The article first appeared in the Hindu on May 16, 2024
In the Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, that had long trading links with Arabia, there is the Barwada Masjid (outsiders’ mosque) in Ghoga, which points not to Mecca, but to Jerusalem. It is known that in the lifetime of the Prophet, prayers were first offered in the direction of Jerusalem before he changed the direction to Mecca.