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| Home » Destinations Covered by Palace on Wheels » Delhi » Delhi Sightseeing » Jama Masjid |
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Jama Masjid |
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Jama Masjid is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. The Jama Masjid in Delhi was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The construction was completed in the year 1656 AD, and is one of the largest and best known mosques in India. It is located near a very busy and popular market in Old Delhi known as Chandni Chowk. The Red Fort is also closely situated. It is significant to note that there are also Jama Masjids in different cities of the country with a history of Islamic rule, or large Muslim populations.
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The original name of Jama Masjid is Masjid-i-Jahan Numa which means "the mosque commanding a view of the world". The name Jama Masjid refers to the weekly prayer observed by the congregation on Friday at the mosque. The courtyard of the mosque has the capacity to hold up to twenty-five thousand worshipers. The mosque also has many relics in a closet in the north gate. This also includes a copy of the Quran written on deer skin. The total cost incurred during the construction in the era of Shah Jahan was approximately 10 lakh(1 million) Rupees.
Shah Jahan built many important mosques in different cities like Delhi, Agra, Ajmer and Lahore. The floor plan of Jama Masjid is quite similar to that of the Jama Masjid at Agra. But the Jama Masjid in Delhi is the bigger and more imposing of the two mosques. The majesty of the Jama Masjid has further increased because of the high ground that the emperor selected for building this mosque.
Jama Masjid is one of the architectural gifts given by Shah Jahan. The grand Jama Masjid has three gateways, four angle towers and two 40 meter high minarets. When you enter the mosque you must be careful to take off your shoes and make sure that you are properly dressed. You are also allowed to go to the top of the minaret from where you will get a bird's view of the city.
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