From Delhi to Hyderabad: A Journey Through India's Most Iconic Mosques
Adina Mosque
Little is known about this mosque that was once the largest mosque of the Indian subcontinent. The Adina mosque is located in the Maldah District, West Bengal, India, near the state’s border with Bangladesh. The mosque that is now in ruins was built in the 14th century during the reign of the second Sultan of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty, Sikandar Shah.
The mosque was built to celebrate the Sultan’s victories against the Delhi Sultanate. After his death, the Sultan was buried in the mosque in a direction facing the Mecca. The Adina Mosque was left largely ignored during the British rule in India and highly damaged by 19th- century earthquakes. One can see Bengali, Persian, Byzantine, and Arab design styles in the architecture of the mosque. The mosque was planned to resemble the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.
Cheraman Juma Mosque
The Cheraman Juma Mosque is the oldest mosque in India. It was built in 629 AD by an Arab propagator of Islam, Malik Deenar. It is located in Methala in the Thrissur District, Kerala, India. The mosque is held in high regard by Muslims as it houses the grave of Malik Deenar.
Malik Dinar Mosque
The Malik Dinar Mosque is a mosque located in Kerala’s Kasaragod district. The mosque is a historically significant since it houses the grave of Malik Dinar, one of Prophet Muhammad’s companions. The festival of Malik Deenar Uroos is held in the holy month of muharram to celebrate the arrive of Malik Deenar to Kerala.
Palaiya Jumma Palli
The Palaiya Jumma Palli, located in Kilakarai, Tamil Nadu, is one of the oldest mosques in the world. The mosque is associated with Islamic heritage that is nearly 1,000 years old. It was built in between 628 and 630 AD by Yemeni merchants and serves as one of the best examples of Dravidian Islam architecture. The Palaiya Jumma Palli appears like a temple on the exterior. However, it lacks any idol carving on the walls and has a Mihrab on the wall that acts as the only evidence of it being a mosque.
Kazimar Periya Pallivasal
The Kazimar Big Mosque is a large mosque located in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai city. The ancient mosque was founded in the 13th century by Hazrat Kazi Syed Tajuddin, a descendant of Prophet Muhammad. He arrived from Yemen and established this first place of Muslim worship in Madurai. The mosque has a capacity of accommodating 2,500 people.
Bara Imambara
The Bara Imambara is not only an Islamic place of worship but also a major touristed attraction in the Lucknow city of Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the grandest buildings of the city. The imambara was founded in 1784 by Asaf-ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh. The imambara hosts a shrine that was built by Shia Muslims for prayer. The imambara complex includes a mosque, a labyrinth called the bhul-bhulaiya, and a step or bowli well with running water. The architecture of the building reflects Mughal design. Two imposing gateways lead to the main hall of the imambara. Famous among them is the Rumi Darwaza that is embellished with lavish decorations. The tomb of Asaf-ud-Daula is present in the main imambara.
The Bhulbhulaya is possibly the only exisiting maze in India and was probably constructed unintentionally to support the building’s weight since it was built on marshy land. The design of the imambara was selected via a competitive process with a Delhi architect Kifayatullah being the winner. The tomb of this architect also lies buried in the imambara. According to legends and local lores, there are several secret tunnels and passageways leading to other locations from the imambara. However, most have been closed down by the authorities after reports of disappearances of several people who had gone missing in their attempts to explore these secret passages.
Fatehpuri Masjid
The Fatehpuri Masjid is located in Chandni Chowk, the oldest street of Delhi, opposite the Red Fort. The mosque was commissioned to be built in 1650 by Fatehpuri Begum, one of the wives of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The mosque was later preserved by Rai Lala Chunnamal who bought it from the British after the 1857 war. Later, it was handed back to the Muslims of the area. Muslim festivals are celebrated with great pomp and glory at the mosque. The Fatehpuri Masjid is made of red sandstone and has a traditional design. The prayer hall has seven-arched openings and is flanked by minarets.
