Across Pakistan there exists a wide array of cultural heritage sites belonging to different time periods engineered by both the Muslim and British rulers of the past. Every province has various monuments that are a testament to a rich cultural history.
Sindh, too, has a number of heritage sites, including a grand fort, an arcane necropolis, and several stunning mosques which all attract visitors from across the country. However, there are some historical buildings, which are lesser known. In this category, falls a mosque with a curious name located in Sukkur district.
Built around 250 years ago in the town of Rohri is Takkay Wali Masjid or ‘one takka mosque’. The construction cost of the original building was quite literally one takka; 32 takkas equalled one rupee, which had a considerable value two centuries ago.
According to the locals, the mosque was originally a wooden structure, covered by mud plaster. The torrential rainfall of August 2022 caused extensive damage it due to which immediate repairs and maintenance was carried out to conserve the old mosque.
Residents say that the mosque’s foundation is in its original form, only the upper structure was changed in order to give a new lease of life to the historic place of worship. Since its construction, the mosque was taken care by different local residents from time to time. Syed Irshad Ahmed Shah is the current caretaker.
He lives in a street near the mosque and his connection to the building is centuries old too. It was his great-grandfather Syed Mehmood Shah who built the mosque 250 years ago. In this regard, talking to Express Tribune, Irshad Shah said that when his great-grandfather decided to construct a mosque in the area, he consulted with his close friends and other locals, who all gave his proposal the green light. The next day, Mehmood Shah came out with a coin purse, as there was no paper currency at that time. “My great-grandfather put one Takka coin in the pouch and asked his friends and other local residents to add their share,” says Irshad Shah. “Everyone started putting Takkas in the pouch. When a handsome amount was collected, he started the construction of the mosque,” he said.
“It was astonishing” he went on, saying, “when the mosque was completed and my great-grandfather opened the pouch, there was only one Takka left in it. That is why this mosque was named Jamia Takkey Wali Masjid. With the passage of time, the area also got the name Muhalla Takkey Wali Masjid”.
“After the death of my great-grandfather, my grandfather and then my father looked after the mosque,” Irshad Shah further said, “and after their death, the responsibility lies upon my shoulders.” He mentioned that the grave of Syed Mehmood Shah is situated in one of the corners of the mosque.
Rohri is itself a historic town, where a large number of saints are entombed. It is also the centerpoint of mourning processions during Muharram, especially on the 9th and 10th of Ashura. The mourning processions on the 9th and 10th are said to have been a tradition for some 450 years. The residents of Rohri are well aware about the historic importance of Takkey Wali Masjid, but people even in nearby Sukkur and the surrounding cities and towns know next to nothing about the mosque or the story behind its unusual name.
Sarfaraz Memon is a freelance journalist and contributor based in Sukkur. All facts and information are the responsibility of the writer