Question

Find out more about the architecture of mosques in your village or town. What are the materials used to build mosques? Are these locally available? Are there any distinctive architectural features?

Answer 1

Mosques in most Indian villages and towns feature a unique blend of universal Islamic designs and local architectural traditions.

The materials used to build mosques are as follows:

• Historical Mosques: Built using traditional bricks, lime mortar, red sandstone, marble, and indigenous wood.
• Modern Mosques: Constructed using contemporary materials like reinforced concrete (RCC), cement, iron rods, and ceramic tiles.
• Availability: Traditional stone and wood were sourced locally from regional quarries and forests, whereas modern materials are readily available in local commercial markets.

Their distinctive architectural features are as follows:

• Universal Elements: Every mosque incorporates a Mihrab (a niche indicating the direction of Mecca/Qibla) and a Minbar (a pulpit from which sermons are delivered).
• Regional Roof Structures: Unlike the classic Arabic domes, many regional Indian mosques use indigenous roof styles, such as the sloping tiled roofs of Kerala (resembling local temples) or the layered wooden roofs of Kashmir.
• Minarets and Domes: Most urban towns feature prominent bulbous domes and tall, slender minarets used for the call to prayer (azan).
• Open Courtyards: A large central open courtyard (sahn) surrounded by covered arcades to accommodate mass congregations during Friday prayers.