For Muslims, a mosque or masjid is where they offer their prayers or salah. Kashmir is known for its Kashmiriyat philosophy and for preserving and maintaining the signs and symbols of other religions. The state is home to numerous Masjids, Dargahs, and Islamic monuments that coexist peacefully with significant Hindu sites and pilgrimages.
There are many masjids in Srinagar, each with a distinguished past. The architecture of these masjids across Srinagar is reminiscent of an earlier time. These mosques are a picture of religious piety and are incredibly serene. They are a wealth of information for anyone who enjoys culture. Here are a few of Kashmir’s most beautiful masjids.
1. Hazratbal Mosque
The Hazratbal Mosque is on the grounds of a village with the same name as the mosque, just a short distance from the famous Dal Lake. The lake’s waters catch a reflection of the shrine’s elegant white marble structure. This beautiful masjid is considerably more significant because of the relic known as Moi-e-Muqqadas, a hair that some claim is of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
The imam of the masjid displays the hair during several religious festivals. Hundreds of people flock to this mosque, the only one with a dome in Srinagar. The number is high on Fridays. The Hazratbal Mosque is on the western shore of the lovely Dal Lake across Nishat Bagh.,
2. Jamia Masjid
This 600-year-old, famous mosque in Srinagar is amidst the bustling neighbourhood bazaars of Nowhatta. The design of the Jamia Masjid depicts the influence of Persian architecture, which shares features with Buddhist pagodas. The mosque, constructed by Sultan Sikandar and later expanded by his son Zain-ul-Abidin, is an example of avant-garde design with 378 wooden pillars.
Three disastrous fires partially or fully destroyed the mosque. Due to the devastation brought on by the fires, the beautiful masjid has experience significant destruction to date. Large crowds gather for the weekly Friday prayers in this serene location. It is a mesmerizing sight to see Muslims bowing down in orderly rows. It is the ideal location to soothe your soul and a must-see masjid in Srinagar.
3. Shah-i-Hamdan Mosque
Shah-i-Hamdan, or Khanqah-e-Moula, is one of the oldest Srinagar mosques. It is on the banks of the River Jhelum. The mosque allegedly underwent restoration in 1732 after being constructed in 1359. In actuality, Sikander Butshikan, the Muslim king of Srinagar, built it as the city’s first mosque in honour of preacher Mir Syed Ali Hamdani. It is also the first mosque in Kashmir. The building built without nails is a stunning example of wood architecture.
The mosque’s interior and façade have decorations of papier-mache reliefs and coloured khatamband. In contrast to the second tier of the mosque, which has an arcaded balcony on all sides, the first tier features double-arched verandahs that wrap around the entire building. It is also one of the famous mosques in Kashmir.
4. Pathar Masjid
In the Nowhatta neighbourhood of Old Srinagar, Pathar Masjid is next to Shah Hamdan Mosque. From Srinagar’s main centre, it is around 6 km. It is a distinctive Kashmir Masjid. The mosque, accessible by a set of stairs, has a sloping roof in contrast to the usual Mughal construction. From the inside, eighteen enormous columns support its roof.
All these columns have projections on their two sides and are square in design. The noticeable feature is that the upper portion of these columns is of bricks and cover in lime plaster, while the bottom end is built of stone. On the roof, there are twenty-seven domes. Although some of these domes have wagon vaults, most have internal ribs.
5. Aali Mosque
The mosque Aali Masjid is situated in Srinagar. It was constructed in 1471 A.D. and is the second-largest mosque in Kashmir after Srinagar’s Mosque, Jamia Masjid. This mosque was built during the reign of Sultan Hassan Shah in 1471. The mosque is a masterpiece of architecture. The mosque has a total space of over 14,000 square feet and a ceiling supported by 156 deodar columns, each measuring 16 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter.
It is one of the first mosques in Kashmir that has seen four significant eras in Kashmir’s history: the Sultanate, the Mughals, the Afghans, and the Dogras. The mosque contains six stepped pulpits built of stones known as “Devri Kaen” in Kashmiri. The windows of the structure include the patterned woodwork known as Pinjrakari. Following renovation by the government after catching fire, the mosque is again holding mass Eid prayers.
