Kali Masjid, also known as Jumma Masjid, is a 16th-century

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

, known for its unique architectural features with black stones and rich cultural heritage. It is located in Jalna,

Jalna district Jalna district (Marathi pronunciation: ͡ʒaːlnaː is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in western India. Jalna town is the district headquarters. The district is part of Aurangabad division. Officer Members of Par ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

and attracts visitors from around the world.

History

The mosque was constructed in the year 1578, built by the reigning

Nizam Shahi dynasty The Deccan sultanates were five Islamic late-medieval Indian kingdoms—on the Deccan Plateau between the Krishna River and the Vindhya Range—that were ruled by Muslim dynasties: namely Ahmadnagar, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur, and Golconda. The ...

. It is located in the middle of the old section of the city, Old Jalna, and is known as the black mosque, because it is constructed out of black stone. Approximately 700 people can pray at a time. The stone used for the construction of the mosque and a large pond for water was needed, for this there was a stone-filled complex ground on the west side of the mosque, where Moti Talab was constructed and the stones of that area were cut and carved. was built Over time, the mosque has undergone various renovations, preserving its historical significance. Its well-preserved entrance door bears the date of construction in

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

, showcasing the remarkable craftsmanship of the era.

Architecture

The Kali Masjid is located inside a rectangular walled compound, closed on three sides with an arcade in the front. The entrance is through a large stone gate, flanked by stone jali screens, painted white. The prayer hall is topped by corner

finial A finial (from '' la, finis'', end) or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature. In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the Apex (geometry), apex of a d ...

s with fluted domical tops. Octagonal columns carry six small domes within. The mosque's principal dome, is ornamented at the top and the base with carved stone lotus leaves. The adjacent hammam, constructed five years later, has domed chambers on faceted pendentives. The sarai, directly opposite the mosque, is a large square paved court, surrounded by arcaded chambers/recesses. In this mosque with three arches, three arches have been made from each side, the four walls of the mosque are made of stones only. Designs have been made under the four small minarets like the petals of a wonderful flower. And in the middle a big gummaz is made in white colour. Right in the middle of the mosque, there is a big quadrangular tank, in which water used to come from the underground pipe system from Moti Talab. Five graves are unknown graves in the northeast of the mosque. Arabic language is written on the walls inside the mosque.

Gallery

References

{{Mosques in India Mosques in Jalna Indo-Islamic architecture Ahmadnagar Sultanate 1557 establishments in India Mosques completed in the 1570s 1578 establishments in India

History

Architecture

Gallery

See also

References