The Moors of Coromandel

Arabs have always had outposts in the Coromandel and Malabar regions since the pre-Islamic days. After the advent of Islam, a large number of them migrated to these parts in the aftermath of the Ummayad-Abbasid wars and due to Fatimids. Waves of Turks followed in the Eleventh century after the collapse of the Seljuk empire. The Turks settled in the hinterland of the Tamil country -- Tirunelveli and Madura.

One of the oldest mosques

(Courtesy: Bhl kht kilakarai)

Built in 630 AD, this mosque in Kilakkarai is belieived to be one of the oldest in the world along with the Cheraman Perumal Mosque in Kodungallur, Kerala, (traditionally dated to 629 AD). It is said to have been rebuilt in the in the early middle-ages by a Pandyan king, and the architecture reflects the Dravidian temple style. The mosque had another round of rebuilding in the Seventeenth centruy.

Arwi: An Arabic-Tamil language

These tombstones are in Arwi, which is Tamil written in the Arabic script. Arwi always maintained a tenuous existence over the centuries. In the Nineteenth century, it witnessed a sudden popularity when many books were published in the language. However, the language declined in from 1930s onwards. You may see such tombstones in Arwi in places like Kayalpatnam and Tirunelveli among others.

Kayalpatnam: The Cairo of the East

Kayalpattinam is a small Tamil Muslim town on the Coromandel Coast with a rich history as a bustling seaport that connected traders, scholars, and Sufi saints from Arabia, Persia, China, and beyond. Known for its centuries-old Arab lineage, Islamic scholarship, and Sufi heritage, the town is home to around 30 mosques and several revered dargahs of spiritual masters. Historically, it thrived under the Pandyan kingdom and Ma’bar Sultanate until Portuguese colonial attacks led to decline. The town’s monuments include the graves of prominent Sufi saints like Muthu Maqdoom Shaheed, and remnants of its international trading past, though many historical sites remain neglected today.

An old sword, used during the anti-Portuguese battles, is kept as a relic at the Erattaikulam Palli (Masjid Meekayeel); a few other mosques also keep such relics.  (https://mnoushad.com/)

Visit the Periya Khutba Palli build sometime in the Seventh century. It houses the royal tombs of Ma’bar Sultans, the independent Muslim sultanate which was also called Madhurai Sultanate, established during the 14th century on the Coromandel Coast and lasted for less than half a century before it was terminated by the Vijayanagar kingdom. 

https://mnoushad.com/