Jama Masjid, Agra Overview

Jama Masjid at Agra also known as 'Friday Mosque' is a seventeenth-century structure and is one of the largest mosques built by the Mughals in India. Constructed under the reign of Shah Jahan in 1648, Jama Masjid is dedicated to his favourite daughter Jahan Ara Begum. This splendid monument is visible from the Agra Fort with the Agra Fort Railway station right between the two structures.

The Jama Masjid is built mainly of red sandstone and white marble that stand as a testimony to the magnificent Mughal architecture. It has a fountain at the centre and is supported by four kiosks in the courtyard. The interior walls have scriptures in the Persian style praising for Shah Jahan and Jahan Ara. The inlaid panels of work here are quite similar to that of Taj Mahal and are common to all the monuments and structures built by the Mughals in Agra. Every Friday, special prayers are conducted at this mosque which is attended by thousands of devotees. The Tomb of Salim Chisti is a part of the mosque compound.

History of Jama Masjid

The Jama Masjid was built by Shah Jahan for his favourite daughter Jahan Ara Begum. Its construction began in 1648 and took six years to complete with the efforts of five thousand workers. The mosque had a large open area in its front, known as the Tripoli Chowk. This octagonal chowk existed between Jama Masjid and the Delhi Gate of Agra Fort. However, this Chowk was destroyed during 1871-1873, to give room to Agra Fort Railway Station. The gateway otherwise known as the "Buland Darwaza" to the mosque was added after Shah Jahan's comprehensive victory in the Kandesh military campaign. A lot of the engravings are in Persian.

Architecture of Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid is the second most visited place after in Agra after the Taj Mahal. A few steps high, it has various domes, out of which the prayer dome is the largest. Buland Darwaza is forty meters high and is built of red sandstone. It is semi-octagonal in pattern and contains three massive domes at the top. These domes are followed by three smaller domes and twelve tiny domes at lower levels.

The impressive arches at the courtyard are supported by pillars covered in red sandstone. The domes are decorated by an inverted lotus and are ornamented by a Kalash at the top. The designs on top of these domes are made of alternating stripes of marble and red sandstone. There is a Madrasa in the central courtyard, where small kids are taught Islamic language and culture. The interior walls have been made up of white marble singing the praise of the ruler in Persian inscriptions. Entry to the Jama Mosque is possible through five entrances. The gateway is embellished with small layers of sandstone. The Iwan (a rectangular hall walled on three sides) has a central arch with several geometric patterns.

Friday Prayer at Jama Masjid

Special Namaz is conducted at Jama Masjid every Friday, which is attended by devotees in large numbers. This is the only day when this place sees huge crowds which remain quite empty and serene on the other days. Jama Masjid is considered to be very sacred by the Muslims; hence tourists are expected to observe silence when they go to the mosque.

How To Reach Jama Masjid Agra

Jama Masjid is located right opposite to the Agra Fort Railway Station and is thus easy to reach. You can hire an auto rickshaw from any part of the city to reach the mosque. Moreover, the Metro is quite a convenient option to reach Jama Masjid and is well connected to the main area of New Delhi - Rajiv Chowk via the yellow and purple lines. If you are travelling by the Metro, board the metro going towards Samaypur Badli, and change trains at Kashmere Gate towards the Purple Line that has a station called Jama Masjid. The fare costs a mere INR 30, making it the most efficient way to reach Jama Masjid.