1. Jama Masjid, Delhi
India’s largest mosque is one of the last monuments built under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s time in power. Its construction started in 1650 and was finished in 1656, after which it remained the royal mosque of the emperors until the end of the Mughal period.
It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656 at a cost of 1 million rupees, and was inaugurated by an imam from Bukhara, present-day Uzbekistan. The mosque was completed in 1656 AD with three great gates, four towers and two 40 m high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and white marble.
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.
Video by David OMalley
2. Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad, Telangana
Mecca Masjid, is one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad, Telangana in India, and it is one of the largest masajids in India. Makkah Masjid is a listed heritage building in the old city of Hyderabad, close to the historic landmarks of Chowmahalla Palace, Laad Bazaar, and Charminar.
Makkah Masjid was built during the reign of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the 5th Qutb Shahi Sultan of Golconda (now Hyderabad). The three arched facades have been carved from a single piece of granite, which took five years to quarry. More than 8,000 workers were employed to build the mosque. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah personally laid the foundation stone and constructed it.
Architecture and design
The main hall of the mosque is 75 feet high, 220 feet wide and 180 feet long, enough to accommodate 10,000 worshipers at a time.[citation needed] Fifteen arches support the roof of the main hall, five on each of the three sides. A wall rises on the fourth side to provide Mihrab.
Tombs
The entrance courtyard it is best of the mosque, a rectangular, arched and canopied building houses the marble graves of Asaf Jahi rulers. This structure came up during the rule of the Asaf Jah rulers. It contains the tombs of the Nizams and their family.
At both ends of this resting place for the Asaf Jahs and very much a part of it, are two rectangular blocks with four minarets each. These minarets have elegant and circular balconies with low ornamental walls and arches. Above them is an octagonal inverted platter from which the rest of the minaret soars till it is arrested by a dome and a spire.
Video by Truly Hyderabad
3. Taj-ul-Masajid, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Taj-ul-Masajid is a mosque situated in Bhopal, India. The name is also spelt as Taj-ul-Masjid. However the correct name is Taj-ul-Masajid and not Taj-ul-Masjid.[citation needed] “Masajid” means “mosques” (Plural of “masjid”) and “Taj-ul-Masajid” literally means “Crown Among Mosques”. It is the largest mosque in India and one of the largest mosques in Asia’s
History
The construction of the Mosque was initiated during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar by Nawab Shah Jahan Begum (1844–1860 and 1868–1901) of Bhopal (Wife of Baqi Mohammad Khan) and continued to be built by her daughter Sultan Jahan Begum, till her lifetime. The mosque was not completed due to lack of funds, and after a long lay-off after the War of 1857, construction was resumed in 1971 by great efforts of Allama Mohammad Imran Khan Nadwi Azhari and Maulana Sayed Hashmat Ali Sahab of Bhopal. The construction was completed by 1985 and the entrance (eastern) gate was renovated grandly using ancient motifs from circa 1250 Syrian mosques by the contribution of the Emir of Kuwait to commemorate the memory of his departed wife.
Architecture
The Mosque has a pink facade topped by two 18-storey high octagonal minarets with marble domes. The Mosque also has three huge bulbous domes, an impressive main hallway with attractive pillars and marble flooring resembling Mughal architecture the likes of Jama Masjid in Delhi and the huge Badshahi Mosque of Lahore. It has a courtyard with a large tank in the centre. It has a double-storeyed gateway with four recessed archways and nine cusped multifold openings in the main prayer hall. The Quibla wall in the prayer hall is carved with eleven recessed arches and has fine screens of trellis work. The massive pillars in the hall hold 27 ceilings through squinted arches of which 16 ceilings are decorated with ornate petaled designs.
4. Hazratbal Mosque, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
The Hazratbal Shrine (Urdu, Kashmiri: آستان عالیہ درگاہ حضرت بل, literally “Majestic Place”), is a Muslim shrine in Hazratbal, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. It contains a relic, the Moi-e-Muqqadas, believed by many Muslims of Kashmir to be a hair of prophet Muhammad. The name of the shrine comes from the Urdu word Hazrat, meaning “respected”, and the Kashmiri word bal, meaning “place”. Thus it means the place which is given high regards and is respected among the people.
The shrine is situated on the left bank of the Dal Lake, Srinagar and is considered to be Kashmir’s holiest Muslim shrine.
The Hazratbal Mosque of Kashmir is a beautiful structure of immaculate white marble. The Muslim Auqaf Trust headed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah started the construction work on this marble structure in 1968. The construction took about eleven years and the mosque was completed in 1979. The Friday prayers offered at Hazratbal attract the resident Muslim in huge numbers. Another attraction of Hazratbal is that it is the only domed mosque in Srinagar.
