Thazhathangady Juma Mosque
The Thazhathangady Juma Masjid is a mosque situated in Thazhathangady, in the district of Kottayam, in one of the heritage zones of the state of Kerala, India, The mosque is located adjacent to the Meenachil River. Completed in CE, the mosque is one of the oldest mosques in India.
Overview
Built in CE by Habib Dinarm, a son of Malik Dinar, the mosque is renowned for its beautiful thachu shastra style architecture, as well as its craftsmanship, including intricate teak wooden carvings, a secret passageway, and a water tank carved out of a single block of stone, used for wudu.The two-storeyed mansion is high with an internal area of. Inscriptions from Quranic verses have been carved in timber, and there are carvings on the teak minbar. In 2012, the southern half of the mosque was demolished and extended with iron pillars, aluminium sheets and minars. A sundial, located in the mosque courtyard, is used to determine the time for worship.
The ancestors of this congregation settled in Kottayam from different parts of Kerala. The Muslims who lived here played an active role in the Freedom Struggle and other national movements.
The mosque opened its doors for women devotees in 2019. "Muslim women in the right attire can enter the mosque only on the two days, April 24 and May 8, as decided by the committee," said Moulavi Sirajjuddeen Hasni, the chief imam.