Shah
Jahan as his final architectural extravagance built one of the largest
mosques in India, Jama Masjid. Also known as Masjid-i-Jahan Numa, it was
the principal mosque of the Emperor. It took six years to complete this
mosque and was completed in 1644. Situated on a high platform, the
austere yet beautiful building was built in red sandstone with extensive
use of white marble. The pulpit of the mosque has been carved out of a
single block of marble. It has three gateways, four towers and two
minarets. 130-ft high slender minarets grace the impressive façade
of the mosque. The eastern gate was reserved for the Emperor. Wide
staircases and arched gateways greet the visitors of the mosque. The
relics of the Prophet and the Holy Koran are enshrined here and its
courtyard can hold up to 25,000 worshippers at once. Designed by Ustad Khalil, the great sculptor of his time, it was built at the cost of Rs 10 crore. However, the greatest treasure of the mosque is undoubtedly yhr hair of the beard of Hazrat Mohammed kept in the northeast corner of the white shrine, his used chappal, a chapter of Koran taken from its original holy book, the canopy of his tombstone and the foot print of Muhammad on the stone. The main Imam in this mosque is the direct descendent of the original and first Imam appointed by Emperor Shahjahan. One can only enter in the mosque bare-footed, with his head covered and wearing 'lungi'.
