The Arab Traders and Legends of Cheraman Perumal

Step into the captivating world of the legendary Chera King of Kerala - Cheraman Perumal or Ravi Varma. As Arab traders journeyed through his territory, they would seek out his company, and a strong bond grew between them. The tales of their fascinating relationship have been passed down through generations, woven into the fabric of evergreen folklore that still enthrals and captivates audiences today.

Replica of the Original Cheraman Mosque Image source: Shillong Times

During the period of Cherman Peruman Perumal, Kerala became the preferred trading destination for Arab traders, thanks to the abundance of spices such as pepper that piqued their interest. The kings extended a warm welcome to the traders, inviting them to their courts and palaces.

The dignified and gracious conduct of the Arabs impressed the rulers greatly.

The traders may have encountered a language barrier with Malayalam, and the rulers may have found Arabic tiresome. However, their enduring relationship bears witness to a bond that transcended such linguistic barriers. It is a testament to the fact that something greater than language united these two cultures in a mutually beneficial exchange.

Perumals not only kept a close relationship with the Arab traders who came here to buy the spices like pepper and cinnamon, they even allowed them to marry girls from Kerala.

There are many legends that have surfaced about different Perumals. Some of these have been documented in historical records, while others have been passed down as folklore. Among them, the story of King Ravi Varma is the most famous.

Once Perumal was walking with his beloved queen. Suddenly they saw the moon split into two halves on the horizon. He asked the astrologers to write down the time and enquired about the reason behind such a weird phenomenon. Since it was the first experience for astrologers, they failed to give a satisfactory answer for that.

There were a bunch of Arab traders who were going to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) for trade. En route, they were invited by King Ravi Varma and he gave them shelter, food, etc. The Arabs were experts in astronomy because they needed it to cross the long desert and to navigate in the sea.

When they came into his court, Ravi Varma explained to them the incident that he saw in order to know whether they knew anything about it. Surprisingly, they said it could probably be the miracle that Prophet Mohammed performed in Makkah. (In Islamic history, there is an incident of splitting the moon as a testimony of the Prophethood of Mohammed.)

The king was highly convinced by the explanation of Arab traders and decided to embrace Islam. He made a plan to go to Mecca (a place in today’s Saudi Arabia) and visit the prophet. But he kept his plan to leave his country very secret. He divided the power of territories among the different chieftains of his country and then left the country with the Arab traders. He arrived at Mecca and met Prophet Mohammed and embraced Islam. He spent some years there and then returned to Kerala. On the way back, he fell ill with a fatal disease and died in Oman.

Before his death, he had written some letters and entrusted them to his fellow Arabs to convey them to the king of Kerala. Later, when Malik bin Dinar arrived here in Kerala, he handed over this letter to the king of Kerala. Malik bin Dinar was a companion of Prophet Mohammed who was sent to Kerala for the propagation of Islam. The king allowed Malik bin Dinar to build a mosque here in Kodungallur of Kerala. This mosque is the first mosque built in India.

The mosque in Kodungallur still stands, lending credibility to the stories surrounding Malik bin Dinar. However, the tales of the Meccan expedition of Perumal are the subject of intense debate, with historians holding polarized views on the veracity of the voyage.

The current image of Cherman Mosque. image source: KT explorer