At a time when there is controversy over whether women can enter certain temples, a mosque in Kerala's Kottayam district has opened its doors to women. All women believers of the community can enter the Thazhathangady Juma mosque on April 24 and May 8, a first in its history. 
 
 The Thazhathangady Juma mosque is said to be almost thousand years old but one that was visited only by men. The women in the community were never allowed to take a look at the inside of the mosque. 
 
 The mosque committee has now decided to let women inside. 
 
 "Muslim women in the right attire can enter the mosque only on the two days as decided by the committee," said Moulauddeen Sirajjuddeen Hasni, the Chief Imam. 
 
 The right to enter however does not mean right to pray. The temple committee had to convince the men that the timing of their entry will not clash with the namaz timings on the two days. 
 
 "There are several people who are not happy with the decision. For now, outsiders cannot enter. Only Muslim women can and about women praying inside, we will discuss in future," said MP Nawab, president, mosque committee. 
 
 One of the oldest mosques in India, Thazhathangady Juma mosque is a tourist attraction famous for its architecture. But Haseena Kunjimon who lives close to the mosque, just 2 kms from Kottayam town has never been able to have a glimpse of the wonder. She is pleased that she now can. 
 
 "My friends from other religion ask me if I have ever seen the mosque because tourists come to see it often. Kids have seen the inside. Now I can see too," says Haseena. 
 
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 A 1,000-year-old mosque in Kerala, India opened to Muslim women for the first time on Sunday. 
 
 The Thazhathangady Juma mosque is known for its architecture and wooden carvings, the Times of India reports, but only men can worship there and women have never been allowed to look inside. The president of the mosque said a committee decided to open the mosque to women for visitation, but not prayer, on Sunday and for a second time on May 8. Men will not be allowed in the mosque while women are present. 
 
 “This is a 1000-year-old mosque. Our women had not seen it so far and had a great desire to visit the holy place. So the mosque committee decided to allow women to visit it,” said the mosque committee’s president. Thousands of women traveled to the city of Kottayam to enter the mosque wearing traditional clothing on Sunday. 
 
 [Times of India] 

 Juma Masjid at Thazhathangadi is ancient mosque on the banks of the Meenachil River in Kottayam and is believed to be 1000 years old. It is one of the oldest in India. The mosque has a square inner courtyard, an exquisitely carved wooden gabled roof, a traditional bathing area and lovely latticed windows making it resemble a temple or a king's palace. Only men are allowed here. 
 
 Mosque timings: 0700 - 1800 hrs 
 
 
 
 Getting there 
 
 Location 
 
 Kottayam, via Kottayam - Kumarakom Road, about 4 kmCochin International Airport, via National Highway 47, 90 km 
 
 Lattitude:9.594233, Longitude: 76.501787 
 

– For the first time in its 1,000-year history, one of India's oldest mosques opened its doors to women. Thousands of Muslim women flocked to the religious site in Kerala on Sunday, reports the Times of India, making their way into the Thazhathangady Juma Masjid to view its historic architecture and ancient wooden carvings: A local tourism site likens it to a "king's palace" due to elements like an inner courtyard, an "exquisitely carved" gabled roof, and "lovely" latticed windows. The women were not, however, permitted to pray or worship and were not allowed to enter the mosque while men were inside, reports Time. A second day of visitation has been set for May 8. "Muslim women in the right attire can enter the mosque only on the two days as decided by the committee," chief Imam Moulauddeen Sirajjuddeen Hasni says. The committee is entertaining the idea of permitting women to pray, India Today reports, but they would not disrupt the prayer schedule for men, and so at least for now, women can only visit, and there are stipulations there, too. "Outsiders cannot enter. Only Muslim women can, and about women praying inside, we will discuss in [the] future," the mosque committee president says. Says one woman: "I had always wanted to enter and offer worship. But I was afraid of even expressing that desire. I am happy that such an opportunity has come now." (On the subject of Indian treasures, the country wants its "unlucky" diamond back.)