Kalan Masjid
Etymology
The mosque is titled Kalan Masjid, meaning chief mosque. It is also known as Kali Masjid, or black mosque, although this may also be a corruption of the word Kalan.
History
The mosque was built in 1387 by Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani during the reign of Firuz Shah Tughlaq.
Architecture
The mosque is built out of sandstone. It is an oblong structure, measuring 43 metres (140 ft) long and 37 metres (120 ft) wide. It has two stories, with a maximum height of 20 metres (66 ft).
A flight of steps leads to the doorway on the first story through which the mosque is to be entered. The doorway is surmounted by a low dome, which is flanked by two conical columns. Over the doorway is a marble slab on which there is an inscription in the Naskh script. The inscription describes the date of completion of the mosque, and that it was constructed by Khan Jahan during the reign of Firuz Shah.
The mosque has a square plan, and is divided into four quadrants.
Gallery
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The mosque in a painting by Seeta Ram
See also
References
- ^ Stephen, Carr (1862). The Archæology and Monumental Remains of Delhi. pp. 149–154.
- ^ "Interior of the Kalan Masjid, in New Delhi's Nizamuddin district, India, 1965-2000". University of Washington Libraries. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ Safvi, Rana (12 January 2015). "Kalan Masjid, Turkman Gate, Delhi". Rana Safvi. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Sharp, Henry (1921). Delhi, its story and buildings. pp. 62–63.
External links
Media related to Kalan Mosque at Wikimedia Commons
