Triplicane Big Mosque, Chennai
Triplicane Big
Mosque (also called Walajah Mosque) is a mosque located in Triplicane
High Road, Triplicane in Chennai, the capital of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The mosque is the largest and one of the oldest in
Chennai and is active as a place of worship. It is administered by Prince of
Arcot Endowments Trust. Most of the administrative staff of the mosque are
Hindus, symbolizing peaceful coexistence between the two religions.
Constructed in the Mughal
architectural style,
the mosque was built in 1795 by the family of Muhammad Ali Khan Walajah,
the Nawab of
Arcot during
1765. The Nawab of Arcot was friendly towards fellow Hindus, appointing a Hindu
as his chief personal secretary. A chronogram written in Persian by Raja Makhhan Lal Bahdur Khirat, the
Hindu Munshi of the Nawab, is found on the entrance to the
prayer hall.
History
The Nawab of Arcot was a loyal ally of the British who offered him Chepauk Palace where he could house
his military and administrative buildings. It is believed that Nawab Muhammad
Ali moved to Chepauk, located in Triplicane in 1768. There were around
20,000 Marakayar Muslims who moved with
him to the city. It was then the largest community of Muslims in South India
after Hyderabad. The Nawab had full control
of the region and all the cases were resolved under Muslim Law irrespective of
the religion of the accused.
Historians believe that after
the mosque was built, it added to the cultural mix in Triplicane, which had a
famous Hindu temple in Parthasarathy
Temple and
the Portuguese Christian stronghold of San Thome. Big Mosque was built in 1795 by the family of
Muhammad Ali Khan Walajah, the Nawab of Arcot during 1765. There is a plaque in Persian written by
the private secretary of the Nawab, Rajah Makhan Lal Khirat. The mosque is now
administered by Prince of Arcot Endowments Trust.
The plaque indicates that the
mosque was renovated during the regime of Azam Jah, who modified its minarets
and added golden finials to the spires. The Nawabs of Arcot were friendly
towards fellow Hindus, appointing a Hindu as chief personal secretary. A
significant number of the administrative staff of the mosque are Hindus, which
is seen as a symbol of a harmonious mix of cultures.
The
Mosque
The Mosque has a large prayer
hall, a tank and a large ground in front. The entire structure is constructed
with granite without the use of iron or wood. Big Mosque is the largest mosque
located in Chennai from the time of its establishment. It is constructed of
granite without any iron or wooden additions. There is no fixed architectural
style, though the two minarets are characteristic of Mughal
architecture.
Historians attribute the change of architecture to the arrival of North Indian
Muslims who settled there.
The mosque houses the image of
the Persian scholar Barool. It is believed that he came from Lucknow to educate the Royal family. The
chronogram written by Raja Makhhan Lal Bahdur Khirat, the Munshi of the Nawab, is found on the entrance of the
prayer hall. There is a large temple tank to the North East of the sanctum and
a large ground in front of it. Almost the entire portion of the mosque has an
equivalent width of steps leading to it.
To the West of the sanctum,
the mausoleums of important people associated with the Royal family are
located. The notable thing about Big mosque is that, it has been strong for
several centuries because of the construction of the mosque. The architecture
in which it was constructed helped it in surviving several ages. The mosque was
completely built with grey granite. The architecture of the mosque also belongs
to the medieval age.
During the construction of the
mosque, iron and iron works was not used. There is no mark of steel usage or
wood usage in any part of the mosque. Because of this wonderful construction,
the mosque has gained a wonderful reputation from the guests and tourists from
various parts of India. Also, this place is recognized as an important
pilgrimage site in Chennai. The architecture of the Big Mosque is in such a way
that is represents the combination of the Islamic, Indian and Iranian style.
Culture
Big Mosque is the largest and
considered the principal mosque in the city of Chennai. The mosque is an
active place of worship. There is a constant flow of visitors in the mosque as
it is in one of the busiest places in Chennai. The mosque can accommodate
thousands of devotees. During the sacred festivals of Bakrid and Ramzan, the devotees overflow, some of them offering
prayers from the surrounding grounds. There was a proposal made by the
administration to cover the open grounds at least during festive occasions to
protect devotees from inclement weather conditions. There were contrasting
views put forth by heritage enthusiasts who argued against roofing claiming the
openness and the architecture would be hidden by the structure.
Connectivity
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