Hyderabad: The Spanish mosque, the one of its kind structure in India, has got a facelift in time for Ramzan. The mosque in Begumpet is maintained by the Paigahs, a senior aristocratic family.
Historian Dr Mohammed Safiullah said, “The mosque which can accommodate up to 3,000 people is ready with new Arabian carpets and a fresh coat of paint.”
He said the 112-year-old mosque has a rich history. About 500-700 people offering prayers at the mosque during Ramzan.
Mr Faiz Khan, trustee and member of the Paigah family, said the story of the Spanish mosque dated back to the mid-1890s. “In 1896, when Nawab Sir Vicarul Umra, prime minister of Hyderabad and Ameer-e-Paigah, while living Falaknuma Palace, came up with the idea of building a conglomerate of seven palaces in the cantonment town of Secunderabad. He chose Begumpet for the project.”
The Spanish mosque was one of them. He was impressed by the beautiful Moorish influence in Spain and decided to build the Spanish mosque. The walls are scripted with Quranic verses in Arabic calligraphy, Mr Khan said.
