Jami Masjid, Delhi

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The grand mosque of Delhi, Jami Masjid, was completed in 1658 by Emperor Shah Jahan on a natural mound close to the Red Fort. Its elevated position above the surrounding streets and buildings gives it grandeur and prominence. The actual mosque consists of an enormous walled courtyard that supersedes the main prayer hall, which is topped by three white marble onion-shaped domes and is flanked by two 40-metre striped minarets. An impressive central iwan arch is the main entrance to the prayer hall and is flanked by a series of polyfoil arches. The courtyard can contain well over 20,000 worshippers, making this mosque the largest in India.

Please note that modest dress and head cover for women are necessary when visiting the mosque. For more photos of this architectural beauty, take a look at the travelogue: "Jami Masjid."

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Jama Masjid towers over Delhi and has room to hold 25,000 people. It was built between 1644 & 1658. It's two minarets are 40m tall, it has several gates, a tower on each corner, is incredibly beautiful and teaming with beggars and child hawkers who will latch onto you should you opt for walking in the shade of the arches as opposed to burning your feet and melting under the Indian sun which unrelentlessly pounds the enormous courtyard.
As this is a mosque you must remove your shoes - ensure you have some small change for the man who will "look" after them for you. If you are lucky he will actually cover them with a cloth so that the sun doesn't bake them. You must aslo be (ladies) adequately covered... and this is where I got into an arguement (and won!). I had my own enormous shawl that was capable of covering me from head to foot and back up again but the man on the gate was absolutely determined that because I was a tourist I should be forced to pay to wear the tourist cloak!
As with everywhere you pay to get in (children nder 12 are free) and you must also pay for your camera to accompany you (well worth it!). Inside you can pay an extra Rs50 to climb the southern minaret (I was unaware of this at the time but apparently women HAVE to be accompanied by a man!). The climb up is exhausting, very hot and an extremely tight squeeze when bumping into groups of people who are on their way down! There were too many people at the top which is only a small area and, all in all, it was not really worth it although there were very good views of the courtyard and of Delhi with the Red Fort in the background.

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The Jami (Congregational) or Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque) was built between 1650 and 1656 on the orders of emperor Shah Jehan, who also commissioned the Red Fort which stands opposite. It is the largest mosque in India and is capable of containing 25,000 worshippers.

You must leave your shoes outside (remember to tip the guardian) and women should of course cover their heads. There is a charge for taking cameras inside.

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The Jama Masjid (also called the Masjid-I-Jahanuma or the 'mosque commanding view of the world') of Delhi, built by the Mughal emperor and architectural genius Shah Jahan in 1656 in his walled capital of Shahjahanabad, is the largest and most well known mosque in India. The design of the mosque is similar to many other mosques built by Shah Jahan but the beauty of it lies in the hugeness of the structure and at the same time the alternating stripes of red sandstone and white marble, makes it exceptionally beautiful and architecturally, a thing of wonder. The courtyard is built of red sandstone and there are three different set of stairs in three directions by which you can reach it. The complex outside the main mosque houses thoudands of temporary stalls selling articles starting from toys to blankets during the day time and quite impliedly the area is quite crowded. Inside the mosque, there are certain things to watch, like the Quran written on deer skin, a red beard-hair of Prophet Mohammad, his sandals and his footprint in a marble slab. The mosque was designed by Mughal architect Ostad Khalil and costed a very high amount of Rs. 10 crores, a huge figure for the 17th century. People of all religions are allowed to enter the mosque except during the prayer times and must take off shoes before entering.

The Masjid-i Jahan-Namaa (meaning the 'World-reflecting Mosque') is popularly known as the Jama Masjid. It is the main mosque of Old Delhi and the largest mosque in Asia. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656 AD. It is situated close to the busy Chandni Chowk market of old Delhi. The courtyard of the mosque has a capacity of twenty-five thousand worshippers. Inside the mosque one can see the copy of the Quran written on deer skin. The mosque two 40 meters high minarets. It is built with red sandstone and white marble. From the top of the southern minaret, one can have aerial views of Old Delhi. Non muslims are not allowed to enter during prayers. Visitors have to take off their shoes before entering the mosque.

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The Masjid-i-Jahan Numa, commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi, is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is one of the largest and best-known mosques in India. It is also at the beginning of a very busy and popular street/center in Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk.

Masjid-i-Jahan Numa means "the mosque commanding a view of the world", and the name Jama Masjid is a reference to the weekly congregation observed on Friday (the yaum al-jum`a) at the mosque. The courtyard of the mosque can hold up to twenty-five thousand worshippers. The mosque also houses several relics in a closet in the north gate, including a copy of the Qur'an written on deer skin.

The courtyard of the mosque can be reached from the east, north and south by three flights of steps, all built of red sandstone. The northern gate of the mosque has 39 steps. The southern side of the mosque has 33 steps. The eastern gate of the mosque was the royal entrance and it has 35 steps. These steps used to house food stalls, shops and street entertainers. In the evening, the eastern side of the mosque used to be converted into a bazaar for poultry and birds in general. Prior to the 1857 War of Indian Independence, there was a madrassah near the southern side of the mosque, which was pulled down after the mutiny.

The mosque faces west. Its three sides are covered with open arched colonnades, each having a lofty tower-like gateway in the centre. The mosque is about 261 feet (80 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) wide, and its roof is covered with three domes with alternate stripes of black and white marble, with its topmost parts covered with gold. Two lofty minarets, 130 feet (41 m) high, and containing 130 steps, longitudinally striped with white marble and red sandstone, flank the domes on either side. The minarets are divided by three projecting galleries and are surmounted by open twelve-sided domed pavilions. On the back of the mosque, there are four small minarets crowned like those in the front.
nder the domes of the mosque, is a hall with seven arched entrances facing the west and the walls of the mosque, up to the height of the waist, are covered with marble. Beyond this is a prayer hall, which is about 61 meters X 27.5 meters, with eleven arched entrances, of which the centre arch is wide and lofty, and in the form of a massive gateway, with slim minarets in each corner, with the usual octagonal pavilion surmounting it. Over these arched entrances there are tablets of white marble, four feet (1.2 m) long and 2.5 feet (760 mm) wide, inlaid with inscriptions in black marble. These inscriptions give the history of the building of the mosque, and glorify the reign and virtues of Shah Jahan. The slab over the centre arch contains simply the words "The Guide!"

The mosque stands on a platform of about five feet (1.5 m) from the pavement of the terrace, and three flight of steps lead to the interior of the mosque from the east, north, and the south. The floor of the mosque is covered with white and black marble ornamented to imitate the Muslim prayer mat; a thin black marble border is marked for the worshippers, which is three feet long and 1 ½ feet wide. In total there are 899 such spaces marked in the floor of the mosque. The back of the mosque is cased over to the height of the rock on which the mosque stands with large hewn stones.

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This mosque was constructed by Shah Jahan and is one of the largest mosques in the country. It has 4 towers and two 40m monuments which give a great view of the city. Dress conservatively with covered shoulders and knees. Sarongs can be hired for 50 rupees if you forget. Leave your shoes at the entrance for 10 rupees or carry them with you. Entrance is free but a camera charge of 200 rupees is applicable. Non Muslims can enter the mosque from 8am until 30 mins before sunset. There is an extra small charge for going up the tower of the mosque.

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We took a rickshaw for the crowded way leading to Jama Masjid. All the shops and people around and the Jama Masjid in front - nice sight.
We didn't paid an entrance fee. I don't know if this is the rule or they don't take entrance fee from muslims, because the guy at the front door asked us whether we want to pray or not.
Anyway, you will have to pay 150 Rs to make photos inside.