Famous Mosques in Chennai
Chennai’s Muslim heritage is reflected in several historic mosques and dargāhs (shrine-mosque complexes) that blend South Indian and Islamic architectural traditions. These sacred sites continue to serve as centers of worship, community gatherings, and annual festivals. Below are some of the most renowned mosques in the city.
1. Thousand Lights Mosque
Location: Anna Salai (Mount Road), Royapettah
Distance from Chennai Central: 7 km
Built: 1810 by Nawab Umdat-ul-Umrah
Architectural Style: Medieval Indo-Islamic with multi-domes and soaring minarets
Highlights:
- Named for the tradition of lighting 1,000 oil lamps in its original assembly hall.
- Expanded in 1981 with five inward-curving domes and twin 64-ft minarets reflecting West Asian influence.
- Ground-floor prayer hall for men, separate women’s gallery, and second-floor dargāh (sanctuary) housing a burial of Imam Ḥusayn.
- Annual Muharram observances draw large Shi‘a processions and matam (mourning rites).
2. Triplicane Big Mosque (Wallajah Mosque)
Location: Triplicane High Road, Triplicane
Distance from Chennai Central: 5 km
Built: 1795 by the Wallajah family of the Arcot Nawabs
Architectural Style: Mughal-inspired granite structure
Highlights:
- One of Chennai’s oldest active mosques, originally serving the Nawab’s Mughal-trained troops and officials.
- Entirely constructed of granite without wood or iron, featuring a spacious courtyard, ablution tank, and large prayer hall.
- Entrance plaque in Persian by Raja Makhhan Lal Bahdur Khirat, a Hindu munshi (secretary) of the Nawab—a symbol of communal harmony.
- Administered by the Prince of Arcot Endowments Trust; open daily for congregational prayers.
3. Dargāh-e-Hazrath Syed Moosa Shah Qadri (Mount Road Dargāh and Makkah Masjid)
Location: Anna Salai (Mount Road), opposite Tarapore Towers
Distance from Chennai Central: 7 km
Founded: Mid-17th century, with Makkah Masjid annex built in the 20th century
Architectural Style: Imambara (Shi‘a shrine) complex with modern mosque annex
Highlights:
- Shrine of Hazrath Syed Moosa Shah Qadri Baghdadi, a 17th-century Sufi saint believed to possess healing powers; his tomb chamber (makhdum) draws devotees every Thursday.
- Makkah Masjid annex (1980s) accommodates up to 5,000 worshippers in five sprawling halls beneath a towering minaret.
- Legendary stories of miraculous blood-spurting soil during attempted demolition underline its spiritual sanctity.
- Weekly qawwali, Thursday urs commemorations, and Muharram majlis (gatherings) sustain the site’s vibrant devotional life.
4. Pattinapakkam Mosque (Masjid-e-Kubra)
Location: Pattinapakkam, near Vadapalani
Distance from Chennai Central: 9 km
Built: Late 19th century (expanded early 20th)
Architectural Style: Indo-Saracenic with decorative plasterwork
Highlights:
- Serves Christians Nagar and Vadapalani’s growing Muslim community, featuring ornate plaster domes, slender minarets, and wide arched verandahs.
- Community hub for Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha prayers drawing congregations of over 2,000.[Local sources]
- Adjacent madrasa (Islamic school) and charity kitchen (langar) open daily, reinforcing the mosque’s social welfare role.
5. Thousand Lights Imambara (Shi‘a Assembly Hall)
Location: Royapettah, adjacent to Thousand Lights Mosque
Distance from Chennai Central: 7 km
Founded: 1810 (by the family of Arcot Nawabs)
Architectural Style: Indo-Islamic assembly hall (imambara)
Highlights:
- Named for the illumination of its hall with 1,000 oil lamps, this imambara hosts Muharram majālis and matam rituals.
- Carved sandalwood tazias (replicas of Imam Ḥusayn’s mausoleum) and Persian inscriptions accentuate its interior.
- A beacon of Shi‘a devotional culture in South India, serving as both a religious sanctuary and communal gathering place.
6. Bahram Jung Mosque (Nandanam Mosque)
Location: Nandanam, adjacent to Anna Salai
Distance from Chennai Central: 8 km
Built: 1789–1795 by Muhammad Abdullah Qadir Nawaz Khan Bahadur Bahram Jung
Architectural Style: Mughal with ornate decorations and intricate carvings
Highlights:
- Constructed by Bahram Jung, a poet in the court of Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah of the Carnatic
- Built in authentic Mughal style reflecting the grandeur of Islamic design during the Mughal period
- Features many intricate carvings, ornate decorations, traditional domes and minarets characteristic of 18th-century mosque architecture
- The mosque and its brother mosque (Hafiz Ahmad Khan Mosque) were built at enormous expense to the Carnatic state, leading to land confiscation by the East India Company after the death of Umdat ul-Umara
- Serves as a Sunni mosque and remains an active place of worship in the bustling Nandanam neighborhood
7. Periamet Mosque
Location: Corner of Sydnehams Road and Vepery High Road, Periamet
Distance from Chennai Central: 4 km
Built: 1838 by hides and skins dealers, later expanded by Haji Mohamed Khasim Baig Sahib
Architectural Style: Indo-Saracenic with domes and minarets
Highlights:
- Originally constructed by the leather merchant community in 1838, reflecting the area’s historic trade connections
- Has been rebuilt twice since India’s independence, showcasing evolving Islamic architectural styles
- Can accommodate up to 4,000 worshippers, making it one of the larger congregational mosques in central Chennai
- Located in the historic Periamet area, known for its leather shops, veterinary college with Indo-Saracenic architecture, and cultural significance
- Serves as a community hub for the densely populated Vepery-Periamet Muslim quarter, hosting daily prayers, Friday congregations, and festival celebrations
These mosques and shrine-mosque complexes showcase Chennai’s enduring Islamic traditions, architectural exchanges, and intercommunal harmony—each playing a vital role in the spiritual life of the city’s Muslim communities.