The Tourism department has resumed the work of giving a makeover to the dargah in Goripalayam, which had been suspended for several weeks due the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.
District Tourism Officer P. Balamurugan said that ₹ 1.80 crore is allocated for the project. The department will build separate toilets for men and women, a cloak room and waiting halls.
The dargah has a huge footfall of both the domestic and international tourists throughout the year. “Many international tourists come to the dargah to check out its architectural design. On an average around 400 people visit the dargah every day. During festivals, especially during the ‘Santhana Koodu’ festival, the number reaches beyond 1,000,” he said.
The rising number of tourists visiting the dargah prompted the department to construct more amenities in the dargah, he added. “Once the construction of the amenities is completed, we are also planning to include the dargah as an important pilgrimage destination as part of tour plans,” he said.
The dargah - one of the largest in Madurai - is believed to be constructed during the 14th century, according to a booklet released by the office-bearers of the dargah.
For a brief period during the 14 th century, the Pandya kingdom was ruled by two Sultan rulers- Hazrat Khwaja Syed Sultan Alauddin and Hazrat Khwaja Syed Sultan Shamsuddin. The grave of both these rulers are inside the dargah.
The dome of the dargah is believed to have been made out of a single stone.
“A large number of people from all religions take part in the annual ‘Santhana Koodal’ festival,” said A.M. Kasim Razvi, manager at the dargah.
