Agra Tour Attractions- Jama Masjid

Author: amitkumarana | Posted: 22.12.2011



The Jama Masjid in Agra is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the city, which people visit during their Agra tours. It is situated opposite to the Red Fort or the Agra Fort and so, it is included in most Agra tour packages. The Jama Masjid literally means Mosque for congregation prayers. Every Friday, Muslims offer special prayers in the Mosque. Jama Masjids were constructed specially for the Friday Prayers and there are many such mosques in India, the one in Delhi being very popular for tourists also.

The Agra Jama Masjid was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in the year 1648 and it was dedicated to his beloved daughter, Princess Jahanara. It is a wonderful example of the greatness of Mughal Architecture and is visited by many people during their Agra tours. Hence, it also plays a small but important part in Agra tourism. The mosque has been designed with exquisite marbles that were imported from Persia.

Inside the mosque compound, people can also see the tomb of different women who belonged to the household of the royals. It is known as Zenana Rauza. The compound also houses the tomb of the great Sufi Saint, Hazrat Salim Chisti. The entire structure is adorned with red stones, obtained from Rajasthan and imported Persian white marble. You should definitely visit this amazing place during your Agra tour.

This Mosque has a striking similarity with the Jama Masjid in Delhi and also with the Taj Mahal. It is built on a huge compound and so, it is one of the largest mosques in the country. It is also very near to the Agra Fort Railway Station. The entrance to this mosque is through the famous Gateway known as the Buland Darwaza, which is a massive structure built with huge stone blocks. You can easily visit this place through any reputed Agra tour package.

Many foreign tourists, who visit Delhi, the capital of India, prefer going on any Delhi Agra tour, organized by travel agencies in Delhi. Any Delhi Agra tour package will cover this mosque along with other famous attractions of Agra, like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Such tours are quite popular as they cover many places in a short period of time.

There are many inscriptions found in the walls of the mosque and these inscriptions are in praise of the Emperor Shahjahan and his daughter, Jahanara. History books say that more than 500 workers and craftsmen worked for the construction of this beautiful mosque. It is a great example of Islamic and Mughal architecture in India. It is an important landmark for tourists who go on Agra tours. A period of 6 years was required to complete this marvelous compound.

Thus, we can say that the Jama Masjid in Agra is a important Mughal structure and was once the religious center in Agra. People in the city still give a lot of importance to this mosque and even the tourists, who come to visit this place during their Agra tours, find it to be fascinating in many aspects.



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