Thousand Lights Mosque

The Thousand Lights Mosque (Tamil: ஆயிரம்விளக்கு மசூதி) is a Shi'ite mosque in Anna Salai in Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the largest mosques in the country and is a revered place of worship and azadari for Shia Muslims.^[2]

Thousand Lights Mosque
ஆயிரம்விளக்கு மசூதி
The mosque and its domes, in 2011
Religion
Affiliation	Shia Islam
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Mosque
Status	Active
Location
Location	Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Country	India
The mosque located in Chennai
Geographic coordinates	13°3′18″N 80°15′18″E
Architecture
Architect(s)	Nawab Umdat ul-Umara
Type	Mosque architecture
Style	Indo-Islamic
Completed	1810
Specifications
Capacity	1,000 worshippers
Dome(s)	Five
Minaret(s)	Two
Inscriptions	Many
Website
princeofarcot.org
[1]

History

The mosque was built in 1810 by Arcot Nawab Umdat ul-Umara.^[1][3] It was constructed in medieval architecture.^[1] The site of the mosque was previously occupied by an assembly hall. There was a tradition of lighting thousand oil lamps to illuminate the assembly hall. The mosque thus gets its name from this tradition.^[4]

The chief Shia Qazi of Chennai functions from the mosque, and the post has been continuously held by the same family.^[3]: 128

See also

• India portal
• Shia Islam portal

• Islam in India
• List of mosques in India