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MULTICULTURAL ASPECTS of the MOSQUES in BANGKOK Adis Idris

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MULTICULTURAL Identity and 4) Fundamentalism and Quest ASPECTS OF THE for New Style. MOSQUES IN BANGKOK Introduction 1 Adis Idris Raksamani Muslims regard mosques as the secular and religious center of society, as seen in the Quran. Like any Muslim community Abstract around the world, the most important thing for a Muslim community settling in This study is focused on the cultural Bangkok is to construct a mosque as a aspects of the mosques in Bangkok which place for Ibadat ‘God worship’. Islamic were influenced from the multicultural belief encompasses the full range of background of Muslims from Persia, secular and religious society in a holistic India, Arab, Cham, Java, and Malaysia. unity. Thus, mosques are regarded not only as the religious center but as a The critical factors such as the ethnic community center for Muslims to practice group, Bangkok urban culture, and their daily life in accordance with God’s Islamic culture, local and foreign commands. architectural character along with the history of multicultural group of Muslims “O you who have believed, when in Bangkok have been studied through the the adhan is called for the prayer architectural character of the mosques in on the day of Jumu’ah (Friday), Bangkok. The data collected from 172 then proceed to the remembrance mosques have been categorized to be of Allah and leave trade. That is analyzed along the developing process better for you, if you only knew. through the chronology. And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the The information from the interview and land and seek from the bounty of survey reveals that socio-cultural factor Allah, and remember Allah often was the most prevalent influence that that you may succeed. affects the concept and the architectural (Quran 62: 9–10) character of the mosques among other related factors such as the development of Islamic belief has influenced the the lifestyle, government policy, socio- development of Islamic architecture all cultural factors, technology and the around the world. However, there are environment. other sets of influences that impact the development of mosques: local factors Multicultural Aspects through the Design such as local lifestyle, urban Development stages of the Mosques could development, local policy, local belief, be categorized as 1) Traditional Period 2) and local culture and the external factors Transitional Period 3) Revision of Muslim such as foreign policy, national commercial policy, and a country’s 1 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture foreign policy. Since there are no rules Kasem Bundit University, Bangkok, Thailand restricting mosque design, several cultural Downloaded from Brill.com10/10/2021 09:18:48PM via free access MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities, Special Issue No.16, 2008 aspects have inspired a number of The image of Bangkok in the early architects and craftsmen to develop the Rattanakosin period was based on mosque concept under their unique belief traditional Siamese culture, mainly based in the power of God. on Buddhist and Brahman cultures, which were different from Islamic beliefs. To Bangkok was established as the new maintain their beliefs, the Muslims capital of Siam in 1782 for a diversity of accepted Siamese culture, adjusting it to people, such as Siamese, Chinese, Mon, ethnic Islamic culture from their countries. Khom, and Khaek,2 which included Cultural diversity in the architecture of Muslim. Muslims in Bangkok originally Bangkok has been expressed, particularly came from several countries in different in terms of religious buildings. Traditional periods. They have lived in the kingdom in Siamese-style mosques with decorations harmony with the believers of other influenced by Islamic architecture in the religions under the rule of the Siamese early Rattanakosin period were the monarchy. The king, as a great religious expression of culture through the language patron, has taken care of Siamese subjects of architecture. belonging to different religions. Figure 1: King Rama IV positioned as the religious supporter The murals under the Anantasamakhom Palace dome (Source: Committee for the Rattanakosin bicentennial celebration 1982: 254) 2 Khaek in Thai culture means a foreigner from countries to the west of Thailand, excluding Farang. Khaek are both Muslim, such as Cham, Java, or Malay, and non-muslim, such as Brahma, Armenan, or Sikh. Information from an interview with Julispong Chularatana on July 12, 2005 115 Downloaded from Brill.com10/10/2021 09:18:48PM via free access Multicultural Aspects of Mosques in Bangkok developing process. The diversity of architectural styles developed in a holistic way, which created the particular style of the mosques in