A team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has started work on the renovation of Male’ Hukuru Miskiy, also known as the Friday Mosque.
During the state visit of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to the Maldives in June 2019, India offered to undertake the conservation and restoration works of the Hukuru Miskiy in Male’ under an Indian grant of USD 1.5 million. After some delays in carrying out the project due to the COVID-19 pandemic, work on the project has finally commenced with the arrival of a team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Male’ in March 2021. Documentation on the conservation and restoration works to be carried out has begun, while tenders for the provision of manpower, materials and wood for the project are set to be issued this week.
The project will involve both structural conservation work and chemical preservation work. These include repairs to woodwork, beams, roofs, plaster work, drainage, signage, as well as treating woodwork and lacquer work for damage and termite infestation. The High Commission of India in the Maldives stated the work will also be carried out without disruption to prayers during the month of Ramadan, and with precautions during spells of rain.
Hukuru Miskiy is one of the oldest and most ornate mosques in the Maldives. The mosque was built in 1658, during the reign of Ibrahim Iskandar I (1648–1687). Coral boulders were used in the construction of the mosque, with master craftsmen joining blocks of coral without any mortar or lime, and using only hewn grooves. The mosque was added to the tentative UNESCO World Heritage list in 2008.