Wallajah Big Mosque, The Arcot nawabs Trails, A Heritage walk with Kobai Anwar. Chennai Tamil Nadu.

… A Continuation post to The Arcot Nawabs Trail at Triplicane – a Heritage walk with Kombai S Anwar – Part- II ( Azeempet ) 

21^st August 2017.

After AZEEMPET, we headed towards the Wallajah Big Mosque. During our earlier visit to this Wallajah Big Mosque Wallajah Big Mosque, we are  not allowed in side the prayer hall, instead a person took us around the  mosque. But this walk along with Mr Anwar we were given a warm welcome and the ladies are also allowed inside the prayer hall. After washing our feet entered in to the mosque.

The complex consists a Mosque and a Dargah with a  big open space in front. The mosque is with two minarets,  was built  during 18^th century by Mohammad Ali Khan Wallajah with stone including ceiling. The minarets are built with stucco. It was told that the minaret stupi or kalasams are made of Gold.

  

Wallajah followed the secularism during his rule.  The niche of the centre of the mosque mihrab is inscribed with a  chronogram   (  “Chronogram” meant “time writing”. For example, the word ‘scatterer’ is year 1492 the year in which Jews were expelled from Spain. Rajah Makhan’s Chronogram, ‘Dhikrullahi Akbar’ (Remembrance of God is great) gives us the year of construction as 1209 Hijri which translates to 1794 CE. Taken from Mr Venkararangan's post.  Thanks for the information sir).  This contains the numerical value  assigned to each letter in the text when added gives the year of the event. This verse was selected after a competition and composed by a Hindu Rajah Makhan Lal Hirat. It was told that Sindhi community is allowed to  serve “nonbu kanchi” during Ramzan fasting period  at the mosque. Wallajah also donated to Hindu and Christian temples. Mr Anwar pointed out that the Kapaleeswarar temple Tank / pond was gifted by Wallajah. 

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

On the right is the Dargah of Bahrul Uloom  a great scholar. Wallajah invited him to teach in his madrasa which is adjacent to the mosque. When he arrived to Madras, Wallajah personally carried the palanquin which carried Bahrul Uloom in to the Mosque. Many Wallajah family members are laid to rest in this Dargah.

On the left side of the open ground there is white building, which was the “Ottoman Empire’s Consulate". As a consul of Turkey Mohamed Badsha Sahib started a business on Triplicane High road in 1812AD. When he was on tour in west Asia during 1866AD, his family sent money   for the Hamede-Hadjaz Railway Project which connects Holy cities of Arabia with Turkey. This Railway line was featured in the film “ Lawrence of Arabia”. 

When we finished our visit of  Wallajah Big mosque, it was around 08.30 hours, so we rushed to Amir Mahal, since as per the schedule we are supposed to be there by 08.00 hrs.  On the way  we peeped in to a mid 18^th century “Majid Anvari” mosque with plain prayer hall & courtyard and an another Mosque of the same period which has a central dome structure adjacent to the previous one.

Majid Anvari

Majid Anvari ( A mosque with dome is another one )

On the way to Amir Mahal, passed through “Khana Bagh Street”. ( Khana in hindi  – song  ). Mr Anvar told that this street was busy with musicians and dancers during Nawabs period. The Hindustani music also flourished  in Triplicane area.

 ….. to be Continued The Arcot Nawabs Trail at Triplicane – A Heritage walk with Kombai Anwar – Part IV ( Amir Mahal ).