Cheraman Juma Masjid

Why I Visit a Mosque Wherever I Travel

"In India, I never have to look far to find a masjid. But on a visit last month to the southern state of Kerala, when I discovered that the country’s first mosque—built in 629 during the lifetime of the prophet Muhammad—was not far from Kochi, I hired a car to make the 90-minute drive to see it. The Cheraman Juma Mosque in Kodungallur is a charming blue building that marries traditional South Indian architecture—bright colors and a sloping red tiled roof—with a classical Islamic-style dome and minarets; while it might be out of the way for most travelers, for me its origin story was well worth the trip."