Bangkok. The architectural influence, concept, and characteristics of the mosque are studied and classified through the significant changes in order to understand multicultural aspects through the development of the mosques from 1782– Figure 2: The former Kadi Charoen Phat 2002. The classification of four major periods,3 relating to the world history of Islamic architecture, Islamic architecture Since the reign of King Rama V (1868– in Bangkok, Bangkok architecture, and 1910), social reform has caused dramatic Muslims in Bangkok will clarify the whole changes for Siamese people, including picture of Islamic architecture, with Muslims in Bangkok. International particular respect to the mosques in contact has also given more opportunity Bangkok. for people from different ethnic backgrounds to express the cultural Historical and cultural heritage of particular groups. The local architectural styles from several countries background (Muslims in have been applied to the mosques to Bangkok) express the identity of the mosques worship community. Islamic culture was introduced to the southern part of Siam, exclusively Pattani, However, the ethnic aspect became less through by Persian and Indian merchants prominent when pride in being Siamese over a number of centuries. Islam became stronger. The various architectural flourished in Pattani which later became a styles of the mosques in Bangkok part of Siam during the reign of King displayed particular design characteristics, Rama I (Jitmoud 1988: 107–109). rather than the expression of cultural identity, due to many factors, such as As for the people in the capital of Siam, government policies, economic conditions, Islam came first via Persian merchants and 4 social factors, utilization of technology, later with Indian, Javanese, Malaysian, intercultural impact, tradition, geography, Cham, and Chinese people climate, natural resources, and ethnic Thai (Chalayondecha 1996: 23–34, Jitmoud culture. 3 The classification is based on the In general, the religious philosophy and development of mosques in Bangkok the function of the mosque that initiated (Raksamani 2004), the development of the character of each mosque derived from Bangkok architecture (Horayangkura 1993, multicultural background, while the local Tiptus 1996), and the development of Islamic and international influence accelerated the Architecture (Hattstien 2000). 4 Especially from the former Pattani territory. 116 Downloaded from Brill.com10/10/2021 09:18:48PM via free access MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities, Special Issue No.16, 2008 1988: 165–206). Nonetheless, Islamic from a Thai word referring to a local influence on Siamese art and architecture Buddhist religious building (กุฎี, กฎี), was is not evident until the Ayutthaya period. applied to some of the early mosques in In the reign of King Narayana the Great of Bangkok. Ayutthaya (1656–1688), the relationship between Siam and the Safavid Empire After the end of Ayutthaya period in 1767, (1501–1736), which was an international people from Ayutthaya fled their commercial center, flourished greatly. The hometown, migrated toward Thonburi, and King of Siam supported Persian trade in joined the local community there, which Siam and encouraged the presence of had been a multireligious and multicultural Persian nobles in the Siamese court. town. The area around the Royal Palace of Persian art and architectural styles were King Taksin the Great became the refuge adopted in the creation of art in Siam, for people from Ayutthaya, such as the including the design of an important local Muslim community near Ton Son building in Lopburi: Phra Narai Racha Mosque (Kadi Yai) for both Sunni and Niwet Palace. Shiite Muslims and the Buddhist communities around Hong Rattana Ram The international policy changed after the temple and Moli Lok Ya Ram temple. The reign of King Narayana the Great. town gradually expanded and later became Furthermore, the decline of the Safavid the new capital of Siam, known as Empire gradually weakened the Thonburi.7 relationship between the two countries. The connection with Chinese and In 1782, after the Thonburi period, European countries became more Bangkok, on the east side of the Chao important, instead. During this period, Phraya, was established as the new capital Muslim officers still played an important of Siam. In the Rattanakosin period, the role in the Siamese government. Persian Kingdom of Siam8 centered around the arts, representing Islamic art, maintained Chao Phraya, situated between two foreign their popularity among the Siamese cultural centers: Burma and the Khmer people, but they no longer enjoyed royal Kingdom. The social structure of Siam, patronage. based primarily on Buddhist and Brahmanist cultures, differed significantly In the Ayutthaya period, Thonburi was from Islamic belief (Gilquin 2005:
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