Tipu Sultan Mosque Kolkata Entry Fee
- Free
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Tipu Sultan Mosque Kolkata Address: 185, Lenin Sarani Rd, Esplanade, Chandni Chawk, Bowbazar, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700013, India
Renowned for its religious importance, the 180-year-old Tipu Sultan Mosque boasts of an impressive history which relates it to one of India’s finest and greatest warrior kings, Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, who is the first ruler to have been killed in the battlefield.
Built in honor of this great warrior king of Mysore by his youngest son, Prince Ghulam Mohammed, the Tipu Sultan Mosque is the most popular mosque in Kolkata. Though Tipu Sultan never stepped foot in Kolkata, his legacy lives on through his descendants who made sure to honor the ruler through setting up various landmarks in the city.
Located in the busy Esplanade area, on the Dharmatala street, the mosque is run by and managed by Ghulam Mohammad Wakf Estate. His highness Prince Anwar Ali, the great-great-grandson of Tipu Sultan and great- grandson of Prince Ghulam Mohammed heads the royal family trust that manages all expenses of both mosques. In addition to His highness Prince Anwar Ali, the trust is also headed by officials appointed by the Kolkata High Court which helps the judicious management of the mosques.
Being a representation of architectural and cultural heritage, the mosque welcomes people from all sects of the society. There is a dress code that needs to be followed in order to respect the sanctity of the place of worship during the prayer timings. Men and women are expected to cover their heads during the prayers but at other times, this is not compulsory. There is no dress code for visitors though.
History of Tipu Sultan Mosque, Kolkata
The 4th Anglo-Mysore war ended with Tipu Sultan being killed by the British East India Company in 1799. As per a treaty signed with the British after the 3rd Anglo-Mysore war, seven years before he was killed, Tipu Sultan had signed a treaty in which a vast portion of his kingdom (some say, it was nearly half his kingdom) was surrendered to the British to end hostilities along with a sum of money.
His two minor sons were exiled to Calcutta as per the treaty but were later brought back to Mysore within 2 years after paying a heavy expense. However, after the death of Tipu Sultan, his entire family which comprised 300 members, including his 2 sons, were exiled to the marshy neighbourhood of Rassapugla at the southern tip of Tollygunge in Kolkata. This was a punishment for them being accused of conspiring against the East India Company in the Vellore Mutiny of 1806. All members of the royalty were dumped to live in mud huts.
The stipend given by the British allowed the princes to grow and prosper later in life. The 11th and youngest son of Tipu Sultan, Ghulam Mohammad Shah was quite an enterprising person and using this as his strength, he started acquiring lands that they were settled in along with the lands around Tollygunge and started constructing landmarks including the Tipu Sultan Masjid.
The Tipu Sultan Mosque was built in 1842 by Price Ghulam Mohammed in memory of his father at the junction of Dharmatala street and Chowrangee. In the beginning, Ghulam Mohammed invested his own money which came from his savings that he managed to keep aside from the stipend paid by the British East India Company after they were exiled in Calcutta. The mosque is an elaborate and twin structure of an earlier mosque which was built by Ghulam Mohammed around 1832 in Tollygunge.
Architecture of Tipu Sultan Mosque, Kolkata
Standing tall in the busy market place of Esplanade, the Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque represents a distinctive heritage wherein the mosque’s minarets appear to be piercing into the sky. There are 4 minarets and 16 domes coloured in dark green whereas the exterior walls are painted in soft green.
The walls of the mosque have intricate carvings which contribute to the elegance of the structure. It is a double aisled structure with the main entrance facing towards the south. The mosque is quite spacious and can accommodate around 1000 people at one single time. It is one of the most prominent landmarks of the city.
The structure of the mosque was damaged during the construction of the Esplanade metro line during early 1980s, but the renovation of the damaged portion was done under the swift administration of Tipu Sultan Shahi Masjid Protection & Welfare committee in collaboration with Metro Railways.
Tipu Sultan mosque in Tollygunge is also popular for its green initiative towards installation and use of solar panels to generate electricity, thereby reducing the load of power bill and also being environment conscious. As of today, half of the electricity of the mosque is generated via solar panels.
Since photography is not prohibited, one can carry their cameras to capture the elegance of the beautiful structure.
Entry Fee and Timings of Tipu Sultan Mosque, Kolkata
Tipu Sultan Mosque Kolkata is open from 4:00 AM to 10:00 PM on all days of the week. There is no entry fee to visit the mosque.
Places to visit near Tipu Sultan Mosque, Kolkata
1. Rabindra Sarobar Lake: The Rabindra Sarobar Lake is the second largest water body of Kolkata which was dug out of marsh in 1921 and has been declared as ‘National Lake’. It is a favourite place for morning walkers and joggers of nearby areas and is also home to several migratory birds during winter.
2. Zoological Park of Kolkata / Alipore Zoological Garden: The Zoological Park of Kolkata is popularly called as Alipore Zoo, established in the year 1876 under the project of Indian Natural History. The zoo is spread across a total land area of 46.5 acres and is home to several indigenous flora, fauna, reptiles and birds. This makes the zoo a must visit places when in the city.
How to Reach Tipu Sultan Mosque, Kolkata
Located at 185 Dharmatala Street, the Tipu Sultan Mosque stands at the heart of Kolkata and is accessible from all parts of the city via trains, metro, city buses, and taxis.
The easiest and fastest way to reach the mosque from within the city is via metro. The nearest metro station is Esplanade and the mosque is situated at a walking distance of 2 mins from the metro station.
The nearest railway station is Howrah and the nearest airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.
One can also book a private cab from top car rental companies in Kolkata and visit all the popular sightseeing places of Kolkata leisurely during their tour of the city.
Book a Kolkata Tour package from Kolkata Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA and have a pleasant time exploring the city. Choose the package that suits your budget and personal interest. We offer these packages at affordable rates with excellent customer service. Please fill the Contact Us form to know more.
