Meera Makam Mosque

Meera Makam Mosque
Religion
AffiliationIslam
ProvinceCentral Province
Location
Location2 Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Mawatha
MunicipalityKandy
CountrySri Lanka
Meera Makam Mosque is located in Sri Lanka
Meera Makam Mosque
Shown within Sri Lanka
Geographic coordinates7°17′54″N 80°38′07″E / 7.2983333°N 80.6352778°E / 7.2983333; 80.6352778
Architecture
Typemosque
StyleBaroque
Completed1864


Meera Makam Mosque, also known as Meera Maccam Masjid or Meera Maqam Masjid, is one of the oldest and largest mosques in Kandy, Sri Lanka.[1] It is located at the corner of Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Mawatha and Gamini Dissanayake Mawatha (formerly Hill and Brownrigg Streets).

The land for the mosque was gifted to a Muslim courtier by the King of Kandy, Kirhi Sri Rajasinha, from land owned by the Asgiri Maha Viharaya.[2][3] Construction on the current mosque commenced in 1855 and was completed in 1864.

The mosque is named in memory of Nagore Sahul Hameed Meeran Sahib Wali, a mystic Sufi saint and Islamic preacher. His student, Shaik Sayyid Sahabdeen Waliyullah, is buried in the mosque.

The building is rectangular with a distinctive façade, painted white with green accents. It has no main minaret or dome.

The mosque has been the site of numerous incidents of anti-Muslim violence, including the defacing of its walls in January 2013 and the stoning of the building on 11 July 2015.[4][5]

On 6 January 2016 the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, and his wife, attended the mosque, as part of his state visit to Sri Lanka.[6][7]

On 20 September 2017 the Centre for Islamic Studies and the trustees of the mosque, opened the building up to the public, as part of the country's first 'Open Mosque Day'.[8][9] The event was held to build bridges with the wider community.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Meera Makam Mosque, Kandy". Centre for Islamic Studies. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  2. ^ Pieris, Anoma, ed. (2019). Architecture on the Borderline: Boundary Politics and Built Space. Routledge. p. 238. ISBN 9781351594998.
  3. ^ "What the President said at 2013 Independence Day celebrations". Daily FT. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  4. ^ Sarjoon, A.; Yusoff, M. A.; Hussin, N. "Religions". Anti-Muslim Sentiments and Violence: A Major Threat to Ethnic Reconciliation and Ethnic Harmony in Post-War Sri Lanka. 7. MDPI: 5.
  5. ^ Attacks on Places of Religious Worship in Post-War Sri Lanka. Colombo: Centre for Policy Alternatives. March 2013. p. 52.
  6. ^ "Nawaz Sharif at Meera Makkam Mosque". Sunday Observer. 10 January 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Pakistan PM here tomorrow on three day visit". The Sunday Times. 3 January 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  8. ^ "First Mosque Tour in Kandy at Meera Makam Mosque". Sailan Muslim Foundation. September 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  9. ^ "First mosque tour in Kandy a success". Daily Mirror. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2022.