Now, Jamia Masjid Srinagar prohibits men, women from sitting together in its lawns

Srinagar, Dec 16: The management of the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar's old city has issued a notification banning photography inside the mosque and asking men and women to not sit together in its lawns.

Entry of photography equipment is also prohibited, the Anjuman Auquaf Central Jamia Masjid said in the notification put up all around the mosque complex. ''Photographers or camera persons are prohibited to take any kind of photos or clicks inside the mosque. Even equipments used to click any kind of photos are totally disallowed and need to be stopped at the gate forthwith,'' it read.

It also prohibited carrying of eatables into the mosque premises. ''Nobody is allowed to have lunch or any kind of eatables inside the mosque. As such, visitors need to be stopped at the gate itself,'' the notification read.

The management of the 14th century mosque directed its security guards to implement the instructions immediately.Women can enter a mosque if there is a designated place for them, separate from men.

It can be recalled that the Jama Masjid in Delhi had earlier declared a ban on females entering the Mosque by themselves. The Masjid administration issued an order prohibiting single or groups of girls from entering the Mosque unless accompanied by males. Reports said that the Jama Masjid management put up signs outside the Mosque notifying visitors that girls are not allowed inside unless accompanied by a male. It is forbidden for girls/women to enter Jama Masjid alone, the signboards read.

The Masjid said that women will be allowed to enter only with their husbands and family members. However, administration later withdrew a notice, as reported by ANI. the The Jama Masjid was constructed the Delhi's Jama Masjid between 1650 and 1656. The Mosque has four massive gates, four towers and two 40 meter high minarets.