Goripalayam Mosque

Goripalayam Mosque is a large mosque in Goripalayam (part of Madurai City) containing two graves (tombs) of Delhi sultans namely Hazrat ha!a "yed

"ultan #lauddin $adusha razi and Hazrat ha!a "yed "ulthan "hamsuddin of the Madurai "ultanate%&here is also one invisible grave of Hazrat
ha!a "yed "ultan Habibuddin razi who is also 'nown as Ghaibi "ulthan%()* +ts dome is ,- feet (.) m) in diameter and .- feet (/%) m) in height and made of a single bloc' of stone which was brought from the #zhaga Hills% +t is said that it was built by &hirumalai 0aya' for his Muslim sub!ects% &his area is called as Goripalayam because the graves of the two famous saints of +slam and rulers of Madurai Hazrat "ulthan #lauddin $adusha (1adiyallah) and

Hazrat "ulthan "hamsuddin $adhusha (1adiyallah)

2eople from all over &amil 0adu come here to see' blessings and go bac' fruitfully% &he two rulers were brothers who ruled the northern part of Madurai after coming from 3man during the )4th century to spread +slam% Hazrat azi "yed &a!uddin 1adiyallah5 the founder of azimar $ig Mosque and who lived in azimar "treet was government azi (+slamic legal advisor and !ury) to the "ultans% &he descendants of Hazrat azi "yed &a!uddin are still living in azimar "treet and the azimar $ig mosque is being maintained by them% 6rom the time of "ultans the azis to Madurai city are appointed from the descendants of azi "yed &a!uddin and this tradition was followed by the 2andiya 1ulers5 the 0aya' rulers5 the 0awab rulers and the $ritish rulers% 7ven today the post independent democratic state government of &amil 0adu appoints azi to Madurai only from the descendants of azi "yed &a!uddin who was the azi to the Madurai "ultans% #n ancient &amil inscription can be found planted on the outer campus of the Maqbara of the dargah campus8(.* Ha!ha "yed "ultan #laoudeen "yed "ultan "amsudeen #ouliya Dargah located at Goripalayam5 which houses the tombs of Muslim missionaries% Hailed as one of the oldest Dargahs in the "tate5 it also serves as a healing centre% 96rom the day people came to 'now about the divinity of the place and e:perienced the love showered on them5 it has found place in their hearts and remains there for ever% 7ven now5 the Dargah authorities give equal importance to Hindus5 which is why my family is honoured with the post of ;&handal'arar< for years together59 says &%2%"% $as'aran5 who is the ninth generation &handal'arar of the Dargah% #ccording to a popular legend5 which dates bac' to the late )4th and early )=th century5 missionaries "yed "ultan #laoudeen and "yed "ultan "amsudeen relieved ing "undara 2andian of his ailment% &he ing was astonished5 as he almost resigned to fate after medical e:perts ruled out any chance of a cure% +mpressed by the healing powers of the missionaries5 the ing handed over the reigning powers of nine villages5 which included Goripalayam5 Cho''i'ulam5 $ibi'ulam5 &iruppalai5 annanendal5 0agana'ulam5 "irudhoor in Madurai division and 2oonari and "ori'alipatti in Melur division to them%

&he stone dome atop the central hall5 where the tombs are located5 is made of a single stone% &he legend pertaining to the dome is that the ing of Madurai wanted the single stone structure found in the northern part to be shifted to the south% >hen the wor'ers5 who pulled the stone structure5 tried to cross Goripalayam against the wish of the missionaries5 it stopped abruptly% &he ing came to 'now about their prowess and donated the stone in honour of the missionaries% &he Dargah governed the whole area with great sense of responsibility as it had dedicated servants to collect several ta:es including those levied on irrigation5 land and revenue% 7ven registration and patta transfers were done at the place% &hat is how a ;&handal'arar< came into being% Many frequent this place to get relieved of psychological problems%

"%#% 1ahim5 one of those involved in the healing practice5 says5 9+ am not a medical
practitioner% >e believe that the holy spirits of the missionaries are still around here and protect those who come see'ing their assistance% #nd + do feel that + am only an instrument at their hands and through me they heal people%9 &he Dargah is open from = a%m% to , a%m% and between = p%m% and )- p%m% 3n 6ridays5 it also remains open from ).%4- p%m% to .%4- p%m%