Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid Review

The Friday Mosque, as it is also known, is the city's largest. It was built in 1424 by Ahmed Shah as part of a larger urban plan—it was aligned with the Teen Darwaza, an entranceway into the walled city. The prayer hall, with its niche facing Mecca, is covered by five domes held up with 260 pillars, carved in a style evocative of Hindu and Jain temple architecture. The mosque is best seen before business hours congest the surrounding streets of the old city; also avoid Fridays, the Muslim day of prayer. Shoes must be taken off and left at the entrance (women are there to keep them safe, for a small tip). A large open courtyard, 245 feet long, in the middle of the mosque becomes burning hot by midday. Jami Masjid is not accessible by car—take an auto-rickshaw into the old city to get here.