Jama Masjid, Agra

Jama Masjid in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, stands in the Subhash Bazaar area opposite Agra Fort, a short walk from the fort's Amar Singh Gate. Jahanara Begum, the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan, commissioned it in 1648, and it remains a working Friday mosque for the city. The building is raised on a high red sandstone platform and approached by steps through busy market lanes, with the entrance gate opening onto a large courtyard. Its prayer hall is topped by three large domes, each decorated with bold white zigzag stripes against red sandstone, with small chhatris and arched recesses lining the facade. Inside, the main hall has carved sandstone arches and a mihrab niche, while the courtyard contains an ablution area and open space for large congregations. Visitors may enter outside prayer times and should dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, and remove shoes at the threshold. Women are asked to cover their heads in some areas. A visit takes 30 to 45 minutes. The best photographs come from the steps at the entrance, from the courtyard looking back at the domes, and from the market lanes looking up at the platform. Midday on Fridays, and the five daily prayer times, are best avoided, as the mosque is full of worshippers and non-Muslim visitors are not usually admitted. Mid-morning on a weekday is calm, though the bazaar below is busy. The mosque has no ticket, but small donations or shoe-keeper tips are customary. Because it sits in the old city, it combines easily with Kinari Bazaar, Mankameshwar Temple and Agra Fort on foot. Narrow lanes, motorbikes and hawkers make the approach noisy, so visitors should watch their belongings.