Kerla: In a quiet corner of Kerala, where ancient trade routes once connected India to the Arabian world, a small brass oil lamp flickers endlessly inside the Cheraman Juma Masjid — believed to have been burning continuously for nearly 1,397 years.
Tradition holds that the mosque, regarded as the first in India, was established in 629 AD during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad saw. The flame in its historic vilakku (traditional lamp) has never been extinguished, sustained by devotees who pour oil into it as an act of reverence and unity.
The Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kodungallur (ancient Muziris), Thrissur district, stands as a living symbol of India’s early embrace of Islam and its enduring culture of religious harmony. Built in the distinctive Kerala style — with sloping roofs, wooden carvings, and hanging lamps resembling Hindu temples rather than domed Arabian mosques — it tells a story far older than most places of worship on the subcontinent.
Legend recounts that the Chera king, Cheraman Perumal, witnessed the miraculous splitting of the moon — a sign mentioned in Islamic tradition. Deeply moved, he traveled to Arabia, met the Prophet, embraced Islam, and instructed his companions, led by scholar Malik Bin Dinar, to build mosques upon their return.
Though the king passed away en route (and is buried in Oman), his wish was fulfilled, and the Cheraman Juma Masjid became the first Jumu’ah (Friday congregational prayer) mosque in India.
At the heart of this sacred space is the ancient oil lamp, said to have been lit when the mosque was founded in 629 AD.
For 1,397 years (as of 2025), the flame has burned without pause. Devotees from all faiths — Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and others — continue an age-old custom of bringing coconut oil or sesame oil to keep it alight. This simple yet profound ritual has made the lamp a powerful emblem of communal harmony in a diverse nation.
“The lamp represents light that never fades, just like the message of peace and coexistence that this mosque has upheld for centuries,” says a local caretaker. “People come here not just to pray, but to add their drop of oil and feel connected to something timeless.”
Despite multiple renovations over the centuries (including major ones in the 11th and 16th centuries, and a careful restoration under the Muziris Heritage Project in recent years), the original sanctuary housing the lamp has been meticulously preserved.
Historians note that while the 629 AD date is rooted in oral tradition and local belief, some scholarly views place later reconstructions in the medieval period. Yet the mosque’s significance as India’s oldest active Jumu’ah site remains undisputed, and the ever-burning lamp continues to captivate visitors and pilgrims alike.
In an era often divided by differences, the gentle glow of this 1,397-year-old flame reminds the world of a time when faiths illuminated one another.
As one devotee pouring oil today remarked: “As long as believers keep coming, the light will never go out.”
