Taj Mahal - Mosque

Following the laws of Islam, the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal has a mosque or the "Masjid" to its left. Built of red standstone, the structure complments the pristine white masoleum. The mosque although different has enough common features that make it look like it belongs to the same complex. Spread over 210 feet in length and 90 feet in width, the mosque stands on a raised platform. The front face of the mosque boasts of one big central iwan and two smaller ones perched on either side on the main one (picture below). The central dome is flanked by two smaller ones on either side and the four corners of the mosque have a chattri. Other design features include the guldastas or the pinnacles that flank the sides of the iwans.

Taj Mahal mosque with its domes and iwans

As far as the interiors are concerned, the flooring of the mosque is beautifully laid out. Giving a carpet feel, the floor area is inlaid with red marble stone in the pattern of prayer mats (picture above). The count of the mats crosses the 500 mark! One can see a lot of calligraphy on the walls of the interiors, all taken from the Koranic verses. The mosque also has a "minbar", a platform from where the priest delivers lectures. The other notable feature of the mosque is the "mihrab" that is an enclosed area showing the direction of Mecca.

The ceiling of the mosque has an ornate display of beautiful geometric patterns. The white inlay work stand out splendidly against the red sandstone background (see image below).