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Peaceful coexistence

The Goripalayam dargah stands as a symbol of religious harmony

PHOTO: K. GANESAN

STANDING TALL Spreading the message of love and peace

Love towards humanity is what the religions preach.

Also, none can deny that a place of worship is for everyone, irrespective of religious denominations.

One such place is the Hajha Syed Sultan Alaoudeen Syed Sultan Samsudeen Aouliya Dargah located at Goripalayam, which houses the tombs of Muslim missionaries.

Hailed as one of the oldest Dargahs in the State, it also serves as a healing centre.

"From the day people came to know about the divinity of the place and experienced the love showered on them, it has found place in their hearts and remains there for ever. Even now, the Dargah authorities give equal importance to Hindus, which is why my family is honoured with the post of `Thandalkarar' for years together," says T.P.S. Baskaran, who is the ninth generation Thandalkarar of the Dargah.

The legend

According to a popular legend, which dates back to the late 13th and early 14th century, missionaries Syed Sultan Alaoudeen and Syed Sultan Samsudeen relieved King Sundara Pandian of his ailment. The King was astonished, as he almost resigned to fate after medical experts ruled out any chance of a cure.

Impressed by the healing powers of the missionaries, the King handed over the reigning powers of nine villages, which included Goripalayam, Chokkikulam, Bibikulam, Tiruppalai, Kannanendal, Naganakulam, Sirudhoor in Madurai division and Poonari and Sorikalipatti in Melur division to them.

Later, the Nayak Kings, who tried to attach the villages again with their kingdom, acknowledged the services of the missionaries. Amazed at the peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Muslims, they confirmed the earlier order, which is quite evident from the stone inscription belonging to 1573 still preserved on the Dargah premises.

The inscription reads that any illegal possession of the lands assigned to the missionaries would amount to killing a cow on the banks of the Ganges.

Architecture

The stone dome atop the central hall, where the tombs are located, is made of a single stone. The legend pertaining to the dome is that the King of Madurai wanted the single stone structure found in the northern part to be shifted to the south.

When the workers, who pulled the stone structure, tried to cross Goripalayam against the wish of the missionaries, it stopped abruptly. The King came to know about their prowess and donated the stone in honour of the missionaries.

The Dargah governed the whole area with great sense of responsibility as it had dedicated servants to collect several taxes including those levied on irrigation, land and revenue. Even registration and patta transfers were done at the place. That is how a `Thandalkarar' came into being.

The festival

During the `Santhana Koodu' festival, the Dargah authorities hand over the decorated sacred pot with sandal paste to the `Thandalkarar,' whose job is to take it around the streets of Goripalayam and return it to the authorities for other ceremonies. "It is my right to hoist the flag, which signals the commencement of the festival," a beaming Mr. Baskaran says with a sense of pride.

People believe that the Dargah has divine powers to heal people suffering from ailments.

Many frequent this place to get relieved of psychological problems.

S.A. Rahim, one of those involved in the healing practice, says, "I am not a medical practitioner. We believe that the holy spirits of the missionaries are still around here and protect those who come seeking their assistance. And I do feel that I am only an instrument at their hands and through me they heal people."

G.M. Ibrahim, who serves as the Manager of this Dargah for more than 19 years, says, "We get more number of people from other religious faiths, which again is ample proof of the divinity of the place. Our main concern is that no individual should live in starvation and roam around without shelter. Somehow the poor get their share of food here."

The Dargah is open from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. and between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. On Fridays, it also remains open from 12.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.

With its sustained service and deep sense of commitment towards the community, the Goripalayam Dargah stands as a model for Hindu-Muslim amity.

T. SARAVANAN

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