Jamia Masjid (Urdu: جامع
مسجد سرینگر) is a mosque in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Situated at Nowhatta in the
middle of the Old
City, the Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Sikandar in
1394 CE and
completed in 1402 CE,[1] at the behest of Mir Mohammad Hamadani,
son of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani[2], and is regarded as one of the most important
mosques in Kashmir.[3] The architectural style of the Mosque is
inspired by the Indo-Saracenic style
of architecture, which is a blend of Indian and Mughal styles,[4]and also bears similarities to Buddhist pagodas.[5] The Mosque is located in Downtown which
remains a central zone to the religio-political life in Srinagar. Thronged
by Muslims every Friday, it is one of the prime tourist attractions of Srinagar.[1]
The Jamia Masjid is heavily influenced by the Indo-Saracenic style
of architecture and has been constructed in the Persian manner,
with some similarities to the Buddhist pagodas. The
structure occupies a total area of 384 x 381 feet and is quadrangular in shape
with four turrets. These are
in the middle of each side and covered with pyramidal roofs. All of the turrets
are interconnected by spacious halls, with bright yellow poppies lining the
mossy brick paths and the entire structure is surrounded by wide lanes on all
four sides and has a square garden in the middle. The entrance on the southern side
of the Mosque comprises of a recessed portico which further leads onto an inner
courtyard. This courtyard is based on the traditional Chaar Bagh plan and has a
tank in the centre. The entire courtyard is made up of pointed arched, brick
arcade.[5]The court which was originally planted with a
series of chinars is enclosed by arched liwans (cloisters)
covered with two tiered sloping roof.[6]
It is not only the religion that has attracted the people of the
state to the Mosque. The Jamia Masjid has been a hot-bed of raging political
discourse on the present turmoil in the state, and the politics that has
unfolded in Kashmir has led to curbs and gags on congregations here. Its roots,
however, lie deeper in history. The Mosque also became a platform for people to
debate and discuss the politics of the Kashmir conflict much
earlier before the conflict erupted in Kashmir valley.[6] According to historian Mohammad
Ishaq Khan, “Jamia Masjid has primarily played a significant
part in imparting religious education. However, with the spread of modern
education among Kashmiri Muslims, thanks to the efforts of Mirwaiz Ghulam Rasul
Shah, the Masjid began to play a seminal role in the growth of political
consciousness. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah was, in fact, initiated
into what I would call the mysteries of Kashmiri Muslim politics at Jamia
Masjid by Mirwaiz
Muhammad Yusuf Shah.”[7]
For 21 years,[6] the Mosque faced closure under the Sikh
regime of Maharaja Ranjit Singh beginning in 1819 AD, when
the-then Governor, Moti Ram, put curbs on offering prayers in Jamia Masjid.[8] No prayers were offered and no call for
prayers was given from the Mosque. It was reopened by Sikh Governor, Ghulam
Muhi-ud-Din, in 1843[9] who spent nearly a lakh and a half of
rupees on its repair. But for 11 years, rulers allowed prayers only on Fridays.
The Mosque would be opened for just few hours on Fridays and closed again.[6]
Part of the prayer hall inside the Mosque
The martyrs of July 13, 1931 were taken to Jamia Masjid after
the police opened fire and 22 people were killed and hundreds injured. The
bodies of the martyrs were laid in the compound of Jamia Masjid where Sheikh Abdullah, Mirwaiz Maulvi Muhammad
Yusuf Shah and other leaders started delivering speeches
against Maharaja Hari
Singh.[6]
Prolonged closure of the Mosque once again came into effect
since 2008 when the Amarnath land row erupted. The decision
of the Omar
Abdullah government to prevent people from offering Friday
prayers for weeks together led to massive outrage.[7] Ban on religious congregations in 2008
was seen as an attempt to choke the rebellion whose epicentre was the hotbed of
separatist leaders, the areas in old city, particularly around Jamia Masjid.[6] During the Mehbooba Mufti led BJP-PDP coalition government, the Mosque was
again "locked down for three months in the uprising of 2016 and in 2017 for the first time
even Jumat-ul-Vida congregation during Ramadan was not allowed and in 2018 for
16 Fridays, prayers were barred at the Mosque."[10]
On the western and eastern sides, the Mosque is 381 feet
(116 m) in length while the northern and southern sides are 384 feet
(117 m) long.[11] The inner courtyard measures 375 feet
(114 m) x 370 feet (110 m) having a 33 feet (10 m) x 34 feet
(10 m) water tank with a fountain flowing in the centre. Thus the space
area of the Mosque is 146,000 square feet (13,600 m2). Its walls made of burnt bricks are over 4 feet (1.2 m) thick.
The lower portion of the walls is made of rectangular stones. There are three
big entrance gates on north, south and eastern sides of the Mosque confronting
three turrets standing on lofty columns of deodar wood.[2] The eastern side has a large entrance
called the Shah Gate which is covered with a pyramidical roof surmounted by a
square open pavilion (brangh) with a spire on top.[6] A total of 378 wooden columns support
the roof. Each turret is
supported by eight lofty pillars 48 feet (15 m) high and 6 feet
(1.8 m) in girth. The mihrab too
has a similar turret over it. The remaining interior of the Mosque has 346
columns 21 feet (6.4 m) high and 5 feet (1.5 m) in girth. Initially
the roof was covered with birch bark and clay.[2][12] The western wall of the cloister has
a mihrab made of black Kashmiri marble which is adorned with
beautiful calligraphic
work and has engraved on it ninety-nine attributes of Almighty Allah.[5] The Mosque can hold 33,333 persons
besides the Imam at a
single prayer congregation.[12]
Plaque of Jamia Masjid
To reach the Mosque roof, the walls of the four turrets have
interior stairs in the circular form that end in the lounges of each turret.
The city of Srinagar can
be viewed from these high turrets. The roof is constructed out of timber and
iron bars. The birch bark over the roof is now replaced by corrugated iron sheets.
The inner courtyard of the Mosque has a water fountain, that is used for ablution, with four lawns around it decorated
with chinar trees.[2]The water tank in the courtyard was originally
fed by a water channel known as Lachma Kual.[6]
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