Photo 1000/31(3186)

Genre: Architectural Photography

View from the court of the mosque looking towards the screen of the arches of the east façade and the central dome. India Museum no. 1428. Received from Captain Lyon, 7 February 1871. For another copy of this photograph in better condition (a later printing), see Photo 199 (17).

537. - Also on the right of the road at a very short distance from the Mehter Mahal, stands the Jumma Musjid. Its appearance from outside is very clumsy and by no means prepossessing; the whole building and court being enclosed by a wall 40 ft high which is alone visible from without. A small door gives admittance to a narrow passage at the end of which are some steps. Ascending those to a raised platform, the visitor will enter on its north side an extensive court, in the middle of which is a fountain.

The mosque itself, as here represented, will be on his right, and extends along the whole Eastern face of the court, while on the North, or that by which he entered as well as on the opposite or South side extend two handsome piazzas each 186 ft long consisting of seven large arches. The building was commenced by Ally Adil Shah, and continued by his successors on the same plan, but was never completed. Had it been so, it would have formed a rectangle of 331 + 257 ft, but unfortunately the fourth or west side, on which was to have been the great gateway was not even commenced, when the dynasty was overthrown.