sacred day of Muslims. The erection work of the mosque began in 1650 and took about six years, as was completed with its final touch in 1656. The mosque is positioned on a hill-rock or can say a high platform, possessing three imposing double-storied gateways in the north, south and east to enter and visit the courtyard, displaying a fine example of Mughal architecture.

The courtyard of the mosque has the capacity of accomodating twenty-five thousand worshippers. The mosque also houses several leftovers in a cabinet in the north gate, together with an time-honored copy of the Quran in black and white on deer skin.

For the visitors only the north and south doors are open and here in masjid both men and women are allowed, with a condition of covering themselves from head to toe with removed shoes. The east door was for the emperor and is the largest and the highest of them all. The main courtyard of the mosque is 408 square feet and is created out of red stone.