Taj-ul-Masajid
The Taj-ul-Masajid located in Bhopal, India, is one of the largest mosques in Asia. The construction of the mosque was initiated during by Nawab Shah Jahan Begum in the mid-19th century and continued till 1985. The mosque has a pink facade and features two octagonal, 18-storey-high minarets with marble domes. The top of the mosque also has three large bulbous domes. The main hallway has an impressive design with marble floors and attractive pillars.
Charminar
The Charminar is one of the chief attractions of the Hyderabad city in Telangana. The monument and mosque were constructed in 1591. The structure is located on the Musi River’s east bank. The construction of the monument was commissioned by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the Qutb Shahi dynasty’s fifth ruler. The Charminar served as the centerpiece around which the old city of Hyderabad was built. The structure of the Charminar features a square structure with each side being about 20 meters long. At each corner of the square, there is a minaret from where the monument derives its name, the Charminar, meaning the four minarets. The structure weighs around 14,000 tons and is made of pulverized marble, granite, mortar, and limestone. The design and ornamentation of the Charminar lend it an aesthetic appeal which makes it a popular place for photography.
Masjid-i Jahān-Numā
Also known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi, the Masjid-i Jahān-Numā or the World-reflecting Mosque is one of India’s biggest mosques. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the building of this mosque between 1644 and 1656. An imam from Bukhara inaugurated the mosque. The mosque features four towers, three gates, three domes, and two 40 m high minarets. Red sandstone and white marble have been used to build the mosque. The courtyard of the mosque can accommodate around 25,000 people. 899 black borders are marked in the mosque for worshippers.
Jamia Masjid
The Jamia Masjid is a famous mosque in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. The mosque was built in 1394 by Sultan Sikandar Shah Kashmiri Shahmiri. The mosque has been constructed in the Persian style and bears some similarity to Buddhist pagodas.
Atala Masjid
The Atala Masjid is a beautiful mosque located in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh and serves as one of the major tourist attractions of the region. The mosque was built by Sultan Ibrahim, the ruler of the region between 1377 and 1408. The central courtyard of the mosque hosts a Madrasa.
Mecca Masjid
The Mecca Masjid is one of the oldest and largest mosques of the Hyderabad city. The mosque was built during the rule of the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. The bricks used to build the central arch of the mosque were made of soil brought from Mecca, the holiest site in Islam. This is how the mosque received its name. The ruler personally laid the foundation stone of the mosque. Over 8,000 workers built the mosque. The mosque is enlisted as one of the heritage buildings of India. It is 75 ft tall, 180 ft long, and 220 ft wide. About 10,000 workers can pray in the mosque at any point in time. The architecture of the mosque is highly pleasing to the eyes.
Moti Masjid
The Moti Masjid is a beautiful mosque that was built within the Red Fort complex by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb between 1659 and 1660. The mosque is built of white marble. The mosque has a prayer hall with three arches and three bulbous domes that were originally covered in gilded copper. The symmetry of the outer walls matches the outer walls of the fort. The prayer hall stands on a higher level than the courtyard. A small ablution fountain is present at the center of the courtyard.
Sidi Saiyyed Mosque
The Sidi Saiyyed Mosque is a famous mosque located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The mosque was built in 1573 during the existence of the Sultanate of Gujarat. The mosque is well-known for its carved stone latticework windows. Carved stone decor also enhances the beauty of the mosque.
Jama Masjid
The Jama Masjid located in the Kalbadevi neighborhood of Mumbai is one of the city’s most notable mosques. The land currently occupied by the mosque once belonged to a Konkani Mulsim merchant. The construction of the mosque started in 1775 but was delayed several times due to protests by locals against the construction.
Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque
The Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque is a well-known mosque located in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is regarded as a cultural heritage building. The mosque was built by Tipu Sultan’s youngest son, Prince Ghulam Mohammed, in 1832. It was built in memory of his father.
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