Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a tour of South East Asian countries. On the first day of his visit on Tuesday, he visited the historic Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque located in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. On reaching there, he was welcomed by Brunei’s Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Awang Badruddin. He was accompanied by Brunei’s Health Minister Haji Mohammad Isham. People from the Indian community were also present there who welcomed PM Modi.
What is special about the mosque?
This historic mosque is named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddeen III. Omar Ali Saifuddeen III was the father of the current Sultan, who started the construction of this mosque and it was completed in 1958. This mosque is a symbol of Islamic faith in Brunei. It is also an excellent example of modern Islamic architecture. This mosque is a mixture of Mughal architecture and Malay styles and was designed by architect and sculptor Rudolfo Noli.
The mosque is built in the middle of an artificial lagoon
The most distinctive and biggest feature of the mosque is its main dome, which is covered in pure gold. The mosque is 52 meters high and can be seen from almost anywhere in Bandar Seri Begawan. It is built in an artificial lagoon in Kampong Ayer on the banks of the Brunei River. The mosque has marble minarets and golden domes. There is a courtyard and it is surrounded by a large number of trees and flower gardens. A bridge leads across the lagoon to Kampong Ayer in the middle of the river.
According to Mosquepedia, the interior of this mosque is for prayer purposes only and features stained glass windows, arches, semi-domes and marble columns. Almost all the materials used in the construction of this mosque were imported from abroad. For example, marble was imported from Italy, granite from Shanghai, crystal chandeliers from England and carpets from Saudi Arabia. This mosque has one main dome and 10 minarets. It can accommodate 30,000 people at a time.
Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated the new ‘Chancery’ complex of the Indian High Commission in Brunei on Tuesday and described it as a sign of strong relations between the two countries. Modi, who arrived here today on the first leg of his two-nation visit, is the first Indian Prime Minister to make a bilateral visit to Brunei. He wrote on ‘X’, “I am happy to inaugurate the new ‘Chancery’ complex of the Indian High Commission. This is a sign of our strong relations with Brunei Darussalam. It will also serve people of Indian origin.
“Strengthening India-Brunei relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chancery (part of the High Commission) building of the Indian High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan and unveiled a commemorative plaque,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. The Ministry of External Affairs said in a release that Modi lit the lamp and unveiled the plaque on the occasion. (With Bhasha inputs)
