Chaqchan Mosque

The Chaqchan or Miraculous Mosque is traditionally dated to about 1370 and associated with the missionary Syed Ali Hamadani, whose journeys through the region brought Islam to Baltistan. What survives is a low timber building with a shingled roof and carved wooden columns, verandas and screens, its ornament drawn from Tibetan, Kashmiri and Central Asian woodworking rather than from the domed traditions further south, which makes it look more like a mountain temple than a conventional mosque. The interior is small and dim, with carved beams and a prayer hall on a raised platform. It has been repaired and partly restored over the years, most recently with attention to the woodwork. It stands in the middle of Khaplu among houses and orchards, still in use, and the neighbouring lanes and irrigation channels are part of the visit.

History

Some sources say the mosque was built by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani; others say the local Raja commissioned it in 1370 after the Sufi saint Syed Nurbakhsh arrived from Kashmir, though that date falls more than two decades before Nurbakhsh was born. It dates from the time when the people of the area turned from Tibetan Buddhism to Islam, and it remains a Sufi Noorbakhshia mosque (Wikipedia, Chaqchan Mosque).

The main sights

• The carved timber structure - columns, beams and screens in the local manner.
• The shingled roof - a low mountain profile quite unlike a domed mosque.
• The prayer hall - a small, dark interior with carved detail.
• The town setting - old lanes, orchards and water channels around.

When to go

April to October for the easiest access; the mosque is open year-round but Khaplu is cold and snowbound in midwinter. Visits should avoid prayer times, and non-Muslim visitors should ask before entering.

Before you go

The building is small and plain by the standards of great mosques, and its value is architectural and historical rather than spectacular. It is a working place of worship: modest dress is required, women should cover their heads, and permission to enter or photograph is not guaranteed. There is no interpretation on site.

Nearby

Khaplu Palace is minutes away; the Hushe valley road leads north.

Key facts