KOCHANGADI “…when any one of you enters the mosque, he should say, ‘O God open to me the doors of your blessing’, and when he leaves it should say, ‘O God open to me the doors of your wisdom’…” Inscription at Chembitta Palli
Carved inscrip<on boards above prayer hall entry doors at Chembi a Palli.
South of the old Maharaja’s estate (now called the Dutch Palace) and Jewtown (once home to Jewish merchants) sits Kochangadi, the original Muslim quarter. Stretching along the backwaters to the east, far from the eyes of the European colonialists who rarely travelled to Mattancherry, this area has been home to Muslims since the founding of Cochin. The settlers chose the unoccupied east side of the peninsula for its excellent harbour. Here they were protected from the rough open seas at the west. The life of the local Muslims, complete with schools, mosques, shops, storehouses, homes and shrines thrived. Today, the population remains and the five daily calls to prayer continue to fill the air, distinct voices emanating from the many different mosques. Successful merchants built fine homes in Kochangadi and contributed to the construction of its mosques. The neighbourhood has more than a dozen mosques, catering to a predominantly Sunni population, with a variety of sub-sects and ethnic backgrounds. Coconut 29
