Hyderabad - Mecca Masjid

Mecca Masjid is one of the largest mosques in the world and one of the oldest in India. The foundation of the mosque was laid in 1614 during Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah's reign. When the foundation stone was being laid, Muhammad Qutub Shah invited the religious elders and announced that one who had never missed his prayers would lay the foundation stone. No one came forward; therefore Sultan Muhammad laid the stone for he had never missed a prayer since the age of 12. It took almost 80 years for completion and is said to accommodate 10,000 worshippers.

Enormous arches and pillars made from single slabs of black granite were quarried and then dragged to the location by 1,400 young bulls. Several bricks above the central gate are from Mecca, thus the name of the mosque! Through the main gateway of Mecca Masjid is a huge plaza with a large man-made pond. There is a legend regarding the seats surrounding the pond - any visitor who sits on one of these seats will definitely return to Hyderabad.

One of the rooms in the courtyard of Mecca Masjid is presumed to house the hair of Prophet Mohammed. Other notable features include inscriptions from the Quran above many of the arches and doors, fifteen arches supporting the roof of the main hall, cornices run around the entire mosque structure and the floral motifs and friezes over the arches.