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{{Short description|Mosque in Chennai, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Other places|Big Mosque (disambiguation){{!}}Big Mosque}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Triplicane Big Mosque<br/>{{small|(Wallajah Mosque)}}
| native_name =
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| image = Triplicane_Wallajah_Mosque.JPG
| image_upright = 1.4
| alt = Entrance to the mosque with dome, water tank and two minarets
| caption = Entrance to the mosque<br/>with dome, water tank and [[minaret]]s
| religious_affiliation = [[Islam]]
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| organisational_status = [[Mosque]] and [[dargah]]
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| functional_status = Active
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| location = [[Triplicane]], [[Chennai district|Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| country = [[India]]
| map_type = India Chennai
| map_size = 250
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| map_relief = yes
| map_caption = Location of the mosque in [[Chennai]]
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| administration = Arcot Endowments Trust
| coordinates = {{coord|13.06|80.27|region:IN-TN_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
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| heritage_designation =
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| architecture_type = {{nowrap|[[Mosque architecture]]}}
| architecture_style = [[Mughal architecture|Mughal]]
| founded_by = [[Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah]] family
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| year_completed = 1795
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| dome_quantity = Two {{small|(gold plated)}}
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| minaret_quantity = Two
| minaret_height = {{cvt|131|ft|m|order=flip}} {{small|(tallest)}}
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| materials = [[Granite]], [[gold leaf|gold plate]]
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The '''Triplicane Big Mosque''', also known as the ''' Wallajah Mosque''', is a [[mosque]] and [[dargah]] complex, located on Triplicane High Road, in the [[Triplicane]] neighbourhood of [[Chennai]], in the state of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[South India]]. Constructed in the [[Mughal architecture|Mughal]] style, the mosque was completed in 1795 by the family of [[Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah]], the [[Nawab of Arcot]]. It has a large prayer hall, a tank and a large courtyard. The entire structure is constructed with granite without the use of iron or wood.

The Nawab of Arcot was friendly towards fellow [[Hindus]], appointing a Hindu as his chief personal secretary. A chronogram written in [[Persian language|Persian]] by Raja Makhhan Lal Bahdur Khirat, the Hindu [[Munshi]] of the Nawab, is located at the entrance to the prayer hall. 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, a symbol of peaceful coexistence between the two religions.

==History==
[[File:Chennai.in Walaja (Maharajas Wedding) - panoramio - SINHA.jpg|250px|left|thumb|A wedding ceremony in the mosque]]
The Nawab of Arcot was a loyal ally of the [[British Raj|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 [[Rowther]] 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]].<ref name=jaya>{{cite book |title=Imperial Conversations: Indo-Britons and the Architecture of South India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=36IBkEKlEC8C&q=triplicane+big+mosque&pg=PA21 |page=21 |publisher=Yoda Press |year=2007 |isbn=9788190363426 |author=Jayewardene-Pillai, Shanti}}</ref>

The Big Mosque was built in 1795 by the family of Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, who was the Nawab of Arcot during 1765. There is a plaque in [[Persian language|Persian]] written by the private secretary of the Nawab, Rajah Makhan Lal Khirat. The mosque is now administered by Prince of Arcot Endowments Trust.<ref name=times>{{cite news |title=Triplicane Big Mosque: Prayer calls to the past |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Triplicane-Big-Mosque-Prayer-calls-to-the-past/articleshow/28958318.cms |author=John, Ekatha Ann |work=TNN |publisher=[[The Times of India]] |date=17 January 2014 |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> The plaque indicates that the mosque was renovated during the regime of Azam Jah, who modified its minarets and added golden [[finial]]s to the spires.<ref name=Muthiah/> 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.<ref name=hindu1>{{cite news |title=Links with a royal past |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/links-with-a-royal-past/article2275484.ece |author=Kannan, Ramya |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=12 August 2007 |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref>

==Architecture==
[[File:Wallajah Mosque, built by the Nawab of the Carnatic in 1795, Chennai (5).jpg|thumb|left|Dargah near Wallajah mosque]]
[[File:Nawab Walla Jah, by John Smart.jpg|250x250px|thumb|Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the [[Nawab of Arcot]], who built the Biq Mosque]]
Big Mosque is the largest mosque located in Chennai from the time of its establishment.<ref>{{cite book |title='How Best Do We Survive?': A Modern Political History of the Tamil Muslims |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XQ6Z1pvFGx0C&q=walajah+mosque&pg=PA39 |author=McPherson, Kenneth |page=39 |publisher=Routledge |year=2012 |isbn=9781136198335 }}</ref> 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.<ref name=times/> 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.<ref name=Muthiah>{{cite book |title=Madras, Chennai: A 400-year Record of the First City of Modern India |volume=1 |author=Muthiah, S |page=125 |publisher=Palaniappa Brothers |year=2008 |isbn=9788183794688 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbR_LLkqdI8C&q=triplicane+big+mosque&pg=PA125 }}</ref>

==Culture==
Big Mosque is the largest and considered the principal mosque in the city of Chennai.<ref>{{cite book |title=International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JqHPpNaZfNwC&q=walajah+mosque&pg=PA550 |page=550 |author1=Ring, Trudy |author2=Salkin, Robert M. |author3=La Boda, Sharon |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=1994 |isbn=9781884964046}}</ref> The mosque is an active place of worship. There is a constant flow of visitors in the mosque as it is located in one of the busiest places in Chennai.<ref name=hindu>{{cite news |title=Triplicane Big Mosque: Prayer calls to the past |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Food/the-food-merchants-of-triplicane-in-chennai/article6350028.ece |author1=Muthalaly, Shonali |author2=Paitandy, Priyadarshini |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=25 August 2015 |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> The mosque can accommodate thousands of devotees. During the sacred festivals of [[Eid al-Adha|Bakrid]] and [[Ramadan|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.<ref name=hindu2>{{cite news |title=Building in one heritage precinct |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/building-in-one-heritage-precinct/article2520652.ece |author=Muthiah, S. |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=9 October 2011 |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> The grave of Qaid-e-Millat [[M. Muhammad Ismail]] Sahib is situated in front of the mosque.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/who-was-quaid-e-millat/article18347247.ece |title=Who was Quaid-E-Millat? |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=May 2017 |author=Muthiah, S. }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{stack|{{portal|India|Islam}}}}
* [[Islam in India]]
* [[List of dargahs in Tamil Nadu]]
* [[List of mosques in India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Triplicane Big Mosque}}

{{Chennai Topics}}
{{Places of worship in Chennai}}
{{Mosques in India}}

[[Category:18th-century mosques in India]]
[[Category:Dargahs in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Mosque buildings with domes in India]]
[[Category:Mosque buildings with minarets in India]]
[[Category:Mosques completed in the 1790s]]
[[Category:Mosques in Chennai]]
[[Category:Mughal mosques]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1795]]

Triplicane Big Mosque - Revision history

Renaldo97D: Created A Info