Megnificient Mosque of Hyderabad, India

Standing between Chowmahalla Palace and the iconic Charminar, Mecca Masjid is equally a magnificent structure as its neighbors! It is the biggest and the most spectacular mosque in Hyderabad and one of the biggest mosques in India. It is so big that it can accommodate ten thousand people at a time for prayer. 

The entire mosque is built of granite stones. It was built by Muhammad Quli Qutub, the fifth ruler of the Qutub Shahi family. This is named after the Grand Mosque of Mecca at Saudi Arabia. 

According to history, Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah began the construction of Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad under the guidance of Choudhary Rangaiah and Daroga Mir Faizullah. The construction was completed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1694 after 77 years and seven thousand workers were involved in the construction of this mosque. They say that some of the stones were brought from the Holy land of Mecca for its construction and hence the name.

The prayer hall is decorated with most expensive crystal chandeliers imported from Belgium. They are kept covered on normal days and the covers are removed on special occasions only.  

This mosque has two ablution ponds one at the front and the other at the northern side of the mosque. There is a separate entrance on the southern side of the mosque for Nizams to enter the mosque. It is believed that a strand of Prophet Mohammed’s hair is preserved in a room in the mosque courtyard.  

Inside the mosque, there are 5 passageways and tombs of the rulers belonging to the ‘Asaf Jahi’ dynasty. Ancient and rare artifacts and relics are treasured in a room located in the courtyard.