Mecca Masjid

Mecca Masjid, beside Charminar at Char Kaman in the old city of Hyderabad, Telangana, is one of the largest mosques in India. Construction began in 1614 under Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah and continued for decades, and the mosque was completed in 1694 under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The prayer hall can hold about 10,000 worshippers, and its ceiling is supported by massive granite arches and columns, quarried locally and cut from single slabs. Visitors enter a large courtyard with a central tank used for ablutions, and the hall is fronted by a row of arches with carved decoration. According to local tradition, soil from Mecca was placed in the central arch's bricks, which gave the mosque its name. The mosque grounds also contain graves of the Nizams, including Mir Osman Ali Khan, in an enclosure to one side. Inside, visitors can admire the arches, the colonnaded porticoes, the two tall minarets and the pigeons that gather in the courtyard, and the surrounding lanes offer views of Charminar. A visit takes 30 to 45 minutes. The quietest time is mid-morning on weekdays, and the busiest is on Fridays, when thousands attend midday prayers and the mosque is closed to tourists, as well as during Ramzan and Eid. Entry is free, with the mosque open daily from about 4:30AM to 9:30PM, although visitors avoid the five daily prayer times. Modest dress is expected, with shoulders and legs covered, and women should cover their heads. Shoes are removed at the entrance, and photography is generally allowed outside prayer areas but should be discreet and respectful of worshippers. The mosque is a short walk from Charminar, so the two are often visited together along with Laad Bazaar and Chowmahalla Palace.