Tourism in Punjab has fancied people from various regions of the country, as well as is catching the attention of many foreign travellers. It is a recognised fact that a lot of natives from Punjab are settled in foreign destinations, while many of them are found distributed in different parts of India. Punjabi culture and tradition is known among Indians, because Sikh and Punjabi people are found everywhere. From them, it can be well concluded that the state is one of the best places to live in and these people are hardworking. As a mark of such work among the natives of the state of Punjab, agricultural practices still remain the livelihood of many people in the country. Some of the most fertile soil types are found here, while the production of various food items and grains are in abundance. When tourists arrive in this land, they can see for themselves, the richness of the region, marked by long expanses of the fields growing variety of agricultural products, ranging from the staple wheat and pulses to the different kinds of cashew plantations and fruit orchards.

Origin of Mosque in Punjab and Present Day Status

During the visit to Punjab, especially on their tours, people will come into close experience with the rich heritage of Sikhism and gurudwaras in all corners of the state. Besides the bevy of gurudwaras in Punjab, there are many temples where Hindu deities are worshipped. Few mosques are also found in Punjab, a couple of them having been present in Punjab since the pre-independence era, when India was still undivided. In the medieval era and after that, many Mughal kings came into India and some of them had the land of Punjab under their control. During those days, places of worship for Islamic followers were constructed, which exist till date and are known as the famous mosques of the country.

Well Known Mosque present in the State of Punjab Presently

Khair-ud-din Masjid in Hall Bazaar is a great tourist place in Amritsar and is well known among the locals as well as tourists from outside. It was originally built by Muhammad Khairuddin in 1876 and was famous when Shah Attaullah Bukhari protested against the British rule.

In Kapurthala is located the beautiful mosque of Moorish Mosque, built during 1930, when Jagatjit Singh was the ruler of the region. This was designed in recreation of the famous Qutubiya Mosque of Marrakesh in Morocco. It was designed by Manteaux, a French architect. Decorations inside the dome of the mosque were done by artists belonging to the Mayo School of Arts located in Lahore.

Aqsa mosque in Gurdaspur, more specifically in Qadian, is quite an old mosque. Qadian was the birth place of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who had started the revolution of Ahmadiyya in 1889. Over the years, this town became a well known place of religious learning and served as the headquarters of Caliphate.

It was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who laid the foundation of Mubarak Mosque in 1883, as the first mosque under Ahmadiyya revolution. After 20 years of its construction, a white minaret was added by him, which in India is presently the primary symbol of this particular Islamic sect and many followers arrive here. These days, Qadiyan and Mubarak mosque are hugely busy mostly with devotees.

Another pilgrimage place of great significance for the Islamic followers is the Rauza Sharif, also known as Dargah of Sheikh Ahmad Faruqi Sirhindi. This dargah is located in Sirhind Bassi Pathana Road, near to the Gurudwara of Fatehgarh Sahib. This was the same place where the saint lived during the rule of Jahangir and Aurangzeb in 15th and 16th century. This sacred place is visited by Muslims from the neighbouring countries, as well as from India in large numbers. There are a few other tombs in Sirhindi City.

Some Mosques in Villages and Towns being Revived with help of Local Communities

The state of Punjab was embroiled in lots of conflicts during the period of Indian partition, when many Muslims had to move out of the state into Pakistan. Prior to their exit, they were the settlers on various regions of Punjab and had their places of worship constructed in those places. As a result of such inhabitation, there were plenty of mosques which existed before partition. Over the years, with the decrease in the number of Muslims living in Punjab, many of these mosques were not attended to and they turned into ruins in the present days. Some of these are in demolished state till now, while a few are nowadays being restored and out these, many are also having worshippers returning to the region.