India’s first and the oldest mosque in the subcontinent is all set to welcome devotees
Thrissur, Kerala:
India’s first and the oldest mosque in the subcontinent is all set to welcome the devotees and the general public after regaining its former glory and grandeur.
The classic beauty and humble style of the “Cheraman Juma Mosque” dating back to 629 AD was restored after a painstaking renovation and conservation process over about 30 months under the state-run Muziris Heritage Project (MHP).
Located in Kodungallur taluk of this central Kerala district, the heritage structure was rebuilt to its original character and aesthetics at a cost of Rs 1.14 crore, said MHP Managing Director, PM Naushad.
He said that apart from the renovation and conservation initiative, which started in May 2019, a two-storey Islamic Heritage Museum was also built in the mosque complex at a cost of around Rs one crore and its internal renovation is still underway.
After submitting a letter of completion to the government, MHP officials are now awaiting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s date to reopen the oldest mosque for visitors.
“It is expected to happen any day.. We are waiting for the chief minister’s convenient day for the inauguration ceremony. If the COVID-19 situation is completely under control, it can happen within the next two weeks,” Mr Naushad told news agency PTI.
According to local tradition, Cheraman Perumal, as king, went to Arabia where he met the Prophet and adopted Islam in the early 7th century. From there, he sent letters, accompanied by Malik ibn Dinar, a Persian scholar who had traveled to India.
Dinar is believed to have built the mosque in AD 629, five years after the death of the king.
Mr Naushad said that he focused more on preserving the existing parts of the old structure and recreating its appearance in the past based on old photographs.
“We demolished the additional concrete structure that was added to the main building in 1974. We rebuilt the old structure of the mosque with a tile roof as seen in the old photographs,” he said.
Fortunately, many parts of the infrastructure were kept intact as such, he said, adding that such parts were renovated and preserved.
Besides the conservation effort of the MHP, a multi-crore construction project is also underway in the mosque under the aegis of the mosque management.
An underground prayer hall is being constructed, which is envisaged to accommodate at least 2000-3000 devotees.
A total of Rs 15-20 crore is expected for this, the MD explained.
“Its structural work and internal plastering is over. Flooring and beautification work is pending and expected to be completed soon,” he said.
The MHP, entrusted with heritage management by the state government, had initiated discussions with the mosque committee and entered into an MoU with them to implement the renovation and conservation initiatives.
After the renovation, the MHP is now awaiting approval to include Cheraman Juma Masjid in the Union Ministry of Tourism’s ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Enhancement Campaign (PRASAD)’.
A Rs 10 crore project proposal has been submitted to the Center in this regard, the official said, adding that construction of a facilitation center and rejuvenation of a pond in the mosque complex would be a reality if it is included in the prasad scheme.
Now a large number of people from all over the state are coming here to have a glimpse of the reconstructed structure of the oldest mosque, Naushad said.
The Cheraman Mosque holds an important place in the Muziris civilization, which formerly enjoyed glory as the largest trading center of the ancient world, trading in everything from spices to precious stones.
The land, also known as Madapuram or Muyrikkode, was the capital of the Perumals as rulers in the line of Chera kings between the 9th and 12th centuries AD.
In the early centuries, Kodungallur was a settlement of merchants, which stood as India’s gateway to various cultures and ethnicities, thus emerging as the cradle of many civilizations.
According to MHP records, the area ended abruptly in 1341 due to a heavy flood, which submerged the area.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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