Cheraman Juma Mosque, Thrissur Overview

The first and oldest mosque built on the land of India, the Cheraman Juma Masjid is situated in the Methala village of Kodungallur town of Kerala. It is also the second oldest mosque where Jumu'ah prayers are offered and was built in 629 AD by Malik Ibn Dinar. It has a distinctive feature which differentiates it from the rest of the mosques being that it faces westwards while all the other mosques face towards the east. The mosque follows the Hindu architectural style and consists of a lamp which is believed to be a 1000 years old but still burns. Devotees from all over the world bring oil as an offering to the lamp.

People belonging to other religions as well are allowed inside to offer prayers. There is white marble inside which is believed to have been brought from Mecca. A lot of festivals are celebrated in the mosque with great fun and frolic including the Hindu festival known as Vijaya Dasmi, Ramadan, and Bakra-Eid. The place offers a lot of peace and helps one break away from the usual routine. The history offered by the place and its exquisite architecture is worth witnessing. So, all those history lovers out there should not miss out the chance to visit this beauty!

History of Cheraman Juma Masjid

One night, Cheraman Perumal the king of Kodungallur, saw a dream that the moon was split into two. When none of the astrologers in the palace could give him a convincing response, he started feeling restless. However, the Muslim businessmen, who had come to Kodungallur for business, were able to convince the king and stated that when Divayaalbuthum was shown to the sacred people by the prophet, the king was able to see it in his dream. The Perumal decided to follow the Islam religion after which he divided the ruling to his followers.

Following this, the Perumal went to see the prophet in Mecca and spend some time with him. He then decided to return, but while he was coming back, he fell ill at Bufar. His condition deteriorated, and he wrote letters to the rulers in Kodungallur and gave it to the people with him. After he died, those people gave the letters to the rulers who then allowed for the construction of the mosque. The Cheraman Juma Masjid was then built by Malik Bin Deenar and Malik Bin Habib. It is believed that the tomb inside the Cheraman Juma Masjid belongs to Malik Bin Habib and his wife. Malik Bin Deenar travelled across Kerala spreading Islam and built mosques.

Architecture of Cheraman Juma Masjid

The mosque has been constructed in the Hindu style of architecture and is built using brass. The place has carvings where the Imam recites the Friday prayer or Jumuah and is built on the rosewood platform. The mosque also comprises of white marble which is believed to have been brought in from Makah.

Best Time To Visit Cheraman Juma Mosque

The perfect time to pay a visit to the mosque is between December and February since the climate is pleasant and the temperature ranges from 22 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius.

How To Reach Cheraman Juma Mosque

Cheraman Juma Mosque can be easily reached from Thrissur as there are some private and government bus services available. Tourists coming to visit the mosque by road can avail the nearest bus stand, i.e., Kodungallur situated at a distance of 3 km. Since numerous private, as well as state-owned buses and taxis, ply between Kodungallur and Thrissur, reaching the mosque is not a problem.