A Mosque That Heals

Muskaan Gupta

A Mosque That Heals

One of the oldest mosques of southern India, the Goripalayam Mosque, located in the town of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, is an architectural marvel. It is not just a symbol of the linkages of Islam with the Indian subcontinent since long before its designated arrival but also of long-existing religious harmony.

The entrance to the mosque (Source- The Hindu)

As legends have it, there were once two brothers from Oman who heard the tales of Qutbus Sulthan Syed Ibrahim Shaheed Badusha of Erwadi's journey to India to spread the message of Allah as per Muhammad's wish. The two brothers, named Sultan Alauddin Badusha Razi and Syed Sulthan Shamsuddin, came to India in the thirteenth century. While intending to spread the message of Allah, they gradually became prominent saints who offered a lot of services to people. They are also said to have developed a good friendship with the medieval Pandya King Koonpandiyan, who gave them the power to rule six to nine villages. They soon established themselves as the rulers of northern Madurai.

Though brief, their rule and its legacy have been retained by the temple town of Madurai in the form of a dargah that houses them. Known as the Goripalayam Dargah, it is the largest dargah in Madurai and is an example of a fine blend of the Dravidian and Islamic styles of architecture. The multi-foil arches are reminiscent of Islamic structures, but the pillars may be similar to those of the Pandya-era temples. Its name ‘Gorippalayam’ comes from the Persian word ‘gor,’ meaning grave. According to legend, Thirumalai Nayak constructed the dargah in the thirteenth century.

The exterior of the dargah complex contains an old Tamil inscription, which is regarded as one of the pieces of evidence demonstrating the dargah's existence from the thirteenth century. According to the inscription, a disagreement over the six villages emerged in the sixteenth century during the reign of King Veerappa Nayakkar. This disagreement involved the huqdars of the Durgah and the government workers. The matter was brought before King Veerappa, who conducted an investigation, confirmed the accuracy of the paperwork issued earlier by King Koonpandiyan, and gave his decision declaring that the dargah land belonged to the descendants of the sultans and should remain in their possession for as long as the sun and moon exist.

One of the largest and oldest mosques in India, this splendid shrine, situated to the north of the Vaigai River, can be noticed from distance owing to its tall minarets and a huge dome painted in pristine white. The dome is made of a single stone, said to be brought from the Azhaga Hills, and is 20 feet in height and 70 feet in circumference. The towering minarets are adorned with vivid niches. A central courtyard with ornate stone pillars and wooden windows leads into the dargah's heart, where the two sultans are interred in separate tombs adjacent to one another. A treaty made by King Koonpandiyan and the saintly brothers is described in inscriptions on a pillar. Koonpandiyan allegedly had a disease that the sultans were able to cure. As a token of gratitude, the king sold them the site for a mosque and six towns on the northern bank of the Vaigai, in exchange for 14,000 gold pieces.

Keeping faith in the saints' healing powers, even at present, people spend days and months in the dargah praying for divine intervention for their ailments. A few followers wrap beaded malas between their fingers in a solemn prayer while the qazis occasionally call out holy phrases in Arabic. Devotees also tie sacred black threads and tabiz to the pillars to seek blessings and for the fulfilment of their wishes. Such a serene atmosphere attracts devotees of all religions to the dargah from all over Tamil Nadu. The annual Urs Festival, which is observed on the fifteenth day in Rabi' al-Awwal of the Hijri calendar, is the principal event at this mosque. Both pilgrims and visitors swarm the shrine for this celebration.

Located in the midst of a city known worldwide for its spectacular temples, the dargah stands testimony to Madurai’s all-encompassing, secular character. The monumental shrine is not just an architectural wonder but is also a symbol of the inter-religious harmony of the city, and both Muslims and Hindus retain high reverence for the monument.