Wednesday, July 27 2005 18:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kodungalloor (Kerala): When President A P J Abdul Kalam will be visiting India's first mosque here built 1,400 years ago, he will be the first head of state to the shrine which has been unique place in the country's pluralistic culture.

Christ's disciple St Thomas landed here in 52 AD. India's first mosque was built here in early 7th century. For centuries, this once-fabulous mercantile town ruled by Chera kings had been frequented by West Asian spice merchants.

Full of history, legends and fables, Kodungalloor is awaiting President Kalam, who is slated to visit the sub continent's oldest mosque Cheraman Juma Masjid on July 29.

Called Crangannore by the Britishers and referred as 'muziris' in ancient overseas trade records, Kodungalloor has also strong associations with Judaism, Jainism and Budhism besides being a Hindu pilgrim centre with the Kurumba Bhagavati temple attracting thousands of devotees.

Situated on the banks of Periyar river about 50 km north of Kochi, the town still keeps its secular tradition alive as the Cheraman Masjid is perhaps the only mosque where the 'Vidyarambham' ceremony is performed on the Vijaya Dasami day when Hindus of Kerala initiate their children into world of letters.

"The rulers of the mosque have provisions to allow non-Muslims to offer prayers because we believe in the Quranic edict that mankind is one," the Masjid's governing committee president V A Abrahim told PTI.

"Kodungalloor has a unique place in India's pluralistic culture. As an ancient port, it attracted Arabian and Jewish traders who came in search of spices. Subsequently, the place became the gateway for Judaism, Christianity and Islam," Metropolitan of Chaldean Church, Mar Aprem, told PTI.

A lot of references to the antiquity of Kodungalloor, especially about its Jain and Buddhist past, can be found in Tamil 'Sangam' literature of 8th and 9th century. In Tamil classics like 'Silappadikaram' and 'Manimekalai', the town is mentioned as 'Mahodayapuram.'

The legend has it the Cheraman masjid was built in 629 AD by Malik Ibin Dinar at the behest of King Cheraman Perumal who had gone to Arabia and embraced Islam.

Perumal died, the story goes, on his way home but before breathing his last he told Malik Dinar to proceed to Kerala and spread the message of Islam. Malik Dinar met Perumal's kins and built the mosque with their permission.

Some historians, however, hold that the Masjid was once a Buddhist temple, which eventually became a mosque with large-scale conversion of Buddhists in the area to Islam centuries back.

Though Kalam is going to be the first President to visit the mosque, over the years several dignitaries, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan, had visited the place, he said.