Department of History organises lecture on The Mosques of Kerala
Aligarh : The Centre of Advanced Study (CAS), Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University organised a lecture by Prof. Sara Mondini, Department of Languages and Cultures, Ghent University, Belgium, as a part of the Sir Syed Lecture Series-2.
Prof. Mondini’s lecture, titled “The Mosques of Kerala: Artistic Vocabularies in the Identity-Building of the Muslim Communities,” offered a deep dive into her ongoing research as the Principal Investigator of a new project.
In her opinion, the architecture in question has been generally neglected by studies on the art of the Islamic world and of South Asia.
“The construction of the earliest mosques in India appears to be connected to the first communities of merchants settled in the region of Malabar because of trade, who had converted to Islam and which became rooted over the course of the following centuries. The Indian Ocean trade network that brought Islam to these shores, in fact, also contributed to defining the identity of the first Islamic communities, which seems to be reflected in architectural choices”, she pointed out.
Prof Mondini presented a comparative analysis of Indo-Islamic architecture in northern India and the distinct Islamic architectural traditions of southern India especially Malabar region. She addressed the modern tension between traditional architectural styles and the growing influence of contemporary Arab designs in both architecture and culture in India in general and Kerala in particular.
The lecture concluded with a discussion, in which faculty members and students posed thought-provoking questions. Prof Mondini responded with insightful and engaging answers, further enriching the conversation.
Earlier, Prof. Hassan Imam, the Coordinator and Chairman, CAS, Department of History highlighted the contributions made by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder M.A.O. College which became Aligarh Muslim University in 1920.
Dr. Mohammad Nazrul Bari, the convener of the programme, introduced Prof. Sara Mondini, the guest speaker, highlighting her academic journey and achievements.
The event was hosted by Dr. Sana Aziz, Assistant Professor, CAS, Department of History.