Prime Minister Narendra Modi Gifts Replica of Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kerala to the Saudi Arabia King Sunday April 03,2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted the King a gold-plated replica of the Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kerala.

In Thrissur district, Cheraman Juma Masjid is believed to be the first mosque built in India by Arab traders around 629 AD and is symbolic of active trade relations between India and Saudi Arabia since ancient times.

As per PMO India, according to oral tradition, Cheraman Perumal was the Chera King and a contemporary of the Holy Prophet. Cheraman Perumal went to Arabia and embraced Islam after meeting the Holy Prophet at Mecca.

"The mosque has an ancient oil lamp that is always kept burning and believed to be over a thousand years old. People from all religions bring oil for the lamp as an offering,"
PMO India tweeted.

PM @narendramodi gifted His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud a gold-plated replica of the Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kerala.

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) Sunday April 03,2016