By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: The historic Mecca Masjid of Hyderabad looks majestic and impressive. The 400-year-old structure indeed is. But thanks to state government’s apathy and negligence of Archeological Survey of India (ASI), the masterpiece architecture of Qutub Shahi era is in bad shape and losing its shine fast.
History of the mosque
Mecca Masjid, the 400-year-old historic mosque, is a fine example of architecture of both Qutub Shahi dynasty and Asif Gahi sultanate. Mecca Masjid is a listed heritage building in Hyderabad – the capital city of Andhra Pradesh. It formed the centerpiece around which the city was planned by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah. Mecca Masjid was built during the reign of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the 6th Qutb Shahi Sultan, and the construction was later completed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb after conquering Hyderabad.
Mosque in bad condition
However, Mecca Masjid has now become a fine example of the growing and continuing negligence of the state government and ASI. Mecca Masjid and its Friday prayers are the symbol of unity and pride of Hyderabadi Muslims.
Every year before Ramzan, state’s minority affairs minister makes a formal visit to the mosque, just for photo-op session. However, this year minority affairs minister Mr. Ahmedullah was forced to observe pathetic conditions prevailing in the Masjid. He was forced to observe with his own eyes the flowing toilets with leaking roof and non-functionality of taps. Under the pressure Minister at that time announced that Rs. 1.25 crore has been sanctioned for construction of overhead water tank and repairs of the existing water tanks in the Masjid. But till now not a single penny has reached the administration office for the repairs, superintendent of Mecca Masjid, Khaja Nayeemuddin told TCN. The minister had also announced that cloth and polythene covers for the chandeliers in the mosque will be provided at a cost of Rs. 1.40 lakh, but still dirty bags cover those precious chandeliers.
Khaja Nayeemuddin said that government of Andhra Pradesh is directly responsible for the maintenance of Mecca Masjid because it is a historical monument and this is a procedure followed since Nizam’s period. Apart from this, ASI has a responsibility to preserve the monumental beauty and authenticity of the structure.
When TCN asked him about the plants which are growing up on the walls and the large stone walls which are losing their gloom and color, the superintendent put the entire blame on the ASI. It is the job of the ASI to protect and preserve the monumental beauty of the structure but ASI has often neglected the mosque like many other historical structures in the old city area. He informed that last year the state government had sanctioned 18 lakh rupees for the chemical wash of the walls, but ASI till now has not carried out this activity. Mecca Masjid’s walls are turning black because it needs a chemical wash. Last time it got chemical wash in the year 1995. He said he had recommended ASI to clean the trees from the roof top and take out a permanent solution but ASI has not acted yet on this recommendation.
The place where the tombs of five erstwhile Nizams are situated has become totally filthy place and walls getting damaged and paint coming off the walls.
Post-blast steps were flash in pan
Mecca Masjid caught the attention of the whole country when deadly bombs exploded during Friday Prayer in the historic mosque in 2007. The security situation since then had changed drastically. Soon after the blasts, the state government had increased its funds and security. According to the government nearly 25 security personnel were employed and deployed at the mosque and 23 CCTV cameras were installed. But the scenario is little different now.
Since they were installed in 2007, there has been no maintenance of the CCTV cameras, leading to 10 cameras becoming non-functional. And there are only 16 police constables deployed in the premises of the mosque, less than government’s announcement of 25 officers. Officials said mosque authorities could not take up maintenance works due to lack of funds.
Till recently they were no women police officers. The women visitors were frisked by male police officers. After agitation from the women visitors the administration has recently employed two women constables.
The historic Takht which was damaged during the blast is not even replaced by new one or repaired even after 4 years of blasts. In fact the government, soon after the blasts, had promised that a new Takht would be laid.
From all these things, it is clear that the government and ASI still have lot to do to provide maintenance and to conserve this very rare historic monument.
Funds of Mecca Masjid — staff and salary
Khaja Nayeemuddin told TCN that government annually gives 19 lakh rupees for salaries in non-planed budget, and 35 lakh rupees for maintenances. These funds come in four in 4 quarters. The government has increased maintenance funds. Earlier it was Rs 30 lakhs. The maintenance funds include the salaries of security personnel and other expenditure on security related matters. The government allots extra funds at the time of festive seasons like in Ramzan this year government had given an extra amount of 50,000 rupees, and the salaries of the staff are doubled in the festive season.
Khaja Nayeemuddin, Superintendent of Mecca Masjid
Khaja Nayeemuddin said there are total 28 employees and 25 security guards posts allotted for the historic mosque, but he also agrees that there are still vacancies in those posts and the recruitment to those posts are not properly being done by the government. But he also adds that many police officials don’t want to work here because the Masjid administration could pay them lesser than what they will receive at other appointments, this is due to scarcity of funds.
The salaries of the workers in the mosque are 6,700 rupees – Muazzin’s salary is Rs 9,500 and the salary of the Imam and the superintendent of the Mosque is Rs 10,500 each. Khaja Nayeemuddin said it is a very meager salary which government is paying to the employees of the mosque. Most of the workers of the mosque with salary of just Rs 6,700 can’t meet their ends. He put his own example. The house which he lives in has rent of Rs 10,000. If he had not been a retired employee from the secretariat and not getting a good amount of pension then he couldn’t have met his own needs.
The staff members of the mosque are paid just salaries, no other government benefits. It is unfair because they are also government employees, so they too deserve some benefits from the government, he demanded.
He said there are nearly 2000 visitors a day in the mosque and it is increasing every day. The present staff is not enough to cope up with all the responsibilities. The mosque needs more staff but when the government at present is unable to maintain the present staff they can’t even think about bringing some new hands.
He said he had requested to the government to install a UPS for the control room and for CCTV cameras. There are huge power cuts every time. The mosque has good generator to cope up with power crisis but the control room and CCTV cameras get off whenever there is a power cut. It is seriously jeopardizing with the security of the mosque, he said adding that till now there is no action from the government to fulfill this need.
Compensation to Muslim youths from Mecca Masjid funds
Recently the state government caused a controversy by issuing a government order announcing Rs 7 million in compensation to acquitted Muslim youths, from the administration funds of Mecca Masjid.
TCN asked Khaja Nayeemuddin about the government order. He said he has no idea as to how government is going to pay the compensation amount from the masjid funds which are not even enough for the maintenance cost of the Masjid. He, however, added that government might allot fund in grant-in-aid after some time, then from them the compensation amount will be debatable. But he said if government is planning to do any cuts in the funds of the mosque to allot compensation then the administrative community won’t keep quiet. He was also confused why government has chosen Mecca Masjid administrative funds for allotting compensation amount.
Future Plan
Talking about his future plan for the mosque, he said he is planning to put umbrella Shamianas in the mosque like in Madina, to facilitate the growing number of Namazis in the Friday prayers. But this was the promise made by many minority affairs ministers but it has always remained a promise. He said he is planning to construct a small pond by demolishing the veranda in front and to repair the historic Takht in cooperation with ASI, because it is difficult to find the same model of stone so it was decided the present damaged stone of the Takht will be put in a frame and then fixed by the officials.
[TCN Photos]