A 500-year-old shrine, a saint who healed a king
The Kandoori festival is held to commemorate the death anniversary of 16th-century saint Hazrath Syed Shahul Hameed Quadir Wali, who migrated from Manickapur near Allahabad and lived in Nagore till his death. The Dargah itself is over 500 years old. Saint Hazrath Syed Shahul Hameed came to Thanjavur on a pilgrimage during the 16th century when he cured the illness of the then King of Thanjavur, Achuthappa Naicken. The king gifted the saint lands in Nagore, where the latter lived for the rest of his life serving the people. The Dargah is highly revered by South Indian Muslims and is considered to be the Ajmer of South India.
Fourteen days of devotion
The 14-day festival follows a sacred structure: the opening day is marked by the hoisting of the holy flag carried to the Dargah in a grand procession; days two through seven see continuous recitation of the Quran; day eight is the fireworks day; day nine is a holy fasting day; and day ten — the most celebrated — is the Sandanakoodu procession, where a sandal pot is carried in a magnificent procession. The festival attracts thousands of devotees from various parts of India and from countries like Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the Gulf. A remarkable highlight is the participation of Hindus in large numbers alongside their Muslim brethren, who take a holy dip in the peer kulam (the Dargah pond), whose waters are considered to have curative value. As per tradition, one of the five flags hoisted atop the Dargah's minarets is brought all the way from Singapore.
