Kalan Masjid
Religion
AffiliationIslam
Location
LocationDelhi

Kalan Masjid, or Kalan Mosque is a 14th-century mosque in Delhi, India.[1][2]

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.[1]

History

The mosque was commissioned by Khan-i-Jahan during the reign of Firuz Shah Tughlaq.[1][3]

Description

The mosque is built out of sandstone. It is an oblong structure, measuring 140 feet (43 m) in length and 120 feet (37 m) in breadth. It has two stories, with a total height of 66 feet (20 m).[1]

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.[1]

The mosque has a square plan, and is divided into four quadrants.[2]

Kalan Masjid, depicted in a painting by Seeta Ram

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Stephen, Carr (1862). The Archæology and Monumental Remains of Delhi. pp. 149–154.
  2. 1 2 "Interior of the Kalan Masjid, in New Delhi's Nizamuddin district, India, 1965-2000". University of Washington Libraries. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  3. ↑ Sharp, Henry (1921). Delhi, its story and buildings. pp. 62–63.

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