🕌 Makkah Masjid
The Grand Mosque of Hyderabad – A Sacred Masterpiece Adjoining Charminar
The Grand Mosque of Hyderabad: Built with local granite, the Makkah Masjid finds its place among the largest mosques in India and is the most important and largest mosque in Hyderabad city. The name is derived from the Grand Mosque in Mecca on which it is modeled, and the bricks above the central gate were brought from Mecca, lending the mosque its sacred name.
The construction of this magnificent mosque started in the year 1614 by Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, and was completed in 1693 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, spanning nearly 80 years across two dynasties.
📜 A Construction Spanning Dynasties
The seventeenth-century French traveler, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605–1689), was in Hyderabad when the magnificent Mecca Masjid was undergoing construction. Awestruck by the magnificence of the architecture, he noted in his travelogue: "It is about 50 years since they began to build a splendid pagoda in the town which will be the grandest in all India when it is completed." The mosque was finally completed in 1693, nearly eight decades after it was begun.
👑 The Foundation Stone: According to history, Sultan Muhammad Qutub Shah invited all the devout religious elders in the city to lay the foundation stone. When no one came forward, the Sultan himself volunteered to lay the foundation. It is said that he never missed his midnight prayer from the age of 12, and this deep devotion is reflected in the mosque's sacred character.
🏛️ Architectural Grandeur – A Monument in Granite
The mosque has a length of 225 feet (69 meters) and is 180 feet (55 meters) wide with a height of 75 feet (23 meters). The prayer hall has a dimension of 67 meters × 54 meters × 23 meters, and the roof rests on 15 arches.
🪨 Single-Slab Granite Marvel: The mosque's 15 enormous arches and pillars were each wrought from single slabs of black granite dragged to the site by huge cattle trains reputedly consisting of up to 1,400 bulls per slab. The two huge octagonal columns flanking the Mehrab (prayer niche) on the western side are also created from single pieces of granite, topped by an arched gallery crowned by a dome.
The prayer hall contains five aisles, three bays deep. The circular corner minarets, with octagonal balconies, are relatively modest in height and were never carried above the parapet level. The capping domes were added later by the Mughals.
🕋 Sacred Relics & The Holy Pond
The mosque complex features several elements of profound religious significance:
- The Sacred Relic Room: A room in the courtyard houses a hair of Prophet Mohammed, making it a revered pilgrimage site for Muslims worldwide.
- The Bricks from Mecca: The bricks above the central gate were brought from the holy city of Mecca, giving the mosque its name and sanctity.
- The Large Manmade Pond: A spacious plaza features a large man-made pond where worshippers perform wudu (ablution) before prayer.
👑 The Tombs of the Nizams
The mosque contains the tombs of the Nizams of the Asaf Jahi dynasty from 1803 onwards. The marble cenotaphs of the Nizams are housed in a separate enclosure within the mosque complex, including:
- Mir Akbar Ali Khan, Asif Jah III (ruled 1803-1829)
- Nasir-ud-dawlah, Asif Jah IV (1829-1857)
- Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, Asif Jah VI (1869-1911)
- Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII (1911-1948) – the last ruling Nizam
🎨 Ornamentation & Artistic Details
The mosque is adorned with exquisite decorative elements:
- Inscriptions from the Quran above many of the arches and doors, carved in elegant calligraphy
- The exquisite roof of the main hall with intricate geometric patterns
- Ornate cornices around the entire mosque structure
- Floral motifs and friezes over the arches, showcasing the fusion of Persian and Deccani art
🕌 Vast Capacity: Large enough to accommodate 10,000 worshippers at any time, Makkah Masjid is the primary Friday mosque for Hyderabad's old city and draws thousands of devotees for Eid and other special prayers.
⚠️ The 2007 Mecca Masjid Blast
💣 18 May 2007: A tragic blast occurred around 1:15 PM inside the Makkah Masjid, caused by a cellphone-triggered pipe bomb placed near the ablution area. Sixteen people were reported dead in the immediate aftermath, of whom five were killed by police firing while trying to quell a subsequent mob. Two further live IEDs were found and defused by the police.
