An enduring testimony to communal harmony, the mosque’s prime attraction for pilgrims and visitors is an ancient oil lamp that has supposedly been burning continuously ever since the mosque has been built
Samuel Kutty
The Cheraman Juma Masjid in the historical port city of Kodungallur in the South Indian state of Kerala is an active place of worship, attracting devotees in large numbers, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
Believed to have been built during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) around 629 AD, the mosque is among the most important in India’s history for its unique appearance, as it imbibes an excellent blend of cultures of Arab and Kerala and their traditional art and stunning architecture.
Sitting along a calm semi-rural path, its look is that of a traditional house found throughout Kerala, with its tiled roof and ornate wooden doors. Inside it, one can, however, find a qibla pointing towards Mecca and prayer mats, like in many other mosques.
An enduring testimony to communal harmony, the mosque’s prime attraction for pilgrims and visitors is an ancient oil lamp that has supposedly been burning continuously ever since the mosque was built. It is one of the most expensive possessions in the mosque.
Kodungalloor, or Muziris, as it was known then, was a major port town under the Chera rule. The belief is that the moque got its name from Cheraman Perumal, a king of the Chera dynasty, which once held sway over coastal Kerala.
According to oral tradition, Cheraman Perumal Rama Varma Kulashekhara witnessed the miracle of the moon splitting with his own eyes, which is an event described in the holy Qur’an. His court astrologers had no idea what it meant, and the king began to obsess over what may have caused it.
Later, when some Arab traders came to his court, it was eventually revealed that it was caused by the prophet Muhammad (PUBH).
His curiosity to meet the Prophet arose when some Arab traders visited his kingdom and narrated how the miracle had taken place. As the King himself had seen the miracle, he joined traders to visit Mecca with them after handing over the authority of his empire to his kin.
In Mecca, King Cheraman declared his conversion to Islam in the presence of the Prophet and adopted a new name, Thajuddin. He later performed haj.
The Perumal’s meeting has been mentioned in the Hadith by Imam Bukhari and Abu Saeed Al Khudri. The Hadith says: “A king from India presented the Messenger of Allah with a bottle of pickle that had ginger in it. The Prophet distributed it among his companions. I also received a piece to eat.”
But along the way, the king fell sick but died in Oman during his return journey. He was buried in Salalah. His tomb has become a pilgrimage site in Salalah and has been visited by a large number of people.
It is mentioned by historian William Logan in the Malabar Manual: “Worship is offered at an old grave in Dhofar even today, believed to be belonging to a royal convert from Kerala.”
As per the wishes of the Prophet, a team of his companions, led by Malik bin Dinar, came to his kingdom with a letter telling the new king to build a mosque, which was the original version of this building.
The Malik became the first Ghazi and spread the message of Islam across the state. The ruler of Kodungalloor gave him land to set up a mosque, which came to be known as the Cheraman Juma Masjid.
Cheraman Perumal Mosque has seen reconstructions many times in the past, and some years ago it was converted into a modern typical mosque with minarets and domes as part of the Muziris Heritage Circuit.
The project is one of the most ambitious projects of the government of Kerala to restore the glory of Muziris (Mahodayapuram) back to the glory of the imperial capital of Cheras and as a gateway to ancient India due to its large port and extensive history of trading with Romans, Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Chinese, Arabs, and Greeks.
Devotees in large numbers visit the mosque round the year, and they include pilgrims from different communities. The mosque also witnesses a huge crowd, including non-Muslim devotees, to initiate their children into the world of literacy at the mosque.
Over its long history, it saw several renovations and reconstructions; the most notable one being in 1504, after the Portuguese admiral Lopo Soares de Albergaria razed it to the ground.
In 1984, some extensions were added, making the building look like a modern mosque, although renovation work that started in 2020 was removed as the structure had been restored to its original state.
Today, the mosque also houses a museum for those interested in learning more about its history. It even displays replicas to show how the mosque’s architecture has evolved over time.
Picture courtesy: Cheraman Perumal Masjid Archives
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