Located in the archaeological village complex in Mehrauli, Delhi, India- Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb comprises of two structures that are adjacent to each other. Jamali originates from the word Jamal which means beautiful. Jamali was also the sobriquet given to Sheikh Fazlullah who was also known as Sheikh Jamali Kamboh or Jalal Khan. A great Sufi saint Jalal Khan lived in the time of pre-Mughal dynasty.
Jamali is a mosque and kamali is a tomb. Jamali was a famous personality during the rule of pre-Mughal rule under leadership of Lodi however Kamali’s whereabouts are not known and historians have not been able to conclude any information or importance of Kamali in the said period. However JamaliKamaliis mentioned together for the mosque and tomb simply because the two are buried adjacent to each other.
The history of Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb
The mosque and the tomb came into existence during the period 1528 to 1529. Jamali was buried in the tomb after his death in 1535. The mosque andtomb stand in a closed garden. When it was built in 1528-29 it had a southern entry. The mosque and tomb is built in red sandstone and has marble embellishments. The mosque andtombis believed to be a portent in the design of Mughal mosque architecture in India. The prayer hall has a front courtyard that’s large. It comprises of five arches and a central arch which also has a dome. As you movetowards the center the size of the arches also increases. The larger arches have been beautifully embellished with ornamentations. Medallions and ornamentations have been used on the spandrels of the arch. On the west side the prayer hall comprises of niches with Mihrab and the niches along with the walls have been decorated with inscriptions from the Koran.
Access to Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb
Access to the two storied mosque is from a porch around the mosque. The four corners have octagonal towers that have been beautifully adorned. The rear end of the mosque has oriel windows in addition to a small window on the central arch.
The Jamali Kamali tomb is beautifully decorated. It is 25 ft. big and is square in shape. The roof of the tomb is flat and is located adjacent to the mosque on its northern side. Inside the chamber, the flat ceiling is beautifully plastered and comprises of beautiful ornamentation. The ceiling has been painted in red and blue colors and has been beautified with Koranic inscriptions. Further the walls have been decorated with inlaidcolor tiles and poems written by Jamali have been inscribed.
The decorations on the tomb have been described in a manner that they present an image of “stepping into a jewel box”.
