Visiting the Oldest Mosque in Rawalpindi: Markazi Jamia Masjid

Finding Culture in Islamabad

Many who travel to Islamabad will be disappointed with the lack of things to do and the vast distance between the few monuments the city can boast on. While the Shah Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument are beautiful in their own right, they don’t truly capture the spirit and soul of the country.

To get a sense of authentic local culture in the capital you will have to head to Rawalpindi. Islamabad may be the modern seat of power in Pakistan, but the nearby old city has roots that grow deep into the very fabric of the country. After leaving the sandbox of Islamabad behind, the sprawling markets and lawlessness of Rawalpindi will bring you back to the Pakistan you originally feel in love with.

Although you will spend most of your time in Rawalpindi exploring the madness of the bazaar and stumbling across abandoned Hindu temples and endless mazes of back alleys, one of your main destinations is the Markazi Jamia Masjid. Tucked behind draped electrical wire and chipping concrete apartments, you may have this mosque pinned on your map, but you are bound to come across by complete accident. Like a diamond in the round, the tall spires and ornate gates shine through the drab colors of the city.

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Visiting Markazi Jamia Masjid

Lahore may hold its Badshahi Mosque as its own crowned jewel, but other than its size there is much to really captivate its visitors. Rawalpindi’s Markazi Jamia Masjid, on the other hand, is like walking into a kaleidoscope of bright colors. Before you even slip off your shoes and step foot into the courtyard, the arch of the main gate will tease you with its traditional Mughal designs with flamboyant hues which a purely Pakistani.

With its small domes and tiny hall, the Markazi Jamia Masjid may not seem like much from the outside, but the unique colors and design that went into this mosque makes it stand apart from the cookie-cutter places of worship you may have come across all over the Muslim world. The blues and greys of the exterior may be eyecatching, but once you step into the sanctuary, your neck will get sore from staring up at the ceiling.

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Classic Pakistan

From the world-famous trucks to its traditional Mughal paintings, Pakistan is a country of colors. The bright, over the top pastels and intricate designs, bring a sense of the country’s national identity into the mosque, rather than being left cold and lifeless. In front of these colorful floor-to-ceiling murals, local Muslims can be seen praying towards Mecca or simply lounging about on the crimson carpet. Many probably come here so often they fail to recognize the great craftsmanship put into the Markazi Jamia Masjid.

With geometric patterns, floral designs, and verses of the holy Quran wrapped around the interior of the mosque, you will never find two panels on the mural that will be the same. You could literally spend an hour laying down with your back on the carpet constantly picking out new details and scenes incorporated into the architecture of the Markazi Jamia Masjid.

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VIP Access to the Markazi Jamia Masjid

As you are lost in the array of swirling colors and patterns of the mosque, a man may approach you offering to take you into the inner sanctuary of the Markazi Jamia Masjid. Ever since the completion of the mosque in 1903, a family of caretakers has lived on the grounds. With each generation, the children carry the torch and continue to keep the colors vibrant against the test of time.

After a wave of his hand and fumbling through his keys, the doors will open up to an ill-lit chamber. While squinting through the darkness to try and make out where exactly you are, the caretaker will flick a switch and bring to light the real history behind the Markazi Jamia Mosque.

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100-Year-Old Murals

While in the outer hall you will be captivated by the flash of colors delicately brushed into the murals on the mosque, the interior of the masjid preserves some of the original Mughal designs dating back to the mosque founding, 100 years ago. With its faded and chipped fresco paintings, you can witness how age is catching up with the work of man.

Due to water damage and age, many of the original paintings in Markazi Jamia Masjid are lost. Washed away as time seeps through the cracks of the mosque. There have been attempts to renovate this century-old heritage site. But the attempts to renew the masjid with cheap tacky tiles act as a painful eyesore. Taking away from the soft delicate beauty of the original masterpieces adorning the walls of the sanctuary.

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The Colors of Pakistan

Unless some disaster besets the Markazi Jamia Masjid, the colorful designs and pastel colors will continue to shine out of the mosque and out on to the streets of Rawalpindi. After visiting so many different places of worship in different countries throughout the Muslim world, it is refreshing to see so much heart and soul to be poured into one’s devotion to God.

While some mosques rely on grandiose minarets and crews of men working tirelessly to bring glory to Allah. The master painters behind Markazi Jamia Masjid found that true beauty and worship is made with each stroke of their paintbrush.