Overview

One of the oldest Tamil Muslim mosques in the Straits Settlements, the Nagore Durgha Shrine was completed in 1830. Sometimes called Masjid Chulia, it initially served as a cultural center for early Tamil immigrants. The building is dedicated to the memory of Shahul Hamid Durgha, a holy man from Nagore, southern India, whose tomb can be found within the mosque. Because of this, some people feel this building is actually a 'keramat', (place of veneration) not a mosque. Architecturally, it presents an intriguing blend of classical and Indian-Muslim motifs, surmounted by turrets. Note also the Doric columns and Palladian doors.