Two of a kind

An imposing pink façade sparkling in the pre-summer sunlight juxtaposed against blue skies, the Moorish Mosque in Kapurthala is a delightful slice of Marrakesh in India.

A symbol of secularism and the Avant Garde architectural passions of the Maharaja of Kapurthala, Maharaja Jagatjit Singh, the mosque is fashioned after the Grand Mosque or Kutubiyya Mosque in Marrakech, Morocco. Of the many architectural gems built under the Maharaja’s patronage – which had then earned the town the title of ‘Mini Paris’ – it is reminiscent of the one in Morocco.

A plaque right outside the mosque reads, “The Moorish Mosque was constructed by order of his highness Maharaja Jagatjit Singh Bahadur GCSI, GCIE, GBE, the work was in progress from October 1926 to March 1930. The total cost amounted to Rs4 lakh. The inauguration ceremony took place on the 14th March, 1930, in the presence of his highness Nawab Sadiq Mohd. Khan Bahadur, ruler of Bhawalpur state. The congregation numbered over a lakh.”

The undertaking is a direct result of the Maharaja fancying the designs and the architecture of the Orient and France. With arched pavilions and internal domes, it stands apart from other traditional Indian mosques. It was conceived by French architect Monsieur M Manteaux.

A minbar (or mimbar) pulpit in intricately carved marble is from where the Imam stands and delivers his sermon (qutbah) to the congregation. As stated in the plaque, during its inauguration amid a bustling Muslim pre-Independence population of one lakh in the area, today when the Friday prayers are offered a congregation of merely 250 people turn up.

The mosque is ornamented with marbled courtyards, with an inner altar marked with a vibrant alcove painted in soothing shades of blues, pinks and turquoise, a yellow dado and a wooden dome, which dates back to the mosque’s initial construction time. The altar’s alcove is marked by Arabic inscription in soft blues. The prayer hall is an arched wonder and the entire building’s exterior pinks and interior yellows are contrasted with green tiled domes (exteriors) and green painted doors and windows. Intricate lattice work and golden chandelier mark arches and gates.

“The main building is built on 16 and a half kanals. It has six fountains and a huge garden. There are only two similar buildings in the world of this design…one in Morocco, one here,” says Imam Shuakat Ali, a Muhafiz at the mosque, who has been serving here since 1994.