Jama Masjid
- Address:Matya Mahal, Old Delhi
- Hours:Open daily 7am - 12:15pm and 1:45pm - 30 minutes before sunset. Closed to non-Muslims at times
- Admission:Free
Cultural Experience, Holy Place, Monument - Historical, Mosque
8:13 PM Sunday, May 27
Duststorm. Extremely hot.
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The stunning Jama Masjid mosque is the largest in India and the final architectural magnum opus of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Construction of the mosque began in 1644, but it wasn't completed until 1658. It has 3 gateways, 4 angle towers and 2 minarets standing 130 feet (40 meters) high, and is constructed of alternating vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble. The main entry point is Gate No 3. The mosque's courtyard can hold a mind-blowing 25,000 people.
For Rs20 it's possible to climb the southern minaret (women must be accompanied by a male; sometimes unaccompanied men may also not be permitted), where the views are superb. From the top of the minaret, you can see one of the features that architect Edwin Lutyens incorporated into his design of New Delhi - the Jama Masjid, Connaught Place and Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) are in a direct line.
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We did the Old Delhi Half Day Small Group Tour on 6 February 2012.
We booked the tour through Viator and paid online. My husband and I are in our 50's and 60's. We like to see the old parts of cities and prefer to do so on foot.
The walking was not strenuous at all and there were plenty of stops along the way. It was cool pleasant weather in February but I would say bring water if you go in the hot months.
We were delighted to see that our local guide Hirdesh Shrivas arrived on foot at our hotel to collect us. She told us that we were going to experience local modes of travel. Outside the hotel we hailed an auto, which is a small 3 wheeled vehicle ideal for travel in heavy traffic areas.
From there it was on to the Metro where we went a few stops and then we were in Old Delhi.
Hirdesh was excellent at showing us around. She explained what the process was for making chai while we were standing beside a chai stall. We were shown all types of food and other stalls and had many processes explained very well to us by Hirdesh.
We were taken by rickshaw down one of the the narrow streets which sells wedding accessories, which was a feast for the eyes and ears.
A highlight was having lunch in a little place in the heart of Old Delhi that has been serving food there since 1875. The food was delicious. Lunch and all transport was included in the price.
Another highlight for us was visiting a Sikh temple. After visiting the worshipping area, we were able to watch lunch preparation in the kitchens and see the hundreds of folk patiently waiting for their free meal. Hirdesh gave us a lot of good information about the religion and how the temple is run.
We also visited Jama Masjid which is the largest mosque in India. We paid a very small fee there to have our shoes looked after and for the hire of a robe for me to put over my clothes.
At the end of our tour which took about 3 hours, Hirdesh took us back to the metro station and went with us to the stop where we needed to get off to return to our hotel. From there it was simple to get another auto back to the hotel.
I can highly recommend this tour if you really want to experience the real sights and sounds and smells of Delhi. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would rate this tour as a highlight of our stay in India.
Thank you for making it special Hirdesh.
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Without having this trip I would never have experienced a most wonderous and real side of Delhi. It was a really amazing and intimate experience I went to places I would never have had the courage or the contacts to do so. Wondering around the streets of Delhi on your own is nothing compared to this marvellous opportunity to meet real residents, eat with locals and experience real Delhi Life. Thank you so much. My guide was very professional and yet warm, informative and I felt totally safe. Unforgettable!
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This tour was a fantastic introduction to Delhi and was the highlight of my time in Delhi. Our guide was so friendly and made the tour feel like it was a friend showing you around their home town as opposed to an organised tour. Old Delhi and it's markets could definately be a bit intimidating on your own but with our guide I felt totally comfortable and would have definitely discovered a lot more about the area and streets than I would have on my own. It was great to use poublic transport to get around too. Lunch and a cup of chai along the way made you feel like one of the locals and it was interesting to learn about the history of this part of Delhi and also seek out the worship places of some of the different religions in the area. I couldn't recommend this tour more highly.
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It is located opposite the Red Fort of the walled city of Old Delhi. The nearest metro station is Chawri Market, or take a taxi. Visitors should remove their shoes at the top of the stairs (pay the shoeminder Rs5 upon collection). Beware of fake guides insisting there's a charge to enter the mosque (admission is free). If you wish to hire a guide, ask to see accreditation. For non-Muslims the opening times are 07:00-12:15, 13:45-30 mins before sunset; closed noon-14:00
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