Jama Masjid, Delhi: A Respectful Visitor Guide

Where is Jama Masjid located?

Jama Masjid is in Old Delhi, the walled city once called Shahjahanabad. Delhi Tourism places it off Netaji Subhash Marg, to the west of the Red Fort. Wikipedia notes that it was built on the highest point of Shahjahanabad, on a plinth about 10 m above the surrounding city, which is why its domes and minarets dominate the skyline of the old city.

The nearest metro station is Jama Masjid on the Violet Line. See the Jama Masjid metro guide for gates and walking routes.

Jama Masjid timings and prayer closures

The mosque is open every day, but it is first a place of prayer. Tourists are not admitted during namaz, and listed hours are built around the prayer schedule.

Backpack and Snorkel notes that the Friday (Jumma) midday prayer can keep the mosque closed to tourists for several hours. Prayer times shift through the year with the sun, so the exact closure window also moves.

Is Jama Masjid open today?

On a normal day, yes, outside prayer times. Expect longer closures and heavy crowds on Fridays, during Ramzan and on Eid. If you are travelling far, plan to arrive early in the morning or in the middle of the afternoon, as Trip101 and Backpack and Snorkel suggest, and allow time in case the gate is closed for namaz when you reach.

Jama Masjid tickets, entry fee and camera charges

There is no online ticket. Fees are collected at the mosque, and sources disagree on the amounts:

• Entry for Indian visitors: free, per Delhi Tourism and Backpack and Snorkel.
• Entry for foreign visitors: Rs 300 (Delhi Tourism), Rs 400 for adults (Lonely Planet) or Rs 500 (Backpack and Snorkel).
• Camera and phone photography: Delhi Tourism says photography is free, but Trip101 (Aug 2025) reports a Rs 300 photography fee that covers phones and cameras, and Digit Insurance lists Rs 300 for a camera.
• Minaret climb: a separate ticket, reported as Rs 100 (Digit Insurance, Go With Harry) or Rs 200 (Lonely Planet).
• Shoe counter: about Rs 10, per Trip101.
• Gown or robe: Go With Harry lists Rs 50 per person.

Jama Masjid dress code for women and men

Dress as you would for any active place of worship. Based on Trip101, Backpack and Snorkel and Lonely Planet:

• Men and women: cover the legs and shoulders. No shorts, short skirts or sleeveless tops.
• Women: sources report that a scarf or dupatta over the head is expected.
• Robes: Delhi Tourism and Trip101 say robes can be hired at the northern gate if your clothing does not meet the rules.
• Shoes: remove them before stepping into the courtyard. Lonely Planet notes that many locals carry their shoes in a bag, which helps if you plan to leave by a different gate.

Women can visit the mosque. In November 2022, The Tribune reported that notices barring the entry of girls alone or in groups had been put up at the gates; after the Delhi LG spoke to the Shahi Imam, the Imam agreed to withdraw the order on the condition that visitors respect the sanctity of the mosque.

The gates of Jama Masjid

Wikipedia describes three great sandstone gateways. The eastern gate, three storeys high, was the royal entrance; the northern and southern gates, two storeys each, were used by the public. Outlook Traveller's account of the gates (updated 2014) gives this numbering:

• Gate No. 1 (south): faces Matia Mahal Bazaar, with 32 steps. The Delhi Walla describes it as the southern gateway. It is the busiest everyday entrance and the side for Karim's, Al Jawahar and the old eateries.
• Gate No. 2 (east): the Shahi Darwaza built for the emperor, reached by a long flight of steps from Meena Bazaar and facing towards Red Fort.
• Gate No. 3 (north): on the Dariba side, with 36 steps, and the quietest of the three, per Outlook. Gumbad Cafe's rooftop is opposite this gate.

Inside Jama Masjid: the courtyard, prayer hall and minarets

Wikipedia gives it as at least 99 m on each side, with room for about 25,000 worshippers. On the western side stands the prayer hall, 61 m long and 27 m wide, topped by three marble domes, with two minarets about 41 m tall at its corners.

The courtyard view, with the red sandstone arcades on three sides and the white and black marble striped domes ahead, is the classic Jama Masjid photo. For a wider view, the southern minaret can be climbed with a separate ticket. Lonely Planet describes 121 narrow, steep steps reached from the northern gate side, and says the climb is worth it for the view over Old Delhi.

Taking photos respectfully

• Ask about the photography fee at the gate before using a camera.
• Do not photograph people at prayer, and ask before photographing anyone up close.
• Keep the prayer hall itself for prayer; stay back if namaz is about to begin.
• For a front view of the domes, rooftops outside the mosque, such as Gumbad Cafe opposite Gate No. 3, are popular; Outlook Traveller says many close-up social media photos of the mosque are taken from there.

Visiting etiquette

• Arrive outside prayer times and leave promptly when the call to prayer begins.
• Speak quietly and keep phones on silent.
• Avoid public displays of affection and staged photo shoots.
• Remove shoes where asked and do not walk on prayer mats with footwear.
• Thursdays and Sundays are busy, per Outlook Traveller, which reports that holy relics are shown inside on Thursdays.

Jama Masjid kahan hai: Hindi mein jankari

जामा मस्जिद दिल्ली के पुराने शहर, यानी शाहजहानाबाद (पुरानी दिल्ली) में है। यह लाल किले के पश्चिम में, नेताजी सुभाष मार्ग के पास स्थित है। इसे मुगल बादशाह शाहजहाँ ने बनवाया था। दिल्ली टूरिज़्म के अनुसार पर्यटक सुबह 7 बजे से दोपहर 12 बजे तक और दोपहर 1:30 बजे से शाम 6:30 बजे तक जा सकते हैं, लेकिन नमाज़ के समय पर्यटकों को अंदर जाने की अनुमति नहीं होती। भारतीय पर्यटकों के लिए प्रवेश निःशुल्क बताया गया है। सबसे नज़दीकी मेट्रो स्टेशन वायलेट लाइन का जामा मस्जिद स्टेशन है। अंदर जाने से पहले जूते उतारें और शालीन कपड़े पहनें।

Jama Masjid news and other mosques with the same name

"Jama Masjid" means the congregational mosque for Friday prayers, so many Indian towns have one, including Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Sambhal. News reports and photos under that name often refer to these other mosques. This page covers only the Jama Masjid in Old Delhi; the Fatehpur Sikri mosque courtyard, for example, is a separate monument in Uttar Pradesh.

For background on how the Delhi mosque was built, see the Jama Masjid history guide. For food after your visit, see food near Jama Masjid, Karim's and the Chandni Chowk food guide. The Dariba Kalan lane leads from the Gate 3 side towards Chandni Chowk.