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| Kalan Masjid, known locally as Kali Masjid is
one of the seven mosques that were built by prime minister of
Feroz Shah Tughlaq (1351-88), Khan-i-Jahan Junan Shah. Located
near Razia Sultan's tomb on the Turkman Bazaar Road, the mosque
can also be reached by taking the Sita Ram Bazaar Road. An important
mosque of Feroz Shah's city, Ferozabad, it was built in 1387
much before the city of Shahjahanabad was completed. The mosque
was comparatively constructed on a large scale with 'three-aisle
deep prayer chamber, pierced by five openings' and thus was
named Kalan, which means big in the Arabic language. |
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| Few characteristics like low domes, sloping
minarets and chhajjas of the mosque reflect the typical Tughlaq
style of architecture. The courtyard of the mosque is too surrounded
by domed cloisters. The entrance of the mosque is from the eastern
side and has a high flight of steps that takes directly into
the courtyard. Every fourth step is a bit wider than the other
steps so that devotees especially women can rest and then move
forward. The mosque soon got a new name, Kali meaning black
colored by the local population, as initially the outer walls
of the mosque were black in color. |
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