Shahi Jama Masjid, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.
The city of Agra is also known for its elegant Jama Masjid. This beautiful place of worship was built by the first lady of the Mughal empire, Princess Jahanara Begum, between 1644 AD to 1648 AD. She was the eldest daughter of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz.
She was very intelligent and wealthiest lady in the Mughal Empire. She was religious, pious and generous lady as she was doing lot of charity to the poors and needy from her incomes. She was loving poetry and she was inspired by Sufism. She was given the title of Padshahi Begum and many estates including the Shipping business which was operated from her Estate Surat, Gujarat, by her beloved father. She was having many ships and yearly she used to send the grains to the Holy Mecca for the sake of poors. She was having good trade relations with English and Dutchess.
This mosque is a landmark monument centrally located close to the Agra Fort Railway station in the most crowded Kinari Bazaar. It’s a grand mosque built on a raised platform. Below the stone hangouts at the ground having many shops in the base premise of the mosque all around. It’s built on a rectangular plan. Having a square courtyard which can be accessed through three gates. Eastern gate serves as a main entrance. Courtyard center is having a square water tank for ablution which is having a fountain in the center and four umbrellas errected on four corners supported by stone pillars which are topped by the turban shape dome inverted lotus petals and centre with finial. Between the tank and main entrance arch a square pavilion for Moazzin. Main Mihrab and this pavilion’s centre, main Iwan’s centre point, central domes finial, fountain, centre of octagonal sitting before Eastern gate, Eastern gate’s center are perfectly aligned as this remain the major beauty of Mughal architecture. After ascending from the Eastern gate an octagonal sitting area which is having red stone decorated benches. Northern and southern sides are having covered corridors which are decorated with indented stone arches, stone pillars which are supporting the roof, having stone hangouts supported by decorated stone brackets. Roof of these corridors are having squre turban top canopies with inverted lotus and finials. To access the main prayer Hall five archways which are the facade and the central one is the highest and rectangular monumental archway fully open to the courtyard and towards main prayer hall smaller archway and it’s termed as Iwan. It’s having calligraphic Persian inscription on white marble’s band which mentions about the builder, period and amount spent. Facade is decorated with white marble’s strips forming geometrical figures. Inner edges of the archways are having work like butted rope. Iwan is having two cylindrical Minarets flanked by octagonal umbrellas with finials at the centre of inverted lotus and protective stone hangouts supported by stone brackets, one is damaged on the roof level. Same design Minarets at the top of Main Mihrab. All the Minarets are decorated with white marble’s strips inlaid in the red sand stone. There are six octagonal towers topped with domes, finials at the centre of inverted lotusfour on the corners of the roof and two at the corners of courtyard. Prayer hall is crowned with three large domes having white marble’s strips inlaid, and elongated finials at the centres of inverted lotus. Roof’s edge towards courtyard is having square canopies built by red stone and topped with domes finials at the centre of inverted lotus. Complete facade’s top facing courtyard is having a band with floral motifs formed by white marble inlaid.
Main prayer hall is having two wings and complete roof is supported by internal archways and walls. Floor is of red stone and walls are decorated with rectangular white marble’s panels and inlay work. Northern and southern walls are having arched windows with red stone lattices. Central paryer hall consists of Mihrab and white marble’s Minbar. Mihrab is built by white marble. Mihrab is having a band in which Quranic verses are mentioned through calligraphic work, it’s chapter 81 " The Turning into Sphere ", it narrates about the sign of the coming of the day of Judgment. Centre of the Mihrab is having the Arabic inscription in the calligraphic work. Which is the Throne Verse of Quran. It’s verse 255 of Chapter 2 and It states that no one can be compared with Allah in any way nor is there any comparison. Minbar back is having carved image of the mosque.
It’s a major attraction among the devotees, art and architecture lovers.
