What Is Jama Masjid?
This is one of India’s largest mosques and the final monument of Shah Jahan!
What Makes It Historical?
After the death of his wife, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan left his former capital of Agra and settled in what is now Delhi but what he called Shahjahanabad! Though he may have been done with Agra, he sure wasn’t finished building monuments, so he commissioned 5,000 artisans, supervised by Wazir Saadullah Khan, to build his new capital’s central mosque. It was designed by Ustad Khalil with 131-foot minarets, a pinch of Hindu architecture, and inscriptions that tell the history of the mosque and praise its commissioner! The was inaugurated on July 23, 1656 by Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah from Uzbekistan!
When the British took over in 1803, they originally did renovations on the Jama Masjid, but that all changed after the Revolt of 1857! The British destroyed many mosques in response and took over the Masjid to use as a barracks for five years. Once they returned it to its worshippers, the Jama Masjid became a place where both Muslim and Hindu folks (up to 25,000) could meet and discuss anticolonial matters. That’s because religious locations were exempt from police enforcement!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
Jama Masjid Rd
Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk
New Delhi, Delhi 110006
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The masjid is open daily from 7:00 AM until 12:00 PM, then from 1:30 PM until 6:30 PM!