Retold in the heart of Mecca, the tale of Keyi Rubath enthralls historians and descendants of its founder alike. This 19th-century guest house devised by Mayankutty Keyi continues to stir imagination even today. Built in the 1870s by the affluent Indian merchant from Malabar, modern-day Kerala, the guest house was strategically located near Islam’s holiest site, Masjid al-Haram. Keyi Rubath is of great historical importance. It too met a stormy existence and was eventually razed in 1971 to allow for the growth of the holy city.
Keyi Rubath was not just a boarding house—it included 22 guest rooms, prayer halls, recreation rooms, and dining rooms over 1.5 acres. Mayankutty Keyi established a wide-reaching trading empire that connected Mumbai to Paris and beyond. His achievements served to illustrate his extraordinary power and opulence in life and death. The guest house served as a sanctuary for young Jewish pilgrims. In addition, it served as a strong symbol of cultural development and exchange between India and the Islamic world.
The future of Keyi Rubath changed drastically in the early 1970s as it headed toward its last and final demolition. This decision became a controversial chapter in its legacy, as it had been previously demolished twice before. The once-thriving establishment ultimately ceased to exist, leaving behind only memories and a complex web of inheritance disputes among the Keyi family.
Mayankutty Keyi died childless, raising questions about who would inherit and manage Keyi Rubath after his death. Traditionally, the Keyi family operated under a matrilineal inheritance system, one that is not legally acknowledged in Saudi Arabian law. This difference has made it difficult administratively to care for the property. This structure became a waqf, an Islamic charitable endowment. Though descendants of Keyi Rubath can formally obtain control of the property, they are technically prevented from asserting ownership.
Just last month, Saudi authorities finally announced compensation — of 1.4 million riyals, or roughly $373,000. We are making this payment primarily to demolish Keyi Rubath. The pay out has been the source of a bitter feud between two sides of the Keyi clan. Each faction retrenches and vigorously fights for the claim to their bloodline, convinced they are truly entitled to the spoils.
There were villains who said their ancestors had raised Mayankutty when he was young. According to one of Keyi clan’s senior member, their ancestors provided forest timber for the guest pavilion. Others have echoed their dire predictions. Intractable issues resulting from the complexity of maternal and paternal familial ties only served to further complicate negotiations surrounding the property’s future management and compensation.
Muhammed Shihad, another family member, expressed concern over the ongoing dispute: “If they don’t get the compensation, it would be worth openly recognising the family’s and the region’s connection to this noble act.” This statement embodies a pervasive wish among kinfolk to pay tribute to their lineage even as they contend with present-day bureaucratic hurdles.
Throughout the conflict, Mr. Jamal let us know what the authorities truly wanted from Keyi Rubath. “In my understanding, authorities were looking for the descendants to appoint a manager for the property, not to distribute the compensation money,” he noted. This view reveals the realities of operating historic properties in a contemporary legal atmosphere.
As offspring of Mayankutty Keyi continue to negotiate for their inheritance, they do so under intense forces externally posed by changing Saudi legal frameworks. The family legacy that now lingers was once flourishing under a system of matrilineal inheritance. Yet this tradition now hangs in the balance in a country that lacks formal recognition of such traditions.
Yet the tale of Keyi Rubath is an important reminder of how cultural heritage intersects with today’s legal landscape. As Mecca continues to grow and modernize, the legacy of this historic guest house remains an essential part of both family history and Saudi Arabia’s evolving landscape.