⚖️ 16 April 2018: The NIA Court acquitted all 11 accused in the blasts, citing lack of evidence.
🔨 Renovation & Conservation Efforts
Over the centuries, Makkah Masjid has suffered from the effects of weather, pollution, and neglect. Media reports have highlighted that the mosque lies in disrepair, with chunks of plaster peeling away, indicating that heritage preservation has often been neglected.
🏗️ Recent Restoration: In 2017, the Telangana government sanctioned a budget of ₹8.5 crore for restoration works. The Department of Heritage took up restoration with the help of private firms. As of February 2023, the mosque's facelift was underway, with completion targeted before the holy month of Ramzan.
📍 Location – Heart of the Old City
Located just two hundred yards (approximately 180 meters) from Charminar, Makkah Masjid forms a sacred quadrangle with the iconic monument. Visitors coming to Charminar invariably also visit the holy mosque, which lends a divine aura to the Muslim worshippers in the old city of Hyderabad.
🛍️ Shopping at Laad Bazaar
Tourists can enjoy unlimited shopping close to Makkah Masjid. Laad Bazaar is a very old market located on one of the four major thoroughfares emerging from the historic Charminar. It is a major market for:
- Bangles – particularly lacquer bangles studded with stones
- Semi-precious stones and pearls
- Jewelry and silverware (including famous Bidri ware)
- Saris and traditional Hyderabadi attire
⏰ Visitor Information
🕐 Timings
Open: All Days of the Week
Timings: 4:00 AM – 9:30 PM
Note: Non-Muslim visitors are welcome but should dress modestly and avoid prayer times (especially Friday afternoons)
💰 Entry Fee
Entry is free for all visitors
Photography permitted in the courtyard (avoid during prayer times)
🚗 How to Reach
Location: Opposite Charminar, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500002
Nearest Landmark: Charminar (adjacent, 180 meters)
Metro: Closest station is MG Bus Station (approx. 2 km)
Bus: Well connected by TSRTC buses to Charminar area
Auto/Cab: Easily available from anywhere in the city
🌿 Best time to visit
October – March (pleasant weather)
Early morning (around sunrise) offers a serene atmosphere
🧣 Visitor Etiquette: As this is an active place of worship, visitors should dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered). Women are encouraged to carry a scarf to cover their head. Remove shoes before entering the prayer hall. Avoid visiting during Friday prayers (12:30 PM – 2:00 PM) when the mosque is crowded with worshippers.
🏛️ Nearby Attractions
- Charminar – Hyderabad's iconic monument (180 meters)
- Chowmahalla Palace – The magnificent palace of the Nizams (500 meters)
- Laad Bazaar – Famous for bangles and pearls (adjacent)
- Salar Jung Museum – One of India's largest museums (approx. 1.5 km)
- Nizam's Museum (Purani Haveli) – Showcasing Nizam artifacts (approx. 2.5 km)
✨ Key Features Summary
- Construction Period: 1614-1693 (80 years, across Qutb Shahi and Mughal dynasties)
- Founder: Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah (started); completed by Aurangzeb
- Dimensions: 225 ft × 180 ft × 75 ft (69 m × 55 m × 23 m)
- Prayer Hall Capacity: 10,000 worshippers
- Architectural Features: 15 arches, 5 aisles, 3 bays deep, granite single-slab pillars
- Sacred Relics: Hair of Prophet Mohammed, bricks from Mecca
- Nizam Tombs: Contains tombs of Asaf Jahi Nizams from 1803 onward
- Materials: Local black granite, limestone, mortar
- Status: State-protected monument
- Restoration Budget (2017): ₹8.5 crore
📚 References & More Information
- Telangana Tourism – Makkah Masjid
- Wikipedia – Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad
- Times of India – Mecca Masjid Disrepair Report
Comments
Post a Comment