Mishkal Mosque (Malayalam: മിശ്കാൽ പള്ളി, also spelled Mithqal Mosque, Mishkal Palli) is a medieval mosque located in Calicut on the Malabar Coast of southern India. It stands as one of the few surviving medieval mosques in Kerala and is considered an important cultural, historical, and architectural monument in the region.
The mosque was built in the 14th century by the eponymous Muslim merchant and shipowner, Mishkal, who was active in Calicut during the 1340s. Mishkal was known for his immense wealth and his fleet of ships engaged in trade with India, China, Yemen, and Persia. Shipowners, known as nakhudas, were among the wealthiest merchants in the medieval Indian Ocean world.
Mishkal Mosque is situated in the Kuttichira neighborhood, part of Thekkepuram beach in Calicut. In January 1510, the mosque was partially burned during a Portuguese attack on Calicut led by Albuquerque, which also occupied the Zamorin’s palace. The attack was later repulsed by the Zamorin’s Nair troops, resulting in the deaths of 300 to 500 Portuguese soldiers, with the survivors barely escaping. The top floors of the mosque still bear the marks of that damage.
Following the attack, the mosque was renovated and refurbished under the supervision of the Zamorin, who was known for granting land and permission for Muslims to construct places of worship. The nearby Muchundi Mosque in Kuttichira still holds stone inscriptions that testify to the Zamorin’s financial contributions to its construction in the 13th century.
Originally, the Mishkal Mosque had five stories, but after the 1510 arson, it was rebuilt in 1578/79 and now has four stories. Unlike other medieval mosques in Kerala, it lacks cupolas and minarets and is heavily constructed with timber.
A large tank, known as the Kuttichira tank, is attached to the mosque. The mosque features 47 doors, 24 carved pillars, and a spacious prayer hall that can accommodate around 400 people. The prayer hall is well ventilated and adorned with a wooden member featuring intricate motifs.