‘DUBAI ELSEWHERE PHENOMENON’: A DEMAND FOR GULF-INSPIRED MOSQUES

▶ Keralites who have become used to the architecture of places of worship while in the Middle East want traditional spaces back home to be modernised. This has sparked debate. Sebastian Castelier investigates

Mosque architecture throughout Kerala used to be unique to the region, inspired by local houses made of tiled roofs. However, since the 1970s, they’ve taken on a distinctly Gulf-influenced theme.

As millions of Keralites migrate to the Arabian Gulf, remittances sent home mean not only has the standard of living in the region increased, but so too has its local Islamic architecture.

Billions of dollars in remittances are sent back to Kerala every year by the 2.1 million Keralites who work overseas, significantly contributing to modernising the state’s architecture. But some villagers have taken this one step further, with demands for towns to convert their traditional mosques in to modern, spacious and comfortable ones, locally referred to as Gulf-like mosques, which they have become used to in their adopted homes.

Sayyid Ibraheem Khaleel Al Bukhari is an imam and prominent voice among Keralite Muslims. He is also founder of the Ma’din Academy, a charitable educational organisation in Kerala. He tells The National:

“Those who had migrated to the Gulf imported a new Islamic lifestyle to Kerala after having experienced lavish prayers rooms.”

Villagers now want to build minarets, which the older mosques do not have. “The Gulf has become our reference point in terms of architecture. We call it the ‘Dubai elsewhere’ phenomenon,” says Dr M H Ilias, professor at the India-Arab Cultural Centre in New Delhi. Those demands have recently come up against some resistance from those who want to protect the historic architecture, however, resulting in an ongoing row.

Proponents for Kerala’s Islamic architectural heritage have responded by campaigning for the preservation of the old mosques. Faqrudheen Panthavoor campaigns independently against the modernisation of traditional Islamic architecture, and writes on the matter for local newspapers. He says: “Traditions have been weakened by the migration process and newly rich Keralites no longer pay attention to the preservation of history.”

Abubakr Ahmad, general secretary of the Muslim Scholars Organisation of India and president of the Islamic Education Board of India, also weighed in. “We encourage Keralites to preserve our traditional mosques from ‘concrete masjid’,” a spokesperson for Ahmad says. “Unfortunately, there is no awareness among government officials regarding the preservation of our heritage.”

As the debate between villagers keen for change and conservationists continues in the area, The National went to speak to those on both sides of the argument. This photo essay shows examples of both new and old mosques in Kerala, while surveying the views of activists, villagers and public figures. For many, converting the mosques means eroding aspects of Kerala’s history, while for others it is a necessary sign of the times. This series offers a snapshot.

The Santhanpara Juma Masjid in Santhanpara is locally referred to as a “modern mosque”, as it is made without roof tiles. Previously, traditional Keralite houses were built with reddishtiled roofs inspired by distinctive local Islamic architecture that is without a minaret. “Our mosques are designed to survive torrential monsoon rains,” Sayyid Habib Thurab Assaqafi, imam of Valiya Juma Masjid, tells me.

Ponnani Juma Masjid, locally known as the Makkah of Kerala Muslims, was once the centre of Islamic education in the Indian state. The structure of this mosque depicts the traditional architectural style of the region. In addition to a shift in mentality among Keralites, a price hike in teak, which forms the roof structure of traditional mosques, has popularised architecture featuring low-cost cement. Skilled carpenters able to build a mosque that conforms to the Keralite style have also become rarer.

The roof tiles of Thottungal Juma Masjid, built around 1500. Local scholars say Islam was introduced to Kerala by Arab merchants who settled in different ports along the shores of the Arabian Sea. Although Muslims barely account for a quarter of the predominantly Hindu population of Kerala, they are over-represented among migrant workers, accounting for about 40 per cent of the migration flows.

Payurthottam Juma Masjid in Malappuram. According to Ilias, Kerala’s strong Sufi spiritual heritage has been threatened by internationally funded mosques, religious schools and institutions. A report released in 2017 by the Washington think tank Carnegie Endowment emphasised that “Kerala is probably where Salafism is gaining momentum more vigorously” in India.