Jamia Mosque, Srinagar

Jamia Masjid  is a mosque in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. The Jamia Masjid of Srinagar is situated at Nowhatta, in the middle of the old city. It was built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD under the order by Mir Mohmmad Hamadani son of Shah hamdan Later, the son of Sultan Sikandar, Zain-ul-Abidin got the mosque extended. The attractions of the Jamia Masjid of Srinagar, Kashmir include beautiful Indo-Saracenic architecture, a magnificent courtyard and 370 wooden pillars. Another feature of the mosque is the peace and tranquility inside it, standing out against the hustle of the old bazaars around it. Thousands of Muslims assemble at the mosque every Friday to offer their prayers.

Damage caused by fire 

Jamia Masjid of Srinagar has been subject to much destruction till date. This mosque was damaged thrice by fire. The damaged portions were restored after every disaster. The latest restoration work was carried out under the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh.

Legacy 

Jamia Masjid is known as one of the sacred mosques in India. Composed of 370 pillars of wood, Jamia Masjid symbolizes one of the best architectural specimen which survived the ravages of time ever since it was constructed in the valley of Jammu and Kashmir. The area of Jamia Masjid extends up to an area of 384 feet by 381 feet. This spacious mosque holds a capacity to accommodate more than 33,333 people offering prayer at a time. However, there is a perfectly square garden in the middle and the mosque is surrounded by wide lanes on all the four sides. At the peak, about 100,000 people offer prayers together. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is religious clerk and head priest (imam) of this mosque. This mosque is often subject to political activities. Processions have been held after Friday prayers outside this mosque from past couple of years.