No, This Video Isn’t of a Temple Converted Into a Mosque in Kerala

The video shows the Zeenath Baksh Masjid in Karnataka's Mangalore which was built by Arab traders around 644 AD.

The claim states that it is an old temple in Kerala that has been converted in a masjid.

(Source: Alerted by The Quint)

Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas

A video which shows a picturesque old-style building, the interior of which is made of wood, is being shared on social media with a claim that it is an old Hindu temple that has been converted into a mosque in Kerala.

The claim further takes a dig at the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) party for staying "mum on this".

However, we found that the claim is false and the building seen in the video is the Zeenath Baksh Masjid in Karnataka's Mangalore. According to the information available on the Karnataka tourism website, the masjid is believed to be set up by Arab Muslim traders in 644 AD.

CLAIM

The video is being shared along with a claim that reads, "Old Hindu temple taken over by the Muslims by force in Kerala and converted it into a Masjid. Kerala's Communist government is mum on this."

The user also tagged Sudarshan News chief editor Suresh Chavhanke, who has often been called out for peddling disinformation.

An archive of the tweet can be seen here. 

(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)

Several social media users have shared the video along with similar claims and the archived links can be seen here, here and here.

WHAT WE FOUND

On a closer look at the video, we noticed a watermark which read 'Thousand shades of India'.

The watermark 'Thousand Shades of India' can be seen.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Taking a cue from here, we looked up on Google and found the Instagram as well as YouTube handles of the page.

We found the video of the mosque on their Instagram account and it mentioned that it is the Zeenath Baksh Masjid in Mangalore, which is the "oldest mosque in Karnataka and the third oldest in India".

"Mangalore's Bunder area houses one of India's oldest Muslim communities their origin dating back to almost 1,400 years. A testimony to their history, going back 14 centuries, is their ancient place of worship, Zeenat Baksh Masjid, renovated and renamed by Tipu Sultan in the 18th century," the caption read.

Further, we found the details about the mosque on the official website of Karnataka tourism.

The description mentioned that the mosque portrays the life stories of Prophet Mohammed and the main highlight of the mosque is the wooden inner sanctum consisting of 16 pillars that are made of teak.

Clearly, a video from Karnataka's Mangalore is being shared on social media with the false claim that it is an old Hindu temple forcefully taken over by Muslims in Kerala.

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