New Delhi: According to reports, Vishnu Gupta, the national president of Hindu Sena has written to the director general of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and requested a survey of the iconic Jama Masjid in Delhi. Gupta has alleged in the letter that idols of Hindu deities were buried within the mosque. He also alleged that the historic mosque was built after demolishing temples in Udaipur and Jodhpur. As per Gupta, the remains of these temples and the idols were used in the stairs of the mosque. In this article, we will take a look at the history and significance of the Jama Masjid.
Who constructed the Jama Masjid?
The Jama Masjid was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and it was done between 1650 and 1656, at the Shahjahanabad’s highest point. Around 5000 workers, including Indians, Persians, Arabs, Turks, and Europeans were engaged in the construction of the mosque. Sadullah Khan, the wazir of Shah Jahan supervised the construction of the Jama Masjid. The cost of the construction was ten lakh rupees back then.
On July 23, 1656, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari from Uzbekistan inaugurated the mosque and he was the first Shahi Imam of the mosque. The Jama Masjid was one of the last monuments that Shah Jahan built and it remained the royal mosque of the emperors till the fall of the Mughal Empire. During the Friday noon prayer, the emperor used the recite the khutba, legitimising his rule. The mosque, once upon a time, was the symbol of Mughal sovereignty in India.
The Revolt of 1857 and the threat to Jama Masjid
After the British got the control of Shahjahanabad in 1803, they repaired and even renovated the Jama Masjid. The Masjid, as it used to be, continued to be a site of social discourse with a tinge of politics. However, things changed after the Revolt of 1857. The Mughal Empire was ended and the British came to the conclusion that the Muslims instigated the revolt.
After reclaiming the city, they destroyed many mosques. The Jama was barred from any religious use. Repeatedly, the British considered it for destruction, but later started to use it as barracks for its soldiers, the Sikh and the European ones. In 1862, the Muslims got back the Jama Masjid after accepting several conditions. It was repaired and once became one of the main places in Delhi for people to gather and exchange ideas and information.
The legacy of the Jama Masjid
During the Mughal rule in India and also during the colonial era, the Jama Masjid was considered a symbolic gesture of Islamic power across India. During the British rule, it was also a place of political significance where Muslims and Hindus gathered to express their anti-colonial sentiment. Jama Masjid is actively used till today and is one of the most iconic sites in the national capital which is identified closely with the ethos of Old Delhi. It remains the primary mosque in Delhi and has a congregational function. Every Friday, the Muslims of Delhi gather at the Jama Masjid to offer prayer and also during major occasions like Eid. It is also a major tourist attraction in Delhi.
This article explores the rich history of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, a Mughal-era mosque built by Shah Jahan. It details its construction, its role during the 1857 Revolt, and its enduring legacy. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
