Busting myths, setting trends: A mosque that houses an art gallery in Kerala

The No: 18 Hotel, overlooking the Fort Kochi Jail, is a landmark building in Fort Kochi in Kerala. Right next to the iconic structure is a quiet bylane, just wide enough for a car. Strolling down the lane, it is highly likely that one might miss Masjid-ul Islam.

The recently-built mosque is an aberration to its kind—structurally and philosophically. There are no large minarets or domes—the common architectural elements of mosques across the world. And most importantly, the mosque houses the Islamic Heritage Centre (IHC) art gallery. 

The mosque is perhaps the first in India and in the world to open up its space for art exhibitions. The first and second floors of the mosque are for offering prayers, while the third floor is dedicated for the art gallery. However, on Fridays, the art exhibits are curtained with a white cloth as the third floor too transforms into a prayer hall to accommodate the large crowd. 

Masjid-ul Islam and the IHC art gallery, is the brainchild of K.A. Mohammed Ashraf, a businessman by profession and philanthropist by choice. He looks to bust popular misconceptions about Islam surrounding recognition and celebration of artworks. "It is a common, misconceived idea that Islam as a religion is against the practise and promotion of art and artworks. Nothing is far from true," says Ashraf, chairman of the Masjid-ul Islam mosque committee that manages it. Currently, the IHC art gallery is run by Masjid-ul Islam Charitable and Cultural Trust, and Forum for Faith and Fraternity or 3R, a Muslim cultural community, based in Kochi. 

“Be united; speak in harmony; let your minds apprehend alike; common be your prayer; common be the end of your assembly...” This verse from the Rigveda and a quote from the Quran greet you at the art gallery. The medium-sized hall emanates a pleasant golden hue, perhaps a subtle reference to the invaluable thread that connects the artist, his work and the place he chose to display it.

Step into the hall and the first display captures the Gouda Saraswat Brahmins, who migrated to Fort Kochi-Mattancherry from the Konkan between 16 and 19th century. Biju Ibrahim's Transcendence/Kochi—a photo documentary tracing the history of 42 communities that have migrated to Fort Kochi-Mattancherry over the past several centuries—currently adorns the walls of the IHC art gallery. Ibrahim's photo documentary has been on display ever since the gallery's inauguration in April, 2018. 

Fort Kochi is a microcosm of India, or may be, even the world, the artist says. And hence, the place was just the perfect backdrop for the confluence of religion, history and art. 

"I realised the diversity of Fort Kochi only after coming here. More than 42 communities live here happily. That was the motivating factor. One can see India through Fort Kochi-Mattancherry," says Malappuram-born Ibrahim, who was invited by artist-curator Riyas Komu as a resident artist in 2017. "In August 2017, I was just travelling around Mattancherry, visiting places. Photography is an art, but with it also comes a violation (of private lives). I didn’t want that to happen. The first process was to build a good rapport with the people here."

And so began Ibrahim's documentation journey. From the 45 Kashmiri Pandit families who ended up in Fort Kochi after the mass exodus in early 1990s to the Borah Muslims who arrived here from Gujarat, Ibrahim has painstakingly tracked and documented each of the communities that complete the Fort Kochi story. 

"Fort Kochi-Mattancherry has always amused me. They have always been receiving; I have never been rejected. They give more than what we give them." Clearly, Ibrahim is awe-struck by the myriads of colours and communities that co-exist peacefully in Fort Kochi, host to the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. "Almost all of these communities are rooted in their identities. They converse in their mother tongues at their homes, but switch to Malayalam in public. At the same time, Malayalam has left an impression on their languages, too. For instance, Konkani here has a heavy influence of Malayalam," Ibrahim explains. Transcendence/Kochi is also part of 'It's My Biennale' series that is co-hosted with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

In these times of religious intolerance and turbulence, the Masjid-ul Islam mosque and Ibrahim's photo documentary leaves an impression in you. The art gallery also has a library with books on religious studies to psychology and politics. “'You should read and seek knowledge' says the Quran. It teaches us to pursue knowledge, about everything; that it should not be restricted,” says Ashraf. Inaugurated in April 2017, the IHC Art Gallery looks to promote and encourage study of history of religions and the contribution of Islam to both Kerala and India. 

The mosque's unconventionality does not end here though. While mosques from around the world depict the individual communities that they belong to, Masjid-ul Islam does not belong to any particular community. “Anyone can come and worship here. There are a number of mosques in Kerala, but most of them are controlled by different sections within Islam. The mosques are often identified with their respective sections. However, we want to be different and do not want to be identified with only one particular section. This mosque should be beneficial for all people—irrespective of their community,” Ashraf says.