Muslim is the biggest minority religion in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The state has gone through various stages of evolution and today, it is dominated by a rich Islamic culture. The history of the growth and penetration of Islam religion in Uttar Pradesh can be traced back to as early as 1000CE, when the state was part of a Sultanate. In the earlier days many Afghans, Persians, Turks and Iraqis started migrating to Uttar Pradesh. Added to this, the state also witnessed a huge migration of Sufi saints and other missionaries who came and settled in the Northern parts of India, especially Uttar Pradesh. Due to their sermons and lectures, many local people also converted to Islam, thereby making the state a Muslim-dominated state.

The place was ruled by the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire later on, who dominated their rule over Uttar Pradesh for a very long period of time. It was under their influence, that the religion of Islam started spreading very deeply into the state. In order to create special places of worship for them, many mosques were constructed in this state at various places. Most of these mosques are still functioning today with the same grandeur and elegance as they were many centuries ago.

Architectural Style of the Mosques in Uttar Pradesh

A pure blend of Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture is found in the mosques of Uttar Pradesh. All are quite spaciously constructed and can accommodate many devotees at one particular time. All the mosques in Uttar Pradesh wear a festive look on Fridays as this day is considered to be very special by the Muslims. Red sandstone and marble are the main ingredients used for constructing the mosques in Uttar Pradesh. Let us now look at some of the famous mosques in Uttar Pradesh that follow this pattern of architecture.

Famous Mosques in Uttar Pradesh

Atala Masjid

Located in the Jaunpur area of Uttar Pradesh, this mosque was constructed during the 15th century. The striking feature of this mosque is the Hindu style of architecture that was used to construct it. It is believed that this mosque was constructed on the base of the Atala Devi temple. Due to its unique architecture style, this is one of the famous tourist attractions in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Jama Masjid

This is one of the famous mosques in the Agra area of Uttar Pradesh.  This 16th century mosque was constructed by famous Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan. White marble and red sandstone are the main elements that were used for constructing this mosque. The courtyard is massive and the domes are really huge here. This mosque has a small madrasa located in its premises where in the earlier days, students were taught about the values about Islam religion and the Holy Quran.

Lal Darwaza Masjid

Lal Darwaza refers to the portal made from ruby. This was built during 1447 and is a perfect blend of Islamic and Sharqi architecture styles. The Queen of Sultan Mahmood Sharqi, Bibi Raji has her palace inside the mosque. For the benefit of local Muslim students, there is a madrasa or a religious school located here to teach the principles and values of Islam religion. The town of Jaunpur is filled with many mosques that are perfect representations of Medieval Islamic architecture patterns.  Due to its unique pattern of architecture, this mosque is a big tourist attraction in Uttar Pradesh.