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Durban
street now named Juma Masjid Square
Saturday, October 02, 2010 10:08:13 PM,
Lakshmi
Krishnakumar,
IANS
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Durban:
A plaque renaming as ‘Juma Masjid Square’ the street outside one
of the oldest mosques in South Africa built on a plot owned by a
Gujarati immigrant was unveiled by India’s Overseas Indian Affairs
Minister Vayalar Ravi.
“It was the happiest moment of my life when I unveiled the plaque
by the name Juma Masjid Square in the street where one of the
oldest mosques of the country (South Africa) stands,” a delighted
Ravi told IANS after unveiling the plaque Friday.
“I feel great as I also prayed at this glorious sacred place of
worship,” he added.
Ravi presided over the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas-Africa, being held
here by the overseas Indian affairs ministry with the provincial
government of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal and the Confederation
of Indian Industry (CII) Oct 1-2.
The PBD-Africa event focuses on the three million strong Indian
diaspora in Africa.
A.V. Mahomed, chief trustee of the mosque and a second generation
South African of Indian origin, said the time chosen to unveil the
plaque “couldn’t be better” as it marks the birth anniversary of
Mahatma Gandhi.
The land was purchased by a Muslim from Porbandar - Gandhi’s
birthplace, he added.
“The Queen Street plaque was finally removed and replaced with
that of Juma Masjid square. It was a great feeling,” Mahomed
added.
The 130-year-old mosque was erected on a plot bought by Aboobaker
Amod Jhaveri, regarded as the first Indian trader to have arrived
in the province of KwaZulu Natal.
Being the largest mosque in the Southern Hemisphere, it can
accommodate at least 7,000 worshippers across three floors.
Around the mosque are several Indian food outlets, a popular one
serving uniquely Durban ‘bunnychow’ (half a loaf of bread scooped
out and filled with curry-bean curry for vegetarians and mutton
for meat lovers).
Also in the area is the Victoria Street Market offering incense,
henna tattoos, spices, scarves, sweets and other delicacies.
(Lakshmi
Krishnakumar can be contacted at lakshmi.k@ians.in)
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