5. Beemapally Mosque, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Beemapally is famous for the mosque known as Beemapally Dargah Shareef and is home to the tomb of Syedunnisa Beema Bibi, a woman believed to have divine powers, and her son Syedushuhadamaheen Abubacker. Every year there is a festival held to venerate Beema Bibi which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all faiths and castes. Beemapally Masjid is an impressive building with its imposing façade and soaring minarets. The tomb of Beema Bibi, the lady with miraculous powers who is believed to belong to the Prophet Mohammed’s family, is the main attraction at this mosque. People of all faiths come to offer prayers at Beemapally. This famous Islamic place of worship is 12 km from Thiruvananthapuram city.
History
Beema Umma actually arrived from Arabia and settled in Kannur first time. Then she travelled to Southern kerala and settled in Thiruvalla. It was said that Nagamani Nadar in court of Mathanda varama had affected a severe secret disease below his abdomen and he knew that if the Royal members knew it he would remove from his office. But he didn’t find any doctors to cure it.
Later he knew that A lady named Beema Umma in Thiruvalla had some secret medicines and magical cure. So he approached her and his diseae was cured. She only asked him to become Muslim as the reward. It was said that he accepted Islam and gave large amount of his land in Trivandrum to them. So she moved from Thiruvalla to Trivandrum and constructed a masjid in the place given to them. That Masjid the present Beema Pally.
Beemapally Mosque is famous for its annual Urs which attracts scores of pilgrims from all walks of life. The festival, which marks the death anniversary of Beema Bibi., starts on the first of Jama dul Akbar and continues for the next ten days and is a colorful and vibrant event. The celebration begins with the hoisting of the customary flag of the mosque in front of the elders and other devotees. The devotees carry money in pots which are adorned with flowers and incense sticks. The pot’s opening is swathed in white cloth and a garland is fastened around the neck. The pots are daubed with sandal paste which is why the festival is called Chandanakudam (sandal pot).
Beemapalli Mosque is a hub of activity during the festivities and many art forms like daharamuttu are performed in the mosque. Many religious discussions are held and Islamic devotional songs are performed outside the mosque. On the final day of Chandanakudam Mahotsavam, a flag from Beema Bibi’s grave is taken; there is a grand procession with caparisoned elephants and the music of the panchavadyam (five instruments).
6. Nagina Masjid, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
The Nagina Masjid is a masjid in Agra Fort built by Shah Jahan. It is also known as the Gem Mosque or the Jewel Mosque.
Nagina Masjid is an architectural beauty in Agra Fort. It is located nearby another eye catching Masjid known as Moti Masjid. This mosque is constructed with pure white attractive marble and encloses the prayer chamber exquisitely designed.
The Nagina Masjid bears a very simple architecture and a descent decoration. The mosque is separated into three bays by simple pillars underneath the keen arches above. The arch in the center is bigger and has nine cusps, once on either face has seven cusps only. The mosque is 10.21 meter broad and 7.39 meter deep, facing a lined patio. There is a balcony presenting the panoramic views of the road that runs towards the Hathi Pol lies on the northern side of the Masjid
This beautiful structure was built for the ladies of the Royal family. This private mosque has special features of three majestic domes and wonderful arches. A luxurious bazaar, known as Mina Bazar, was functioning down the road from where royal ladies could purchase items standing in the balcony of Nagina Masjid.
7. Bara Imambara, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Bara Imambara is an imambara complex in Lucknow, India, built by Asaf-ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh, in 1784. It is also called the Asafi Imambara. Bara means big, and an imambara is a shrine built by Shia Muslims for the purpose of Azadari. The Bara Imambara is among the grandest buildings of Lucknow.
Construction of Bara Imambara was started in 1785, a year of a devastating famine, and one of [Asaf-ud-Daula]’s objectives in embarking on this grandiose project was to provide employment for people in the region for almost a decade while the famine lasted. It is said that ordinary people used to work in the day building up the edifice, while noblemen and other elite worked at night to break down anything that was raised that day. It was a project that preceded a Keynesian like intervention for employment generation. Construction of the Imambara was completed in 1791. Estimated cost of building the Imambara ranges between half a million rupees to a million rupees. Even after completion, the Nawab used to spend between four and five hundred thousand rupees on its decoration annually.
Architecture
The simple grave of Asaf ud-Daula under a canopy inside the Bara Imambara, The architecture of the complex reflects the maturation of ornamented Mughal design, namely the Badshahi Mosque – it is one of the last major projects not incorporating any European elements or the use of iron. The main imambara consists of a large vaulted central chamber containing the tomb of Asaf-ud-Daula. At 50 by 16 meters and over 15 meters tall, it has no beams supporting the ceiling and is one of the largest such arched constructions in the world.
This part of the building, and often the whole complex, may be referred to as the Bhulbhulaya. Known as a popular attraction, it is possibly the only existing maze in India and came about unintentionally to support the weight of the building which is constructed on marshy land. Asaf-ud-Daula also erected the 18 meter (59 foot) high Rumi Darwaza, just outside. This portal, embellished with lavish decorations, was the Imambara’s west facing entrance.
