Kechchimalai Mosque (Sinhala: කෙච්චිමලේ මුස්ලිම් පල්ලිය; Tamil: கெச்சிமலை பள்ளிவாசல்) is a popular Islamic place of worship situated in Beruwala, Kalutara District, Sri Lanka. It is considered one of the oldest mosques in the country.
Folklore
It is said that Kechchimalai Mosque was built by the present Sri Lanka Moors, the descendants of Yavanas. The R. L. Brohier's book "Seeing Ceylon" mentions the local tradition that claims that the advance emigrant band of Yavanas, styled by misnomer Moor, from Kayalpattinam to the north-east of Cape Comorin (present Kanyakumari in South India) landed at the point in 1024 and made it their most important and historic settlement in the island (Brohier, 1965). It is mentioned that this mosque was established during the period between 1320-1327 (Dissanayaka, 2023). The present building shows combined architectural features of both Islamic and British (Dissanayaka, 2023).
A Protected Site
The Kechchimalei Mosque building belonging to Paranakade Village situated in Grama Niladhari Division No. 753, Paranakade in the Divisional Secretary’s Division of Beruwala is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government gazette notification published on 9 March 2016.
See Also
#) Kachchiwatta Mosque
#) Masjid Al Abrar
References
1) Brohier, R.L., 1965. Seeing Ceylon in Vistas of Scenery, History, Legend, and Folklore. Colombo: Lake House Investments. p.130.
2) Dissanayaka, S. B., 2023. 2014 Varshaya Sandaha Puravidya Generalge Palana Varthawa (In Sinhala). ISBN: 978-624-5840-23-6. p.37.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Extraordinary). No: 1957/18. 9 March 2016. p.4A.
Attribution
1) Ketchimalai Mosque- Beruwala, Sri Lanka by Hafiz Issadeen is licensed under CC BY 2.0