Srinagar

Jamia Masjid, Jammu And Kashmir

Jamia Masjid, Jammu And Kashmir

Jamia Masjid is a 600-year-old mosque in Srinagar, located in the Nowhatta area amidst the bustle of local bazaars. The tranquil mosque is known for its unique architecture, the highlight being the 378 wooden Deodar pillars. The mosque becomes especially crowded on Fridays. The fountain inside the mosque premises is used for ablution or wadu.

History

The foundation of the Jamia Masjid was laid down by Sultan Sikandar Shah Kashmiri, who was the father of Sultan Zainulaabdin, a ruler of Kashmir in 1398 AD. The exalted mosque was completed in 1402, and the structure has been facing numerous tragedies and accidents ever since. This colossal structure has been damaged by fire thrice, but luckily restoration work was carried out after each mishap to correct the damaged portions.
The first fire that damaged it was in 1479, and the then ruler, Sultan Hasan Shah, immediately began the reconstruction work. Unfortunately, he passed away before the repair work was done, and Ibrahim Magre, Commander-in-Chief of Kashmir forces under the rule of Muhammad Shah and Fateh Shah took over the task and completed it successfully by 1503 AD.
In 1620, when Kashmir was under the rule of Jehangir, a fire broke out yet again and destroyed a total of 12,000 buildings, the splendid Jamia Masjid sadly being one of them. The king ordered the reconstruction of the elevated mosque, and Malik Haider, a famous historian, was delegated this duty. The entire repair work took 17 years.
The third fire that distorted the structure occurred in 1674. It is said that when Aurangzeb heard about the accident, he only inquired if the chinars were safe, for 'the mosque could be rebuilt in a short time. A full-grown chinar can never be replaced.' He got together all the bricklayers and masons of the city, and Jamia Masjid was restored within three years. Under the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh, the last refurbishment work at the mosque was carried out.

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