Situated inside the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, this mosque and the tomb adjacent to it are among the park’s best-known attractions, right next door to the car parking. The mosque, built in grey Delhi quartzite and red sandstone, is a beautiful but stark one, its architecture very recognizably early Mughal (its bears a resemblance to the Qila-e-Kohna Mosque at Purana Qila, which, like this one, dates approximately to Humayun’s period). The mosque has some lovely (though dusty, and strewn with pigeon feathers) carved arches and mihrabs inside. The mosque is no longer in use, so you need not take off your shoes to enter. The mosque takes its common name from the person buried in the tomb next door, ‘Jamaali’, a much-revered mystic and poet of the era. The ‘kamaali’ of the name is debated: it may refer to a companion of Jamaali’s, or may even be a nonsensical add-on to the mystic’s name, not signifying anything or anyone concrete.
The tomb of Jamaali-Kamaali stands in a large enclosure that is kept locked. I have been lucky enough to have visited this several times many years ago, when a caretaker could usually be found to open it and let visitors (always accompanied by the caretaker) inside the tomb. If you are able to get the tomb unlocked, do have a look - the interior of the tiny tomb is covered with exquisite and very intricate painting, in patterns of red and blues.