Nagore Dargah
| Nagore Dargah | |
|---|---|
A panoramic view of Nagore Dargah; Dome, Sacred water tank and the five minarets
|
|
| Basic information | |
| Location | Nagore, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Geographic coordinates | 10°49′05″N 79°51′29″E / 10.818°N 79.858°ECoordinates: 10°49′05″N 79°51′29″E / 10.818°N 79.858°E |
| District | Nagapattinam |
| Territory | Nagore |
| Country | India |
| Administration | Nagore dargah committee |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Mosque |
| Website | www.nagoredargah.com |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Mosque |
| Architectural style | Islamic |
| Specifications | |
| Dome(s) | 1 (gold-plated) |
| Minaret(s) | 5 |
| Minaret height | 131 ft (40 m) (tallest) |
Nagore Dargah (also called Nagoor Dargah or Hazrat Syed Shahul Hameed Dargah) is a dargah built over the tomb of the Sufi saint Hazrath Nagore Shahul Hamid (1490–1579 CE). It is located in Nagore, a coastal town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Outer doors kept open always. Internal doors opening time is from 4:30 am to 07:00 am and 6:25 pm to 9:30 pm. Friday alone additionally kept open from 12 noon to 2:30 pm also. Shahul Hamid is believed to have performed many miracles in Nagore, and cured the physical affliction of king Achutappa Nayak, a 16th-century Hindu ruler of Thanjavur. He is locally referred to as Nagore Andavar, meaning the "god of Nagore". Nagore dargah as it stands now, is believed to have been built by ardent devotees of Shahul Hamid, with major contribution from Hindus. There are five minarets in the dargah, with the Hindu Maratha ruler of Thanjavur Pratap Singh (1739–1763 CE), building the tallest minaret. The dargah is a major pilgrimage centre that attracts pilgrims from both Islam and Hinduism, symbolizing peaceful coexistence between the two religions.
The most prominent event celebrated at Nagore dargah is the Kanduri festival, a fourteen-day commemoration of the death anniversary of Shahul Hamid. Common worship practices at Nagore dargah include the presentation of offerings, accompanied by the playing of musical instruments like nadaswaram, atypical of Hindu religious tradition. The Shifa Gunta, a pool within the precincts of the dargah, is considered sacred; pilgrims take a holy dip in it. The hereditary Khalifa (Sufi saint), selected from among the descendants of saint Yusuf, performs all the official and religious duties of the dargah. The administration and maintenance of the dargah is governed by a committee which operates under a scheme decreed by the Madras High Court.
Hazrath Shahul Hamid Badusha Kaadiri was born to Hazrath Syed Hassan Kuthos Baba Kaadiri and Bibi Fathima at Manikpur, in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. He was a 13th generation descendant of the renowned Sufi saint, Hazrath Muhiyudin Abd al-Qadir al-Jalani. He had his Islamic education at Gwalior under the guidance of Hazrat Mohammad Ghouse. He left on a pilgrimage to Mecca and then moved to Maldives, Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu with his spiritual team. Historians Sayyid and Qadir Hussain (1957) place the date of his birth on 10 November 1504, death on 10 November 1570 and arrival in Nagore during 1533–34. Other sources mention the year of death as 1558, 1570 or 1579. He is believed to have led a simple and pious life, performing a lot of miracles, giving him the name Nagore Andavar (meaning god of Nagore). His popularity grew outside Tanjore region during the period. He was also called Meera Saheb, Qadir Wali and Ganj-e-Sawai.
...
Wikipedia