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Ramadan in India: Travel back in time along the Malabar coast in northern Kerala
Cultures, languages, traditions, and beliefs travelled alongside merchants and sailors, gradually shaping the unique cultural landscape of the Malabar Coast
- PUBLISHED: Tue 17 Mar 2026, 6:00 AM
One of the most soothing experiences during Ramadan is along the Malabar coast in northern Kerala, which has over the centuries been influenced by Arab settlers. It has been described as a time of culture and community, when entire towns and neighbourhoods get transformed during the holy month.
“Mosques are cleaned, repainted, and illuminated. Streets surrounding historic mosques glow with soft lights while communities prepare for evenings filled with prayer, charity, and gatherings,” Kozhikode-based Muhammed Shihad, managing director, City Heritage, told Khaleej Times. “During the daytime, towns remain calm and reflective. But as sunset approaches, life slowly awakens. Markets begin to bustle, the aroma of freshly prepared snacks fills the air, and families gather together awaiting the call to prayer.”
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Along the beaches of Kozhikode at sunset, thousands gather along the Arabian Sea for Iftar. Shihad said families sit in circles facing the ocean, sharing homemade delicacies as the sun sets. “Across the Malabar Coast, many mosques offer free iftar meals to anyone who arrives — reflecting the region’s long tradition of hospitality and charity. Some even serve suhoor meals during the early hours of the morning.” Kannur City Juma Masjid is one such place where a dedicated committee organises free suhoor every day during Ramadan.
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The Malabar coastline, once one of the world’s most vibrant maritime trade corridors, welcomed merchants, travellers, and scholars from distant lands. Ships from the Arabian Peninsula, China, and Africa arrived carrying gold, silk, and porcelain, while departing with the precious spices that made Malabar famous across the world. “Yet what truly flowed across these waters was far more valuable than trade goods,” noted Shihad. “Cultures, languages, traditions, and beliefs travelled alongside merchants and sailors, gradually shaping the unique cultural landscape of the Malabar Coast.”
It was in 2018 that Shihad, a heritage enthusiast, set up City Heritage as an initiative to revive forgotten culinary traditions and cultural memories of north Kerala. Since then, it has organised nearly a thousand heritage walks, and more than 50 nightwalks across coastal towns including Kannur, Thalassery, Valapattanam, Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Beypore and Ponnani.
One of the most prominent is the Ramadan Night Heritage Walk, an experiential journey that allows visitors to witness the spiritual and cultural life of Malabar during the sacred month of Ramadan. It has organised four each in Kozhikode and Kannur, two in Thalassery and one in Valapattanam. Interestingly, each historic town along the Malabar Coast carries its own unique Ramadan traditions.
For instance, in Kannur city, the legacy of the Arakkal Kingdom — the only Muslim royal dynasty in Kerala — still shapes the cultural landscape. The Arakkal rulers built several mosques in the region, making it one of the most fascinating places in India to experience Ramadan traditions. “These mosques reflect distinctive architectural styles that blend Kerala’s local building traditions with Islamic influences,” explains Shihad. The city’s culinary traditions are just as captivating. Delicacies such as Muttappam, Muttamala, and Muttasurka are not merely sweets prepared during Ramadan; they are edible memories of centuries of cultural exchange that shaped the food heritage of the Malabar Coast.
Further south in Kozhikode, the historic neighbourhood of Kuttichira reveals another chapter of Malabar’s Arab connections. Arab merchants who arrived with the monsoon winds often stayed here for months while waiting for the return voyage.
Participants in the Ramadan Night Heritage Walk experience historic streets, mosque neighbourhoods, vibrant markets, and traditional food hubs that come alive after iftar. Under lantern-lit alleys and quiet starlit skies, storytellers share the hidden narratives of Malabar’s past — from centuries of maritime trade and cultural exchanges to the evolution of Mappila traditions and cuisine.