The design of the Imambara was obtained through a competitive process. The winner was a Delhi architect Kifayatullah,[1] who also lies buried in the main hall of the Imambara. It is another unique aspect of the building that the sponsor and the architect lie buried beside each other.The roof of Imambara is made up from the rice husk which make this Imambara a unique building.
8. Wallajah Mosque, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Triplicane Big Mosque (also called Wallajah Mosque) is a mosque located in Triplicane High Road, Triplicane in Chennai, the capital of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the Mughal architectural style, the mosque was built in 1795 by the family of Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the Nawab of Arcot during 1765. It has a large prayer hall, a tank and a large ground in front. The entire structure is constructed with granite without the use of iron or wood.
The Nawab of Arcot was friendly towards fellow Hindus, appointing a Hindu as his chief personal secretary. A chronogram written in Persian by Raja Makhhan Lal Bahdur Khirat, the Hindu Munshi of the Nawab, is found on the entrance to the prayer hall. The mosque is the largest and one of the oldest in Chennai and is active as a place of worship. It is administered by Prince of Arcot Endowments Trust. Most of the administrative staff of the mosque are Hindus, symbolizing peaceful coexistence between the two religions.
Architecture
Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the Nawab of Arcot, who built the Biq Mosque
Big Mosque is the largest mosque located in Chennai from the time of its establishment.[5] It is constructed of granite without any iron or wooden additions. There is no fixed architectural style, though the two minarets are characteristic of Mughal architecture. Historians attribute the change of architecture to the arrival of North Indian Muslims who settled there. The mosque houses the image of the Persian scholar Barool. It is believed that he came from Lucknow to educate the Royal family.[2] The chronogram written by Raja Makhhan Lal Bahdur Khirat, the Munshi of the Nawab, is found on the entrance of the prayer hall. There is a large temple tank to the North East of the sanctum and a large ground in front of it. Almost the entire portion of the mosque has an equivalent width of steps leading to it. To the West of the sanctum, the mausoleums of important people associated with the Royal family are located
Culture
Big Mosque is the largest and considered the principal mosque in the city of Chennai.[6] The mosque is an active place of worship. There is a constant flow of visitors in the mosque as it is located in one of the busiest places in Chennai.[7] The mosque can accommodate thousands of devotees. During the sacred festivals of Bakrid and Ramzan, the devotees overflow, some of them offering prayers from the surrounding grounds. There was a proposal made by the administration to cover the open grounds at least during festive occasions to protect devotees from inclement weather conditions. There were contrasting views put forth by heritage enthusiasts who argued against roofing claiming the openness and the architecture would be hidden by the structure.
9. Masjid e Eidgah Bilal, Bangalore, Karnataka
Masjid-e-Bilal (Bilal Mosque) is one of the larger mosques in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. It was inaugurated in mid-2015. The Turkish-style ‘Masjid Eidgah Bilal’ on Bannerghatta was consecrated on 11 June. The mosque sits on the corner of a traffic intersection on a popular thoroughfare of southern part of the city. Prestige Group developers undertook the construction which began in 2010 and was completed recently. At that time (JANAB ALHAJ HABEEB KHAN SAHEB.) was president of this committee from 2004 to 2015. The mosque constructed at a cost of Rs. 200,000,000 provides space for 6,500 namazis to pray at a time. A considerable portion of the cost was contributed by the Prestige Group.
10. Sultan Masjid, Oomerabad, Tamil Nadu
Jamia Darussalam is an Arabic college founded in 1924 by Kaka Mohammed Oomer in Oomerabad. Jamia Darussalam is the largest Islamic institution in south India, and is affiliated with Thiruvalluvar University. Students who complete their studies in Jamia Darussalam take the title عمرئ(oomeri)
Jamia Darussalam is a Islamic university founded by Kaka Mohammed Oomer, who laid the foundation for this institution on 7 December 1924 at the newly founded village, named after him as Oomerabad. It came into existence with a program of offering services to cater to the religious, educational, reformative and welfare needs of Muslims and the country at large.
Jamia Darussalam University provides education in various Islamic disciplines. It offers postgraduate, undergraduate, diploma and certificate courses. JDSA offers training in four languages; Persian, Arabic, English and Urdu. It also offers training for memorising the Qur’an.
Education Oomerabad is home to the following institutions;
JAMIA Darussalam University (University for Islamic studies)
The institute of Qur’an (Memorization of Qur’an with tajweed)
The institute for introductory studies in Islam (offers short term course and practical training for Muslims, new Muslims and non Muslims)
The institute for Comparative Studies (offers short term course in comparative religion).
Technical Institute (for Darussalam scholars)
Madrasa-e-Niswan (Urdu Medium Girls School)
The village also has an hospital run by the Management of Jamia Darussalam called Jamia Darussalam Hospital. The hospital has laboratory, maternity facilities and out-patient services. Besides serving Oomerabad people, it also serves the surrounding villages and towns including Ambur, Gudiyattam, Vaniyambadi and Pernambut.
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