Dawatagaha Jumma Mosque

Dawatagaha Jumma Mosque, also called Sheikh Usman Wallyullah shrine masjid (Sinhala: දවටගහ මුස්ලිම් පල්ලිය), is one of the famous Sufi shrines in Sri Lanka (Rameez, 2018). The mosque is located on the wayside of C.W.W Kannangara Mawatha, about 100 m distance from the De Soysa Circus, Colombo 7.

History

As a memorial for Saint Sheik Usman, a small monument was erected in 1802, by a group of Muslims on the place where the present mosque stands (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). In 1840, a two-storied building was established on the site (De Silva & Chandrasekara, 2009). However, in 1983, the original building was demolished, but remnants of that historic building are still visible.

Altering the original appearance, some parts have been added to the mosque later.

A protected monument

Sheik Usman Vali-ulah Darga Mosque alias Davatagaha Mosque situated in the Kurunduwatta (Cinnamon Gardens) Grama Niladhari Wasama in the Timbirigasyaya Divisional Secretary’s Division is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 30 December 2011.

1) Mohammedan Mosque, Cinnanom Gardens, Colombo by Leiden University is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

References

1) De Silva, N.; Chandrasekara, D.P., 2009. Heritage buildings of Sri Lanka. Colombo: The National Trust Sri Lanka, ISBN: 978-955-0093-01-4.  p.132.
2) Rameez, A., 2018. Caste and Islamic revivalist movements: a case study of Eastern Muslims in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Islamic Thought. Vol. 13. p.9.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka: No: 1739. 30 December 2011. p.1093.