The Cheraman Juma Mosque is a mosque in

Kodungallur Kodungallur (; formerly also called as Cranganore (anglicised name), Portuguese language, Portuguese: Cranganor; Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of Per ...

Thrissur district Thrissur (), anglicised as Trichur, is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is situated in the central region of the state. Spanning an area of about , th ...

, in the state of Kerala, India. According to traditional legends, it is claimed that the mosque was built in 629 CE by Malik Bin Dinar though some scholars suggest a later construction date in the 14th–15th century. Due to these claims, it is often regarded as the first mosque built in India and the oldest mosque on the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

still in use. However, historical research has cast doubt on these claims, suggesting that the origin story may be fictitious or legendary rather than factual. The mosque was built in the Kerala-Islamic traditional ''

Vastu shastra Originating in ancient India, ''Vastu Shastra'' (, ' – literally "science of architecture") is a traditional Hindu system of architecture based on ancient texts that describe principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, ...

'' architectural style, with hanging lamps, making the historicity of its date claims more convincing. Modern corridors and halls were added in 1984, which surround the original building, and conceal almost all of the exterior features of the original structure. A dome and

minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...

s were added in 1994 and removed following a restoration of the building in 2022. The mosque is located on the Paravur–

Kodungalloor Kodungallur (; formerly also called as Cranganore (anglicised name), Portuguese: Cranganor; Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the M ...

Road.

History

One legend states that the mosque was built in 629 CE. Other scholars are more skeptical and, based on the architectural style, have dated the structure from the 14th-15th century.

Legend of Cheraman Perumals

According to some legends, the Chera king Cheraman Perumal witnessed the a supernatural event mentioned in the

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

The story goes that Cheraman Perumal arrived in Arabia with a gift of ginger pickles for

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

and his companions and converted to Islam "at the feet of Prophet Muhammad". According to historian M.G.S. Narayanan, "there is no reason to reject the tradition that the last Chera king embraced Islam and went to

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

, since it finds its place not only in Muslim chronicles, but also in Hindu brahmanical chronicles like the '' Keralolpatti'', which need not be expected to concoct such a tale which in no way enhances the prestige of the Brahmins or Hindu population." Scholar Mehrdad Shokoohy however traced such legends to a much later accounts with different dating than the supposed earlier date. Historical research has found this story to be fictitious.

Visitors to the region

Several early Muslim or Arab travellers visited Kerala in medieval times. Among them were Sulaiman, in 851 CE; Persian traveller Nakhuda Buzurg, in 951 CE; Ibn E Batuta, in 1342 CE; and Abd-Al-Razzaq, in 1442; as well as many others. The Cheraman Juma Mosque was not mentioned in their respective writings. Since 2005, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the 11th

President of India The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...

and Dr Shashi Tharoor, the Member of Parliament for

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...

, have visited the mosque.

Appointment of the Aven (Priest)

According to Chellikkattil Sundaran, president of the

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...

trust, the aven (priest) of Shobhaparamba Sreekurumba Bhagavati temple in Tanur, Malappuram, is traditionally appointed from the local Thiyya family by a member of the Brahmin family of Pazhayakhath Ilom. The family disintegrated over the years and its remaining members converted to Islam, but both the temple authorities and the family upheld the tradition. The temple's Hindu priest is appointed in a special ritual once every 12 years, presided over by a Muslim member of the Pazhayakath family, who makes the formal announcement. Locals ascribe this camaraderie to Cheraman Perumal.

References

External links