Athankarai Pallivasal
The pilgrim centre,Athankarai Pallivasal is located in between Thiruchendur and Kanyakumari on the
coast road, about 46kms from Thirunelveli. The shrine has two domes of Sufi saints
who were believed to grant all desires of devotees. One dome is dedicated to Syed
Ali Fathima and another to Hazrath Sheik Mohammed. During the festival held in September,
thousands of devotees gather here to pay their homage and seek blessings.
Pottalpudur Dargha
The centre of attraction of this place is the oldest dargha built around the year
1674. This dargha attracts not only the Muslims but Hindus and Christians also in
equal numbers. This has been built adopting Hindu temple pattern. If the prayers
of the pilgrims are answered, they pay their offerings, through the dargha in large
numbers during Kanthuri festival with great reverence. In this dargha where the
lebbais act as priest, customs almost similar to that of Hindus are followed in
the rituals. Here holy ashes obtained from tamarind bark, ghee, and flowers called
nerchai are distributed to the devotees. Ph : 04634-240566
For this Andavar, sheep and fowls are brought by all the classes of people and sacrificed
before him as they do before the local Amman deities. Now refined people offer fruits
for their worship rather than fowls and sheep. Sandal paste is prepared in a pot
on a large scale during the time of the kanthuri and is sent to the Hindu village
of Ravanasamudram, from where it is brought back to this dargha with great pomp.
This is offered to the Andavar. Afterwards this sandal paste is distributed to the
eagerly awaiting crowd without discrimination as to caste, creed or religion. This
stands as an example of communal harmony and secularism. This Dargah is considered
as a pious and a sacred one equal to the Nagore dargha and only next to Baghdad
by the people of this place.
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