PONNANI
important fishing center in Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is situated at the mouth of Bharathapuzha river, the second longest river of Kerala and is bounded by the Arabian Sea on the west. Ponnani is a small town at the mouth of the Bharathapuzha. Ponnani is a "town of mosques". Though described as the "place of masjids", there are nearly 50 mosques. Ponnani has a population which is a blend of almost equal percentage of Hindus and Muslims and has set an example for tolerant and peaceful religious co-existence its history.
William Logan, the famous historian-turned-civil administrator, records in his Malabar Manual about the Ponnani Juma’ Masjid built in 925 Hijra. Ponnani is considered as the second capital of Kingdom of Calicut during the reign of Zamorins and was the headquarters of Kunhali Marakkars, the famous naval army chiefs of Calicut
Ponnani enjoyed a status as an important centre for education in the philosophy of Islam. In the early period, Ponnani was considered "the Al-Azhar Universityof Kerala", for its great Muslim religious schools and teachers. Ponnani was called "the small Mecca" in southern India. Ponnani has also contributed a great deal to the cultural and literary heritage of Kerala.
