Thrissur: Considered to be India's oldest
mosque, the 1,400-year-old Cheraman Juma Masjid at nearby
Kodungalloor will soon be renovated at an estimated cost of Rs
10 crore.
The soil examination for the project was held today and the
reconstruction work would commence in the first week of
September, Masjid President, P A Muhammed Sayed, told
reporters here.
The reconstructed mosque would have two underground
prayer halls each with 14,896 sq feet area to accommodate
3,000 faithfuls each in the two halls, he said.
Once the renovation of the mosque -- built in 629 AD -- is
completed, it would be the first mosque in the country with
underground prayer halls, Sayed said.
The main objective of the reconstruction project was to
restore the glory of the Cheraman Juma Masjid, he said.
On an average, 1,000 tourists, including foreigners, visit
the mosque daily.
The renovation would be carried out in four phases, with
the first phase expected to be completed in a year, mosque
Administrator E B Faizal said. It would take at least four
years to complete the re-construction of the masjid, he added.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, June 28, 2011, 17:53