Why to visit Thousand Lights Mosque
Built by the Carnatic monarchs' Wallajah dynasty in the early nineteenth century, it is still a popular gathering spot for daily prayers and special occasions such as Muharram. The name of the place comes from a narrative that once upon a time, a thousand oil lamps were burned to illuminate the entire prayer hall. One can only image how stunning the silhouette was against the midnight black sky. The mosque is designed in the typical Islamic style, with lofty minarets and domes. It contains a huge men's prayer hall and a smaller women's prayer chamber. The mosque's shrine, or Dargah, is committed to Imam Hossein, the grandson of the first prophet Muhammad and a highly regarded figure among Shia Muslims worldwide. The walls of the grand mosque are adorned with Quranic verses.
