Kalpeni has an extensive maritime trade heritage, historically sending trading vessels (odams) laden with coir, copra, and dried tuna to Calicut, Mangalore, and the Persian Gulf. Following catastrophic cyclones in the 18th and 19th centuries—most notably the historic Great Cyclone of 1847 that submerged parts of the island—the island community rebuilt Mohiuddin Mosque using fortified coral-block engineering to serve as both a place of prayer and a safe community sanctuary.
The building was constructed using community cooperative labor (known locally as 'Koottan'), with every sailor and craftsman contributing timber and coral blocks.
