page_title: Triplicane Big Mosque
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Triplicane Big Mosque / History
caption_attribution_description: Chennai.in Walaja (Maharajas Wedding)
context_page_description: Triplicane Big Mosque is a mosque located in Triplicane High Road, Triplicane in Chennai, the capital of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the Mughal architectural style, the mosque was built in 1795 by the family of Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the Nawab of Arcot during 1765. It 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.
  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. 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.
context_section_description: 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 Wallajah, 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.
caption: Image of the mosque during a wedding ceremony
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