Indian Mosque

Kuching

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Turn off Jln India (between No 37 and No 39A) or waterfront Jln Gambier (between No 24 and No 25A) onto tiny Indian Mosque Lane (Lg Sempit) and you enter another world. About halfway along, surrounded by houses and spice shops, stands Kuching’s oldest mosque, a modest structure built of belian (ironwood) in 1863 by Muslim traders from Tamil Nadu.

Notable for its simplicity, it is an island of peace and cooling shade in the middle of Kuching’s commercial hullabaloo. There's usually someone sitting outside the mosque keeping an eye on things. If you would like to go inside, ask permission and they will probably offer to show you around. Women will be given a long cloak and headscarf to wear.

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