Known widely for its numerous temples, the mention of a mosque in the State of Tamil Nadu sound a little odd to the ears. However the Thousand Light Mosque in this state which abounds in temples is one of those rare mosques which has gradually emerged as one of the foremost tourist attractions of Tamil Nadu. You will surely treasure your visit to the Thousand Light Mosque in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The Thousand Light Mosque is located at the converging point of Mount Road and Peter’s Road. Once you are in the city of Chennai, you will have no problems reaching this mosque in Chennai. All you have to do is to take a cab or an auto rickshaw and they will drop you at the Thousand Light Mosque which is very near to the Anna flyover.
Built in the year 1810, the Thousand Light Mosque was originally a hall. The purpose of constructing the hall was to give the Shia Muslims a place to meet during Muharram. After a few years a shrine was built in the same place. Later the shrine was redesigned into a mosque.
The name Thousand Light Mosque intrigues tourists who want to know why the mosque is called so. The reason is that in the bygone days, one thousand lamps were lighted to illuminate the Assembly Hall which was located at the place where the mosque now stands.
Spread over an area of 5 acres, the most conspicuous features of the Thousand Light Mosque are its two tall minarets and five inward curving domes. These characteristics of the mosque reflect modern West Asian influence. Even though the mosque has been renovated a number of times the surrounding wall of the mosque is believed to have been there from the time when the assembly hall present at the mosque site.
The walls of the Thousand Light Mosque, Chennai are inscribed with quotations from the Quran, the religious text of the Muslims. A library and a burial ground are also to be found within the mosque complex.
The unique feature of the Thousand Light Mosque in Chennai is that there is a separate area for women to pray. Each year this multi domed mosque becomes a center of a lot of vibrant religious activities when Muharram is celebrated.
