| Jama Masjid | |
|---|---|
 The mosque inc. 1898 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Friday mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Hyderabad,Hyderabad District,Telangana |
| Country | India |
  Location of the mosque inHyderabad | |
| Geographic coordinates | 17°21′44″N78°28′30″E / 17.36222°N 78.47500°E /17.36222; 78.47500 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | |
| Completed | 1006AH (1597/1598 CE) |
| Construction cost | ₹200,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 750 worshippers |
| Minaret | Two |
| Inscriptions | Two
|
TheJama Masjid is aFriday mosque located inHyderabad, in theHyderabad district of the state ofTelangana, India. It is situated to the northeast of theCharminar at a short distance, approached by a narrow lane. It was built in 1597–98, around the same time as the founding of Hyderabad, and was one of the first mosques to be built in the city.[1][2][3]
The mosque is located within a courtyard, which also contains ahammam and a cistern. Itsfaçade contains seven arched entrances leading into the prayer-hall, and is flanked by twominarets. The inscriptions located on the exterior and within the interior of the mosque are considered to be of high artistic merit. It can accommodate approximately 750 worshippers.[4]
The city of Hyderabad was established in the late 16th century byMuhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth sultan of theGolconda Sultanate. The Jama Masjid was built in 1597–98, and was the first mosque to be built in Hyderabad after the mosque on the first floor of theCharminar.[5]
The mosque was constructed at a cost of 200,000rupees.[6] It was intended to be the congregational mosque of the new city. It served this purpose in the initial period after the city's founding, when its population was small. Later, the much largerMecca Masjid was built to accommodate the city's growing population, but the Jama Masjid remained the principal congregational mosque.Wolseley Haig noted that it was a common misconception among visitors that the "huge" Mecca Masjid, rather than the "far less pretentious" Jama Masjid, was the congregational mosque.[3] A school and a monastery were attached to the mosque.[6] The building underwent heavy restorations in the 19th century, during the rule ofAsaf Jah III, and some scholars speculate that thecusped arches on the façade were added during this period.[3][4]
The mosque is an important example of earlyQutb Shahi architecture, and displaysMughal influences in its design.[7] Situated to the northeast of theCharminar, it is surrounded by haphazardly constructed shops which encroach upon the mosque.[8][9] It is accessible through a portal of thepillar-and-lintel form, consisting of an entrance arch, upon which acusped arch is superimposed. The portal leads to a narrow lane, from which one approaches the side of the mosque from the west, and this is an unusual feature of the mosque.[10] The mosque stands at the western end of a paved rectangular courtyard, which measures approximately 23 by 21 metres (74 by 70 ft). The courtyard contains acistern at its north-eastern end, as well as ahammam, which is now in ruins. A narrowcolonnade runs along the northern side of the courtyard. It is built in the pillar-and-lintel form, and consists of nine openings.[9]
The façade features seven arches, each composed of two sections. The lower section of each arch is an arched entrance. The upper section is superimposed upon this entrance, approximately 0.91 metres (3 ft) higher, and rests on struts that project from thepiers. The central arch is wider and taller than the others, almost reaching the top of the facade, and its upper section consists of apointed arch. In contrast, the upper sections of the remaining six arches are cusped, similar to the entrance portal. A stonechajja resting uponbrackets runs above the arches. Finally, an ornamentalparapet rises above the façade.[4][10]
Each front corner has circularbuttresses, upon which the front minarets are placed. The minarets are square, each topped with a small tomb-like structure. Their design, featuring galleried circular tops, marks an important step in the development of the Qutb Shahi minaret.[10] The short height of the minarets was perhaps deliberate, in order to emphasize the loftiness of the nearbyChar Kaman and Charminar.[11]
The interior consists of a double hall, measuring 22.10 metres (72 ft 6 in) long and 9.91 metres (32 ft 6 in) wide.[9] The flat roof of the prayer-hall is supported by a row of arches resting upon pillars.[10] The mosque can accommodate approximately 750 worshippers.[4]
APersian inscription in theNastaliq script is carved, in three lines, onto a blackbasalt tablet above the main entrance. It contains verses praisingAllah, and notes that the mosque was constructed under the supervision of a nobleman namedAmin-ul-Mulk. It contains achronogram, dating the mosque to 1006AH (1597/1598 CE). This inscription is considered to be of very high calligraphical merit, and is praised by scholars includingH. K. Sherwani andGhulam Yazdani, the latter of whom calls it "finest example of the Nastaliq script in the Deccan", and says that it may compare favorably with the best calligraphic specimens of other countries.[6][9]
The second inscription is located in the western wall of the prayer hall, running along the sides of themihrab, and above it. It contains the verses 137 and 138 of thesecond chapter of theQuran, inscribed in theThuluth script, along with the name of the artist and the year of inscription.[6][9]
Media related toJama Masjid, Hyderabad at Wikimedia Commons
