A living symbol of harmony and syncretism

The Nagore Dargah, with its five imposing minarets and shining gold-plated dome, is almost invisible in the chaos of this small town’s daily traffic. But the steady stream of devotees walking along the winding by-lanes will automatically lead newcomers to the ‘Alangaara Vaasal’, the main entrance of this enduring symbol of religious harmony. The various highway routes to Nagore seem to echo its shrine’s everlasting message: there are many ways to experience the divine.

Dedicated to the Muslim saint Abdul Qadir, born in Manikpur (in the present day Uttar Pradesh) on November 17, 1504, Nagore Dargah is the largest shrine of its kind in south India. The saint is also known by honorifics and titles such as Shahul Hameed, Meera Sahib, Qadir Wali, Periya Ejaman and Nagore Andavar.

Dargah is a composite Persian word that, by extension, refers to a shrine built over the tomb of a revered religious leader. In the Sufi tradition, dargahs have evolved into pilgrim centres, and draw huge numbers of multi-faith congregations from across the globe.

“Without the dargah sharif, there is no Nagore,” S. Syed Mohamed Khalifa Sahib, Qadiri Hashmi, president, Nagore Dargah Advisory Board, told The Hindu. The shrine receives approximately 23,000 to 25,000 pilgrims daily. On Fridays, considered auspicious for both Hindus and Muslims, the number goes up to 40,000. “During the annual 14-day ‘Kanduri’ festival to mark the Qadir Wali’s death anniversary (due in December this year), we receive over a million devotees,” he added.

Abdul Qadir is said to have passed away on November 9, 1570, though the year of death varies in different narratives. Nagore Dargah also contains the graves of the celibate seer’s foster son and spiritual heir Yusuf (also known as Sinna Yejamaan), his wife Sultan Biwi Amma, and some of their children.

Known to be a mystic with a profound knowledge of the 14 ‘tariqa’ (school/method) of Sufism, Abdul Qadir is said to have performed miracles (‘karaamaat’) that earned him a following among royalty and the common man early on.

After mastering Islamic subjects, history, geography, mathematics, logic, astronomy, and music by the age of 18, Abdul Qadir is said to have left his parental home in Manikpur for higher religious studies under the tutelage of Mohamed Ghauth of Gwalior.

Ten years later, he travelled the globe, with a group of 404 disciples (as ordered by his master), preaching Islamic principles and practising ethnic medicine among small groups of people.

The coastal town of Ponnani in Kerala is thought to be his first south Indian destination. Travelling through Kayalpattinam, Melapalayam and Tiruchi, he proceeded to Thanjavur, where he is said to have cured the then ruler Achutappa Naicker of a rare disease believed to have been caused by black magic. As a mark of gratitude, the ruler gifted him the land where Nagore Dargah stands today.

Settling down in Nagore when he was 40, Abdul Qadir died at the age of 68. His foster son Yusuf Dada continued the traditions instituted by the saint and dedicated his life to Nagore, until his demise on September 28, 1623.

The shrine’s growth from a humble memorial made of thorny wood picketing to the present structure has largely been due to his devoted followers down generations.

The five minarets are of different heights and are distinguished by their names – Periya Minara (built by Thanjavur ruler Pratap Singh Bhonsle in 1760s); Sahib Minara, Thalaimattu Minara, Mudubak Minara and Ottu Minara. Trained climbers from the fishing community scale these tall structures during the Kanduri festival to hoist sacred flags from the top.

Besides this, there is a ‘teppakulam’ (pond) attached to the dargah known as the Shifa Gunta, that is replenished with rainwater harvesting. The entire complex has four gateways. The bustle outside the dargah is akin to that of any pilgrim centre. People of all ages and creeds have been gathering in the different prayer halls, and will probably continue to do so through the day, as they wait to venerate the ‘rowla sharif’, the sanctum sanctorum that houses the saint’s tomb. Prayers are recited in Arabic and Tamil, as per the devotees’ request.

Strains of ‘mangala isai’ (auspicious music) of nadaswaram and mridangam filter in from the nagara medai in the upper section of the building, while, below, the fragrance of smoking ‘sambrani’ (benzoin resin) gets fanned out of a pot near the entrance.

Some are lost in contemplation, eyes closed in prayer, while others prostrate in supplication. A heap of sea salt, an offering from fishermen, is piled up in a ‘mandapam’, while the first paddy seed of the planting season, from farmers, is being swept up from the floor.

“The dargah follows many Hindu customs. Like temples, devotees get tonsured, break coconuts as offerings, and even donate small metal replicas of body parts to cure diseases. This is a place of religious harmony. All are welcome here to practise their rites while worshipping. In fact, some of our more prominent followers from other faiths have often called the dargah their ‘kuladeiva kovil’ (ancestral temple),” said H. Mohamed Hussain Sahib, hereditary Adheenam of Nagore Dargah.

Among the many examples of this unusual blend of syncretic practices is the shroud that drapes the ‘rowla sharif’, that is opened to view at specified hours of the day. The family of Palaniandi Pillai, an early disciple of the saint (currently based in Chennai), has been weaving and dedicating the cloth ceremoniously to the shrine every year. “Some 25 to 30 family members come to make this offering. Nobody else’s shroud can be draped on the ‘rowla sharif’,” said Mr. Hussain.

The dargah has been administered as private property by the Sahibs, the descendants of Yusuf Dada, said to number around 2,400, for over 600 years. The mercantile Marakkair community is in charge of the commercial activity.

“Sahibs guide the devotees and perform the rites. We host them in our homes or hostelries,” said Mr. Hussain. At least one member of the Sahib clan is expected to remain in Nagore and continue the family tradition in every generation, he added.

The shrine would remain relevant despite the march of time, said Mr. Syed Mohamed, the dargah’s Khalifa.

“We have updated the premises, with facilities like Wi-Fi, better flooring, fire extinguishers, CCTV cameras and first aid kits. But we cannot change any of the rituals or the emotions with which prayers are offered at the dargah. This is a matter of faith that cannot be explained with logic,” he said.