Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has laid the foundation stone for the renovation of Cheraman Juma Masjid, India’s first-ever mosque and the oldest in the sub-continent.
The renovation will be taken up at a cost of Rs 1.13 crore, of the world’s oldest Church built in 629 AD at Kodungallur is part of the Muziris Heritage Project of Kerala Tourism conserving important heritage sites, the Governor said while speaking on the occasion on Sunday evening.
Later, in a tweet, the Governor said “Ancient Indian Scriptures emphatically declare: ऐकेव मानुषि जाति All human beings belong to one race. Quran Hakeem echoes same sentiment when it says:
وما كان الناس امة واحدة فختلفوا Mankind was but one nation but developed differences later(10.19)#CheramanMasjid https://t.co/54c1aQWKhL.”
“Conserving & showcasing a culture that existed centuries ago, reminds us of a wise saying:’The farther back you can look, the farther forward you can see’. Cheraman Juma Masjid enjoys a very prominent place in the#Muziris Heritage Project @KeralaTourism@drthomasisaac https://t.co/cfbyMWInui,” he added.
State Finance Minister Dr T M Thomas Isaac presided over the function.
Even today the mosque still includes some remnants of the shrine, including a traditional pond and a lamp that is said to have been burning for a thousand years, with oil that is brought for it by visitors and pilgrims of all religions.
Guv lays foundation stone for renovation of ‘Cheraman Juma Masjid’
