Moti Masjid

Sometimes in life, the best pleasures of travel come by visiting some of the loveliest constructions. A mere glance at such structures take us down the historical land, and we get ensconced in a surrounding of magnificence and grandeur that is beyond comparison.

India is such a land where a tourist would go back with cherishable memories of the architectural styles and the constructional elegance that the country is so associated with. Agra in India, is certainly a famous destination for tourists across the world. But did you know that besides the famed Taj Mahal, Agra also has the loveliest collection of other monuments which have equally stood testimony to the history of the city? well, this and more is what we are going to read about now, in this travel experience on Agra, the city of forts, monuments and the most pristine ambience.

Moti Masjid in Agra is one such spectacular monument which bears proof to why the city of Agra is so revered in historical tales. Built sometime in the 16th century between the years 1648 to 1654, the structural magnificence of this monument lies in the way the mosque stands on an incline going from east to west to the north of the complex of the Diwan-I-Am another grand Moghul construction. The Moti Masjid is so called due to the lovely white marble exteriors that it possesses, and moti in Hindi means pearl. So this pearl mosque seems to be constructed of brick. Costing around three lakh Indian rupees in those days, today the mosque is an example of the way the Moghuls were patrons of good construction and how India has stood tall in the list of grand constructions.

Agra can be reached very easily from Delhi as it is only a 30minute drive. Agra is the nearest railway head and there is a small airport at Agra which connects the city to other Indian cities.

We took the flight to Delhi and reached Agra by car. The drive down to Agra is very enjoyable as the calm surroundings of the countryside takes you to another world totally.

We headed for the Moti Masjid first this time,and I was quite struck by the sheer grand look the mosque had. There is something very unique about our past history. Whenever we visit such a place, there is a calming effect it has on us. This is the same thing that I felt at this Masjid too. There was a marble tank in the centre and this was built in the most elegant fashion. Then there was a lovely sundial which everyone really was fascinated with. There were cloisters all arched. And these surrounded the courtyard on all the sides on the north, east and south. There were around 12 pillars with arches around this courtyard on these ends and then on the western side there was a prayer chamber.

We had entered the mosque through the eastern side and thus we found the eastern side a little larger than the smaller entrances on the northern and southern sides. These sides only had arches and some chattris on top.

The eastern gate was grander in construction and had two staircases as its approach path. The exterior of this gateway was made of red sandstone and the internal parts of the gateway were constructed out of marble. I was totally enthralled by the mere sight of a mounemnent that has been existing for ages.

The prayer room had again seven archers. There were 21 bays. Out of these only three bays have vaulted soffits. We walked around and then came to the wall on the western side. This was carved exquisitely and had the best mihrab on it. There were six niches which totally were in tandem with the arches in the façade. Here there were four steps to the pulpit.

Prayer rooms were places, where people could meditate. There were separate rooms for men and women. Placed on each side of the prayer chamber, these rooms had lovely latticework screens which separated them from the main hall. The prayer chamber had majestic domes on top and this coupled with the elegant chhatris, on top

of the parapet and a tower completed the royal look it had. On the tower there was a marble cupola which added to the beauty of the entire monument.

Situated in the Red Fort of Agra City, it wqas built by the Mughal monarch Shah Jahan. Moti Masjid is a perfect specimen of the Indian craftsmasnship that existed in those days. The entire mosque was constructed to help the royal members of the court to have a private worship place. Today the mosque is visited by most tourists who come to this part of the city. It is a wonder that the domed kiosks that you find here have been built in a Hindu style. The mosque looks resplendent however situated on the banks of the River Yamuna.

Moti Masjid is one of the most popular tourist destinations today and has a great position here. Moti Masjid is often compared with the St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow by many tourists who have visited both. As we sat on the compound of the Agra Fort and looked at the River Yamuna gurgling by, the mosque exuded a kind of radiance that is seen to be believed. There is a velvety touch to the monument and I could just manage to capture some of the best views on camera.

As we went back to the city centre which is very near the Moti Masjid, we were filled with a kind of memory which is till date etched strongly. We took the bus to Power House and from there we proceeded to other places in Agra. Do visit this lovely place in this part of India.