Tourism > India > Tamilnadu > Glimpses of Tamilnadu > Nagore Dargha

Nagore Dargha

The Dargha in Nagore of Meeran Sahib Abdul Qadir Shahul Hamid Badshah(the Lord of Andavar) is a holy place and is one of the popular pilgrimage centres for Muslims. The Dargah is located about 4 km north of Nagapattinam and is visited by people from other religions also. So the Nagore Dargah stands as a symbol of religious harmony. The dargah sheltered thousands of people at the time of 2004 tsunami and buried a number of bodies of Hindus in their graveyards.

The Nagore Dargah shrines are situated at three locations, Nagore, Vanjur and Silladi. The main campus is at Nagore. Dargah is situated in 5 acres of land surrounded by compound walls and four attractive entrances. Infront of the western gate, there is a large tower about 131 feet tall, called 'Periya Minara'.

The golden dome building houses three tombs in three separate chambers, inside the compound of the main campus. In the tombs lay buried the mortal remains of Meeran Sahib, his son Syed Mohammed Yusuf and his daughter-in-law Saeeda Sultana Biwi.

Adjacent to the golden dome building is the 'Peer Mandap' where the 'Peer of the Dargah' stays fasting for three days during festive season of the Dargah. A mosque is located some distance away from here where regular prayers are held. The Friday congregations in this Mosque are massive. The second part of the dargah, the Vanjur Shrine where Meeran Sahib reportedly stayed in meditation for 40 days inside an underground cave, is about 2 km from the main dargah. The third campus Silladi Shrine is loacted about a km east of the main dargah.

The rituals and architecture in the Nagore shrine has strong Hindu influences. The main festival 'Kandhuri Urs' falls in the lunar month of Jumada al-Thani.

How To Reach

Nagapattinam is 75 km from Thanjavur, 69 km from Kumbhakonam and 126 km from Trichy. Darga is 4 km from Nagapattinam Railway station. Very few trains operate to Nagapattinam. So it is better to take a bus from Trichy Railway station (165 km). 6866 Ernakulam Jn. - Tiruchchirapalli Exp. has been operating up to Nagapattinam. Departure 10.30 pm daily from Ernakulam.

The major Christian pilgrim centre Velankanni church is 12 km from Nagapattinam Railway station.