As I had some time before departing by train back to Delhi, I decided to visit the Jami Masjid and the bazaars and narrow alleys surrounding the mosque. A bicycle rickshaw driver offered to take me to this heart of historic Agra, located just past the
Red Fort. This “Friday Mosque” fit in very well with the other structures I had seen in Agra. It also was constructed in 1648 of red sandstone and has marble domes. A unique feature is the mosque’s zigzag chevron pattern, present on the domes and on columns. The British destroyed the eastern courtyard wing in 1857. The man who greeted me asked for a donation that was being used for restoration, including the replacement of the large flat stones in the courtyard. Close to the entrance of the mosque is the ablution tank with a royal stove used for heating water. Pigeons bathed in the tank and dotted the large courtyard, flying up in groups once in a while. Off of the main worship area is the prayer area for women. Aside from one boy, the old man, and a few construction workers, the complex was devoid of people.
2 comments:
I like to visit places like this when there's practically no one around. I find it easier to send myself back in time.
The Mosque was built by Shah Jahan in 1648 and dedicated to his preferred daughter Jahanara Begum. There was a large octagonal Tripolia Chowk which existed between the Jama Masjid and the Delhi gate of the Agra Fort. This Tropolia was smashed in order to create the Agra Fort Railway Station.
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