ABOUT

This mosque also known as 'Sheikhinte Palli' has the mausoleum of Sheikh Muhammad Abul Wafa Shamsuddin(1523-1572 C.E/930-980 AH). Popularly known as Suppikkavittil Sheikh Mamukoya,he was the son of a Syrian immigrant Alauddin al-Himsi.After his education,he left for Aceh(Indonesia), where he came into contact with Sultan Alauddin al-Kahar (reign 1537-71 C.E)-who was involved in a relentless fight against the Portuguese.Impressed by his skill in archery, the Sultan presented the Sheikh with a golden bracelet.Another story says that,the Sheikh won the Sultan's favour by helping him to recover his lost pet parrot from a forest.From Aceh,the Sheikh left for Hajj and stayed in Yemen for a while.After returning to Kozhikode in 1566 C.E,he was actively involved in Zamorin's struggle against the Portuguese.The Sheikh even helped the Zamorin to seek the assistance of the Achenese Sultan in his battle against the Portuguese.Kunhali Marakkar III was a disciple of the Sheikh. Many years after his death,some devotees had a dream that the Sheikh's grave,situated near a reef was in danger of being washed away.Upon opening the grave,they found the body remarkably well preserved.His mortal remains were then re-interred at the present site and the mosque was built over it. An Arabic inscription on a plank over the inner door records the death of Sheikh Muhammad entitled Abu'l wafa,son of Alau'ddin, born of the sister of Sharif Hasan al-Hirsi on 16 th Rajab,Saturday A.H 980/22 nd November 1572 C.E.There are 2 more Arabic inscriptions-one on a plank above the entrance and the other above the doors of the main hall stating the renovation of the mosque in A.H 1152/1739-40 C.E. by Khwaja Bahauddin,son of Khwaja Hussain-a servant of Sheikh Muhammad.Both the inscriptions are flanked by tabular charms. William Logan notes in his Malabar Manual(1887) that the mosque was 48'x32' in dimension.He records that the mosque was looked upon with much reverence by the mappilas and was constantly resorted to by them for the adjustment of civil disputes by the test of oath. The annual remembrance of this Sufi Sheikh known as 'Appanyam'(Appa vanibham/trade in rice cake) is conducted during the 15 th of Rajab(7 th Arabic month).Baskets of body-part shaped Appams(rice pancake)prepared by devotees are brought to the mausoleum in a procession led by caparisoned elephants, accompanied by band music.A quick trade in these rice cakes is carried out here,and these are bought by the charitable for distribution among the destitutes.There are appams of various size and shape for diseases of different parts of the body. People of all communities put coins in the offering box in order to fulfill their wishes.Cultivated crops, new clothes,oil are also given as offerings here.Kuthu ratheeb ritual is conducted during this nerchcha.On this day,the chief priest wears a traditional head-dress gifted by an ancestor of the Mamburam Thangal. The mausoleum finds mention in Oru Desathinte Katha(1971)-the famous Malayalam novel by S. K. Pottekkatt.