Singapore Opens India Mosque For the State Heritage
3:32 AM
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A 182-year-old building in Telok Ayer dedicated to Indian Muslims, would be reopened as a heritage center in May next year.
The building, called the Nagore Dargah, built about 1828 by Tamil Chulia Muslims from India. It was among 61 buildings on site which was established and protected for their historical value under the Preservation of Monuments Act.
The building will reopen as the Nagore Dargah Heritage Centre (Photo: www.tamilnadudirectory.net) in May, as announced yesterday at the headquarters of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) at Braddell.
| This building will feature exhibits and artifacts from the Indian-Muslim community, and a restaurant run by Banquet Holdings, kosher food chain. Supper will also pay for the renovation of the center, estimated to cost $ 500,000. Two-storey building, with a floor area about the size of two five-room HDB apartment, is a replica of a temple in Tamil Nadu in India which is home of the relics of Shahul Hamid, who is respected by Indian Muslims as a figure who helped spread Islam to India. Building Telok Ayer is a community asset that is managed by Muis. The mosque has been closed to the public since 2008, following restoration work. Before that, the supporters, mostly Indian Muslims, came all day to give tribute to these figures. Once a year, it draws up to 1,000 people to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad and Shahul Hameed. |
There are about 60,000 Indian Muslims there.
To convert the building into the center of inheritance, several leading Indian Muslim leaders contacted for consultation, including Farihullah, president of Muslim Association, India United.
Muis support the request for the Preservation of Monuments Board for conversion from a place of worship for the use of community and environment. This application was approved in July this year.
Indian Muslim leaders, who come together to form a fundraising committee Nagore Dargah, anticipate that the inclusion of a commercial restaurant may not welcomed by some parties in the community. But they said they also realize it takes money to maintain the use of the center.
In addition to paying the renovation account, Banquet Holdings will pay to obtain the artifact and run daily operations.
During a press conference yesterday, Indian Muslim leaders said they hope the center will feature the story of Indian Muslims in Singapore.
Naseer Ghani, secretary of the fundraising committee has collected $ 165,000 said: 'Visitors can leave the center with the full experience, sight, smell and taste - the Muslim culture of India. "
Plans for the heritage center began in 1994 when a committee was formed to raise funds. While the majority of Indian Muslim leaders to support the movement, some are worried that the central legacy - including restaurants, may not be able to fully capture the religious traditions associated with the building.
"So if a commercial restaurant is on the inside, these side effects can be extraordinary," said Mohamed Taifoor, 51, a car dealer and former leader of the Mosque. 'This building is a place of respect. If you can not get respect, you lose value. "
Yesterday, Naseer, who is also a member of the board of the Federation of Muslim India, an umbrella organization for 15 groups of Indian-Muslims here, said the restaurant will only take 20 percent of floor area.
Indian Muslim food, along with promoting awareness of community habit.
Farihullah added: 'Nagore Dargah is an icon in India. Turn it into a heritage center to serve the purpose of education for the community. As for food - if the show Indian Muslim food, will also have educational value.
"So when people go there, not just any ordinary experience."
Banquet CEO Max Lim said: "We owe our success largely to our Muslim customers. This is something valuable to give back to society."
Allaudin Mohamed, chairman Khalid Mosque in Joo Chiat which serves most of the Muslims of India, asking for an understanding and compromise.
"It's important for us to be united and not divided on this. We all want to Nagore Dargah remain. That's what we should focus on."
Source:suaramedia.com
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