A VISIT TO HUSAYNABAD
A VISIT TO HUSAYNABAD MOSQUE
On May 16th, 2024, I travelled back from a Nikah ceremony held at
Madarsa e Rahmaniya Qasimul Uloom, Budur, located 35 kilometers from Visharam. I was accompanied by my colleague Mohammed Arifuddin and Moulana Hafiz Abdun Nasir Sahib (Qazi of
Melvisharam). Upon reaching Sekkanur, a small town near
Usoor, roughly 13 kilometers from Vellore, We entered a mosque (Jamia Masjid) to
perform the Zuhar Prayer. After my prayers, I took a moment to have look at the
mosque's architecture.
Features of the Mosque
The style of the mosque’s construction is similar to the walajahi style. The front portion is small and from its appearance it is very clear that this mosque is more than two and a half centuries old. The back portion is extended with a new concrete building. The above structures fascinated me and kindled interest to know more. The architectural style of roof and the Mehrab, chronogram above the mehrab, the two old minarets, and stairs to give azaan from an elevated place is situated on the right side (Now replaced by modern sound system) and an old big water pool for doing ablution with stones fixed on its four sides, is located next to the compound wall. Nowadays, the pool is not in use. An old graveyard is also there adjacent to the mosque. After capturing images, I left for Visharam, filled with a keen aspiration to write an article detailing the rich history and architectural significance of this mosque.
Image of the Sekkanur Jamia Masjid
Stairs for Prayer Call (Azaan)
Chronogram of Jamia Masjid Sekkanur
(Husaynabad)
Chronogram means Time Writing. A poetic verse carefully composed with
each letter having a numerical value if deciphered, will give the information
of the donor and date on which the mosque was built. The image of the
chronogram of the Jamia Masjid, Sekkanur is given below:
First
Line: To seek the pleasure of ALLAH Who is the Lord of the two easts (the
underlined words are part of Quranic verse from Surah e Ar- Rahman)
Second
Line: This mosque, crafted with utmost virtue, by His Highness (refers to Nawab
Badruddin Hussain Khan).
Third Line: With the grace of ALLAH, this mosque’s date
is found to be the supreme gem (this line tells the significance of mosque and
its date of construction)
Fourth Line: The companion (friend) of this glorious and fortunate mosque and this fountain (here the word ‘fountain’ is a metaphor implies to the mosque or it may refer to the fountain beside the mosque ) is Badruddin Hussain
The
chronogram commemorates the construction of this blessed mosque as an act to
seek the pleasure of Allah, in 1177 A.H. (1763-64 C.E.) funded generously by
Nawab Badruddin Hussain Khan.
It is to be noted that this was the reign of
Nawab Muhammad Ali Walajah (1749-1795) and the Carnatic region was under his
rule. On searching sources for the study
of Carnatic Nawabs, a brief information was found about Nawab Badruddin Hussain
Khan.
Sekkanur
formerly known as Husaynabad, was once the Jagir of Aqibat Mahmud Khan, later
his son Badruddin Hussain Khan succeeded him as Nawab. Hence this area was
named after him.
A
description of Husaynabad is documented in "Bahar E Aazam Jahi," a
travelogue compiled by Ghulam Abdul Qadir Nazeer in Persian in 1823, later
translated into English by Dr. S. Mohammed Husayn Nainar Sahib and published by
the University of Madras in 1950.
“Husaynabad is a pargana yielding an
income of seventy-thousand rupees. It is about one fourth of Vellore in size.
It has a mosque. The houses, about a hundred, have roofs covered either with
tiles or thatch. There are twelve shops and a number of Baghs (gardens). The
mango fruit available there is well-known. It is very sweet with a good smell.
It is without fibre and the rind is very thin. The names of the some of the
varieties are: Shahpasand, Badruddin Hussain Khan Pasand, Bagh-Panchdar, Aam-
Gadhimaru. The last variety is known as
such because the raw mango was so hard like a stone that when a donkey was
beaten with that mango it could not bear the severity of pain and died. Hence it
became famous by that name. (Nowadays this raw mango is fondly used for making
pickles)
What shall I say about the fort there? The
water and air there, are poisonous. During the days of Muhammad Ali Khan
Bahadur Nawab Walajah I and especially during the period of Azim-Ud Dawla
Bahadur Nawab Walajah III, the prisoners who deserved severest were adorned
with an iron collar, and iron chains on arms and legs, sent to that fort which
was like a hell. Sometimes the prisoners came safe after serving their term,
but most of them died very soon on account of the poisonous effect of the
atmosphere there.”
Based on the provided information, the significance of the area of
Husaynabad can be understood. First, the presence of numerous gardens,
particularly mango gardens, in Sekkanur (Husaynabad) is highlighted. Some of
these gardens still exist at the foot of the hill. According to local scholars such
as Prof. Nisar Ahmed Sahib, (Former Head, Department of Urdu University of
Madras) Moulana Dr. Rahi Fidai Sahib Baqvi
and Prof. Malak Hafiz Moulana Gulzar Ahmed Sahib Baqvi, Bagayam (located 10 kilometers from Sekkanur) was originally known as BAGH E AAM, meaning public garden or mango garden.
Furthermore, the mention of a prison within the fort likely refers to
the present-day central jail at Thorapadi. Additionally, the Jamia Masjid
served as both the office of the Qazi and the headquarters for 16 small mosques
in and around Husaynabad. The Jamia Masjid, dating back 260 years in the Common
Era and 268 years as per the Hijri Calendar, accommodates around 30
Muslim households. Another mosque in Husaynabad, known as Chinna Masoodi or Choti
Masjid, covers approximately 120 Muslim households within its jurisdiction.
Conclusion:
Every Muslim settlement in villages, towns and
cities have their own history. Mosque is the core of all the events of such
localities. Study of mosques, its construction, its builders, activities, art
and architecture, location and date give insights on the socio- religious,
economic, cultural and demographical history of Muslims living in its
surroundings. It's crucial to preserve the records of mosques to ensure that
this valuable historical information is not lost over time.
Alhamdulillah, My visit to Sekkanur
Jamia Masjid was a profound experience that enriched my understanding of local
history. The four verses of the chronogram, in particular, provided valuable
clues for this research article. I applaud the managing committee for their efforts
in safeguarding this historical treasure.
Translating the original Persian text of the verses wouldn't have been
possible without the assistance of Janab K. Ahsan Ahmed Sahib an IT
professional from Vaniyambadi who is currently working on chronograms of
mosques in the area. I am thankful for the timely assistance provided by Mr. Kutlappai
Mohammed Saliha Sahib, a resident of Melvisharam, a skilled calligrapher, proficient in Urdu, who aided in deciphering challenging chronogram words.
I extend my heartfelt gratefulness to my mentor, Janab Prof. Abul Fazal Sahib, Head of the Department of History at Islamiah College, Autonomous, Vaniyambadi, for his valuable guidance throughout this endeavour. I also thank the muthavallis of two mosques and the Imam of Jamia Masjid for sharing their insights. I express my profound thanks to Almighty Allah for granting me this opportunity to fulfil my research goals. I thank my friends Arif Sahib and Qazi Sahib for making this trip memorable. I also thank my student Inamul Hasan for inviting us to his marriage and for the kind hospitality.
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