6. Makhdoom Sahib Mosque
In Srinagar, the Makhdoom Sahib Shrine is at the base of Hari Parbat. On the southern side of the hill, the Mughal fort offers a breathtaking vantage point of the Makhdoom Sahib Shrine. Regardless of religion, the beauty of this famous mosque in Srinagar enchants visitors and devotees. Hazrat Sultan, a member of the Syed dynasty, is honoured at this shrine.
He was a scholar and a mystic Sufi Muslim Saint. This two-story mosque is a striking building with numerous pillars, a tall connecting false ceiling, and conical domes. The mosque has a pinnacle at the top, cover in a falling roof pitch. Several stone steps go from this shrine to the well-known Dal Lake. This mosque’s exterior architecture is a remarkable illustration of the Mughal style. Despite the harsh weather conditions in this area, this temple is open all year round.
7. Charar-E-Sharief Shrine and Mosque
Forty kilometres from Srinagar, on the Yusmarg route, is Charar-e-Sharief. It is Perhaps one of the oldest and one of the most famous mosques in Kashmir still standing in the Kashmir region. It is one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most famous Muslim shrines in Charar-e-Sharief. This Muslim site honours the Sufi Saint Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani, known as Hazrat Sheikh Noor-ud-din Wali.
He served as a patron saint for Kashmir’s Muslims. The sheikh saw a religious and racial transmission from Hinduism to Islam around him during his lifetime. Hence, after drawing inspiration from historical events, he produced many philosophical works in poetry, prose, and verse. Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani’s mausoleum in this location is known as Alamdar-e-Kashmir. This shrine is 28 kilometres to the southwest of Srinagar.
8. Ashmuqam Shrine/Mosque
The Hazrat Azin-ud-Din Wali shrine is on a hilltop about 20 kilometres away from the well-known mountain resort of Pahalgam. The shrine rests at the top of the hill, within a deep cave, roughly 100 meters high than the main road. Due to the historical mausoleum of Sheikh Zain-ud-din, who lived in the 15th century AD and was one of the disciples of Sheikh Nur-ud-din, the foremost Reshi of Kashmir, the village of Aishmuqam is well known throughout Kashmir.
The shrine also connects to two beautiful masjids known as Khankahs. In addition to being a place of worship, the Khankah is a safekeeping place for the saint’s relics. They include a Quran copy, a bow, a pattern, a wooden loaf, a rosary, and a wooden club. It is reported that the saint kept fasts frequently and would lick the wooden bread to satiate his hunger. Every year thousands of people come to the shrine from around the valley. Many communities have high regard for the Zain-ud-din shrine and actively engage in the celebration of his anniversary.
9. Naqshband Shrine/Mosque
The Naqshband Shrine, also known as the Khanqah of Khwaja Moinuddin Naqshbandi, is located in the heart of Srinagar City. It is one of the famous masjids in Srinagar. Since it is claimed that the Moi-e-Muqaddas, or the sacred hair of Prophet Mohammed, was first stored here before being moved to the Hazratbal Mosque, this shrine is of immense religious significance to Muslims.
Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor, built this mosque. It is one of the finest illustrations of Kashmiri’s ancient and medieval timber buildings. This Kashmir masjid is well known for its elaborate khatamband ceilings, a type of ceiling art in which tiny wood pieces are hand-fitted together without nails to create geometric patterns and inscriptions significant from an archaeological perspective.
10. Masjid Of Akhund Mullah/Akhoon Mulla
Akhund Mullah Mosque is a modest Srinagar mosque constructed by Dara Shikoh, the son of Shah Jahan. It is called the Mosque of Akhund Mullah or Akhoon Mulla and is located beneath the Makhdum Sahib Shrine. Dara Shikoh built this famous mosque in Srinagar in memory of his mentor Akhun Mulla Shah. It is said that the mosque made of shiny grey limestone lies within a mosque.
A courtyard surrounds the mosque’s main sanctuary serving as a complete barrier between it and the rest of the structure. A stone lotus atop the mosque’s platform is one of the building’s most distinctive and eye-catching features. The stone lotus bears a carving of an inscription from 1649. The centrepiece of the religious facility is a specially designed prayer room.
