Muhyuddin Andavar Mosque

Muhyuddin Andavar Mosque
Muhyuddin Andavar Mosque
முஹயத்தீன் ஆண்டவர் பள்ளிவாசல்
Religion
Affiliation	Sunni Islam
Sect	Hanafi
Festival	Urs: 22 Rabi al-Awwal
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Mosque
Status	Active
Location
Location	Thiruppanandal, Tamil Nadu
Country	India
	Location of the mosque in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates	11°05′13″N 79°27′00″E / 11.087033°N 79.449888°E
Architecture
Type	Mosque architecture
Style	Indo-Islamic
Completed	1989 (rebuilt)
Specifications
Capacity	500 worshippers
Minaret(s)	Two
Minaret height	25 m (82 ft)
Shrine(s)	1 ('Abd al-Rahman Baksh)
Inscriptions	Arabic calligraphy
Website
	muhyuddin.in

The Muhyuddin Andavar Mosque (Tamil: முஹயத்தீன் ஆண்டவர் பள்ளிவாசல்) is a Sunni Hanafi Friday mosque, located in the town of Thiruppanandal, in the Thanjavur district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is part of a complex that houses a mausoleum, a cemetery, and shops that are rented out to generate income for the running of the mosque.

In the early 1980s, the old Mosque was torn down and re-built in the current form. The inauguration of the new mosque was held on 3 February 1989.

Architecture

The mosque was completed in the Indo-Islamic style of most South Indian mosques that were built or re-built in the 20th century. Externally, the mosque is fronted by two minarets. There is no dome. To the right is the traditional wudu and a side entrance to the graveyard.

Internally, the mosque is two storeys high. The ground floor houses the inner prayer hall where the congregational prayers are conduct. It is surrounded by a cloister and an outer prayer hall where town meetings, religious discourses, wedding ceremonies, and dhikr gatherings are held.

There is no physical minbar. Instead, there is a hidden passageway from the mihrab that leads to an extended balcony. The khatib delivers the khutba from the mihrab.

The mausoleum

At the entrance of the mosque complex is the mausoleum of a Faqir, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Baksh (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بكش, romanized: Abdu-r Raḥmān Baksh; Tamil: மஸ்தான் சாஹிப் வலியுல்லா, romanized: Mastān Ṣāḥib Waliyullah). His resting abode is taken as a source of immense blessings (Arabic: بركة, romanized: Barakah; Tamil: பரகத், romanized: Barakat) and where mercy (Arabic: رحمة, romanized: Rahmah; Tamil: ரஹ்மத், romanized: Rahmat) descends in abundance. Both Muslims and non-Muslims make vows (Arabic: نذر, romanized: nadhr; Tamil: நேர்ச்சை, romanized: Nerchchai) at his grave for conceiving children, success in business, education, and other worldly needs.

The Urs of Abdur Rahman Baksh is celebrated with pomp and fanfare on 22 Rabi al-Awwal.

Competition

Between 1998 and 2001, the mosque hosted an annual Mawlid Recital Competition (Tamil: மெளலிது ஷரீஃப் ஓதும் போட்டி, romanized: Mawlid Shareef Othum Potti). It was held in the last weekend of the month of May to coincide with the school holidays. The competition drew young participants from neighbouring towns and villages who would recite the text known as "Subhana Mawlid" - a reverential text on the birth, life, and miracles of Muhammad. Prominent Tamil scholars were invited to deliver lectures.