The Jami Masjid
The Jami Masjid (“Congregational or Friday
Mosque”) of Delhi, built in 1656 by the fifth Mughal emperor,
Shah Jahan (r. 1627–58), is the largest mosque in India. It is an
archetypal Mughal courtyard mosque: the entire mosque compound is
separated from the surrounding city by a high wall that encloses the
compound on three sides, with the prayer hall forming the fourth side.
Broad flights of steps lead to arched gateways that pierce the three
sides, providing entry and exit to worshippers. There is an ablutions
pool in the center of the roughly 300×300 foot courtyard, which is
capable of holding over 20,000 people. The prayer hall itself is
relatively shallow, as the courtyard is used to hold the majority of
congregants on Fridays (the Muslim holy day) and festivals. As can
be seen in the photograph, the prayer hall has a large central
archway (an iwan) and is covered with three domes that, in
typical Mughal fashion, bow slightly outward. At each end of the
prayer hall is an approximately 130 foot tall minaret.
Photo taken: February 7, 2008
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