Juma Jama Masjid Delhi 1875 & Present Photo

 
Juma Jama Masjid Delhi Present Photo 

Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Jama Masjid between 1644 and 1656. It was constructed by more than 5000 workers. It was originally called Masjid-i-Jahan-Numa, meaning 'mosque commanding view of the world'. The construction was done under the supervision of Saadullah Khan, wazir (or prime minister) during Shah Jahan's rule. The cost of the construction at the time was one million Rupees. Shah Jahan also built the Taj Mahal, at Agra and the Red Fort in New Delhi, which stands opposite the Jama Masjid. The Jama Masjid was completed in 1656 AD (1066 AH). The mosque was inaugurated by an Imam Bukhari, a  mullah  from Bukhara, Uzbekistan, on 23 July 1656, on the invitation from Shah Jahan. About 25,000 people can pray in the courtyard at a time and it is sometimes regarded as India's largest mosque. The mosque is commonly called "Jama" which means Friday. After the British victory in  Revolt of 1857, they confiscated the mosque and stationed their soldiers here.They also wanted to destroy the mosque to punish the people of the city. But due to opposition faced, the demolition was not done. Jama Masjid of Delhi is the largest mosque in India.he first three storeys of the Jama Masjid tower are made of red sandstone and the fourth one is made of marble, while the fifth is made of sandstone. The Jama Masjid is covered with intricate carvings and has verses inscribed from the holy Koran. The grand Red fort (Lal Qila) stands on the eastern side of the Jama Masjid. The main prayer hall of the Jama Masjid is made up of high cusped arches and marble domes. The cabinet in the north gate of the Jama Masjid contains a collection of Muhammad's relics - the Koran written on deerskin, a red beard-hair of the prophet, his sandals and his footprints, implanted in a marble block.

  Jama Masjid is also known as the Friday congregational mosque because Muslims turn up in large numbers to offer Namaz on Fridays, called as the yaum al-jum`a. Masjid-i-Jahan Numa popularly called as Jama Masjid, means the mosque commanding a view of the world. The mosque is a real example of great architecture that existed during the Mughal period. It has the blend of both Hindu and Mughal style of architecture. About the architecture of the Jama Masjid, it has two 40 meter high minarets made of pure red stone and white marble. It has three entry gates and four towers in the complex of the Masjid.The Jama Masjid can be seen from any region within 5 kiolmeter of its radius as it was located on a place which was on a higher ground in comparison to the other buildings of the area. The architecture of another mosque built by the son of Shah Jahan in Lahore is similar to Jama Masjid. There is a massive use of red stone in Jama Masjid which helped it standing all seasons of the year. 

The courtyard can accommodate 25,000 worshippers and occupies 408 square feet. The mosque is about 261 feet (80 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) wide. The prayer hall measures 61 metre  in length and 27.5 metre in breadth. It is made up of high cusped arches and marble domes. The cabinet located in the north gate has a collection of relics of Muhammad – the Quran written on deerskin, a red beard-hair of the prophet, his sandals and his footprints implanted in a marble block.The floor plan of the mosque is similar to that of the Jama Masjid of Agra. It is covered with white and black ornamented marble to look like a Muslim prayer mat. Beside it, a thin black border measuring 3 feet (0.91 m) long and 1.5 feet (0.46 m) wide is marked for the worshippers. There are 899 total such boxes. The architecture and plan of Badshahi Masjid which was built by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzed in Lahore is closely related to that of the mosque. Before the Revolt of 1857, there was a madrasa near the southern end of the mosque, which was during the revolt destroyed.