padmanabha
13th August 2006, 10:14 PM
[tscii:0719b071b5]“It is my conviction that all religions in essence are the same and meant for the betterment and spiritual guidance of man” said G. Gopalakrishnan – a self-made architect who has designed 76 mosques in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A Hindu by birth Gopalakrishnan fasts every Jumma and destiny made him an architect specialized in designing mosques. His latest work was the Kollurvila mosque in Kollam district, inaugurated on 13th of April this year.
Young Gopalakrishnan made sketches of buildings inspired by the blueprints of his contractor father Govindan. Financial crisis forced him to discontinue AMIE. He assisted his father who was entrusted with the task of designing Palayam Mosque. The first chief engineer of Kerala, Kuttiammu took the initiative to renovate the mosque and the Chief Architect to the Government J C Alexander designed the structure assisted by Govindan. It became thus a symbol of unity among the Religions from the very beginning of its construction. P.P. Chummar provided financial support to Govindan in executing the contract. Also the mosque was erected in a place very close to a temple of Lord Ganesa and the St. Josephs Cathedral.
Legendary singer Mohammed Rafi visited Thiruvananthapuram for a performance as a part of the fund raising effort to build the dome. The then President of India Dr. Zakkir Hussain inaugurated the mosque in 1964. When the renovation was complete all the Muslim brothers’ wished to have a similar structure, with domes and minarets, facing the Mecca, Holy Land.
Gopalakrishnan’s major break through was the construction of the BeemaPalli, which is also a Dargah, spread over three acres. It has huge domes massive façade and tall minars [132 ft]. “It took 18 years to complete. It was Percy Brown’s Indo-Islamic Architecture in India that triggered my inspiration” admits Gopalakrishnan and explains: “It was constructed in the Indo-Saracen style which specifies minars, domes [should be three quarter of a sphere], ceilings with lotus motifs, calligraphy, and jalli pillars. Today the State tourism department has taken the initiative to construct a Pilgrim Amenity Center in its premises.
Four decades have elapsed and till date I have been associated with the designing of mosques. But the recently inaugurated mosque at Kollam is slightly different from the Indo-Saracen style, in the sense that the dome is semicircular, providing an area of 8000 square meters where 3000 devotees can offer namaz at a time.
Why 18 years to construct a mosque?
The money that goes into the making of any mosque for that matter is derived from the offerings made by the devotees. Six more mosques are under different stages of completion, including the Vavar Mosque at Erumeli in Sabarimala.
Its reconstruction began 12 years ago. Sabarimala Pilgrims visit this mosque dedicated to Vavar – believed to be a close associate of Lord Ayyappa.
Under Article 20 of the Architect Act 1972, Gopalakrishnan should have been given the architect license. But his blue prints were ‘accepted’ by a qualified architect before he sets them in concrete. Now his architect son and daughter-in-law extend support to Gopalakrishnan.
“However, I am yet to visit any Islamic architectural construction outside Kerala. I have designed Sheikh Masjid in Karunagapally akin to Taj Mahal. It will be complete in another six months. Koduvayil mosque in Kollam is a blend of Indo-Persian architecture and Nedunganda mosque adopts the Indo-Saracen style. Any kind of renovation of a mosque I consider as a task ordained” said Gopalakrishnan with a smile.
Gopalakrishnan has also designed a few churches and temples. St. George Church at Chandanapalli is modeled like the St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
“My design was questioned when I used the designs of lotus in Beemapalli. How did a flower become a part of any religion?” asks Gopalakrishnan. The lotus is a beautiful flower. It’s our national flower. By designing lotus petals I was expressing my reverence to it” he reasoned.
Gopalakrishanan’s wife is a Christian. The couple has given their children the freedom to pursue any religion of their choice. Thus the family has literally transcended all man made differences.
He had floated Manvamaithri a forum for the promotion of universal brotherhood. It should have a center where people from all religion can assemble to study about the various philosophies and achieve religious harmony.
“Babri Masjid will be the ideal site” he quipped. ?
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Young Gopalakrishnan made sketches of buildings inspired by the blueprints of his contractor father Govindan. Financial crisis forced him to discontinue AMIE. He assisted his father who was entrusted with the task of designing Palayam Mosque. The first chief engineer of Kerala, Kuttiammu took the initiative to renovate the mosque and the Chief Architect to the Government J C Alexander designed the structure assisted by Govindan. It became thus a symbol of unity among the Religions from the very beginning of its construction. P.P. Chummar provided financial support to Govindan in executing the contract. Also the mosque was erected in a place very close to a temple of Lord Ganesa and the St. Josephs Cathedral.
Legendary singer Mohammed Rafi visited Thiruvananthapuram for a performance as a part of the fund raising effort to build the dome. The then President of India Dr. Zakkir Hussain inaugurated the mosque in 1964. When the renovation was complete all the Muslim brothers’ wished to have a similar structure, with domes and minarets, facing the Mecca, Holy Land.
Gopalakrishnan’s major break through was the construction of the BeemaPalli, which is also a Dargah, spread over three acres. It has huge domes massive façade and tall minars [132 ft]. “It took 18 years to complete. It was Percy Brown’s Indo-Islamic Architecture in India that triggered my inspiration” admits Gopalakrishnan and explains: “It was constructed in the Indo-Saracen style which specifies minars, domes [should be three quarter of a sphere], ceilings with lotus motifs, calligraphy, and jalli pillars. Today the State tourism department has taken the initiative to construct a Pilgrim Amenity Center in its premises.
Four decades have elapsed and till date I have been associated with the designing of mosques. But the recently inaugurated mosque at Kollam is slightly different from the Indo-Saracen style, in the sense that the dome is semicircular, providing an area of 8000 square meters where 3000 devotees can offer namaz at a time.
Why 18 years to construct a mosque?
The money that goes into the making of any mosque for that matter is derived from the offerings made by the devotees. Six more mosques are under different stages of completion, including the Vavar Mosque at Erumeli in Sabarimala.
Its reconstruction began 12 years ago. Sabarimala Pilgrims visit this mosque dedicated to Vavar – believed to be a close associate of Lord Ayyappa.
Under Article 20 of the Architect Act 1972, Gopalakrishnan should have been given the architect license. But his blue prints were ‘accepted’ by a qualified architect before he sets them in concrete. Now his architect son and daughter-in-law extend support to Gopalakrishnan.
“However, I am yet to visit any Islamic architectural construction outside Kerala. I have designed Sheikh Masjid in Karunagapally akin to Taj Mahal. It will be complete in another six months. Koduvayil mosque in Kollam is a blend of Indo-Persian architecture and Nedunganda mosque adopts the Indo-Saracen style. Any kind of renovation of a mosque I consider as a task ordained” said Gopalakrishnan with a smile.
Gopalakrishnan has also designed a few churches and temples. St. George Church at Chandanapalli is modeled like the St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
“My design was questioned when I used the designs of lotus in Beemapalli. How did a flower become a part of any religion?” asks Gopalakrishnan. The lotus is a beautiful flower. It’s our national flower. By designing lotus petals I was expressing my reverence to it” he reasoned.
Gopalakrishanan’s wife is a Christian. The couple has given their children the freedom to pursue any religion of their choice. Thus the family has literally transcended all man made differences.
He had floated Manvamaithri a forum for the promotion of universal brotherhood. It should have a center where people from all religion can assemble to study about the various philosophies and achieve religious harmony.
“Babri Masjid will be the ideal site” he quipped. ?
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