Nainital is a "hill station" in Uttaranchal, so called because their cooler climates made them popular places for the British to spend the hot season. From the start, Nainatal was developed by the British, and the Jama Masjid (mosque where the community gathers for the communal Friday prayer) was originally built for Muslim soldiers in the British army, since the locals were (and largely still are) solidly Hindu. You can see the symmetrical emphasis associated with Islamic architecture, the lush decoration, and the minarets from which the call the prayer is sounded. Although far less grand than Delhi's Jama Masjid, this Nainital mosque fulfills its basic function as a gathering place for a Muslim community.