page_title: Nagore Shahul Hamid
section_title: Architecture of Nagore Durgah
hierarchical_section_title: Nagore Shahul Hamid / Architecture of Nagore Durgah
caption_attribution_description: English: Street in Nagore, one minaret of the Nagore Dargah is seen in the background
context_page_description: Shahul Hamid, is a mystic saint, Islamic preacher in Tamil Nadu and a 13th generation descendant of the renowned Sufi saint, Muhiyudin Abd al-Qadir al-Jalani. His tomb is located in the eastern coast of Bay of Bengal at Nagore, Tamil Nadu, India.
context_section_description: It is believed that 60 percent of the shrines were built by Hindus Pratap Singh (1739–1763 A.D.), the Hindu Maratha ruler of Thanjavur, built the one of the five and tallest minaret (periya manara) with a height of 131 feet. This minaret is located on the west face just outside the main darwaza.  This was erected 195 years after Shahul's era.   As a mark of respect people also Venerate the sandals of the saint which are preserved in the shrine. The central part of the dargah is the tomb of the saint, Shahul Hamid, who is a direct descendant of Mohammed, through his grandson Hassan, through Abdel Khader Gilani, Sultanul Awliya, and approached through seven thresholds (four made of silver and three of gold).
  The saint also known as "Ganj e Sawai" meaning the doorway of one and a quarter. Whosoever asks will be bestowed with plenty "Barakah" as per the custom of giving a little more. Since the saint was celibate he is offered a "Sehra", and not the customary chadar of flowers as at other dargahs. He was approached by a childless couple who were told they would be blessed with children but the first offspring would he his, meaning would be presented to him to adopt. There is a shrine for Shahul's adopted son Yusuf and wife Ceytu Sultan (Sayid Sultan) Bibi. The doors of the shrines are open only during early morning and evening.  Currently there are approximately 1500 male descendants, who are called Mujawars. There is a hereditary Khalifa, from among the descendants of the saint Yusuf (the adopted son, who is a saint in his own right). He is recognised as the first hereditary khalifa, the first born of the first born. This khalifa performs all the official religious duties. The work of administration and maintenance is the responsibility of a committee who operate under a scheme decreed by the Madras High Court.
  There is big tank within the precincts, called "Shifa gunta", and its waters are held sacred. anyone bathing therein is cured of many maladies.  In the Nakaiyanthathi, the Tamil devotional poems, there is a mention about the tank as a haven of sweetness and comfort bedecked with the auspicious lotus.
  There are other shrines built in his honour in Penang (Malaysia) and Singapore.The Singapore dargah has been built during 1827 and 1830 A.D. and has been declared a national monument. The above shrines along with the Masjid Jame at Chulia in Singapore and the Keramat Data Koya in Penang are influenced by the style of Nagore Durgah.
caption: The tallest minaret of the dargah
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