History of Saint Hazareth Saiyed Shahul Hameed Qadir Oli Ganjasavoy Andavar Avergal of NAGORE
This famous Saint was born in Manickapur near Ayodyah (Oudh) in the
United Provinces of India 400 tears ago on a Friday in the year 910 Hijra.
His father was Hazarath Saiyed Hasan Kuddus Sahib, 21st lineal descendant
of the Prophet of Islam. Even before his birth a Messenger of God appeared
before his mother Beebi Fathima in a dream and predicted that she would be
blessed with a son who would be the Saviour of the people and the Captain of
Islam. Even as a child, he showed signs of great wisdom intense piety and
divine communion. Before he was eight years old, he learnt Arabic dialect
and its grammer. He went in search of a religions Preceptor or Guru who
could instruct him in solving the enigmas and the mysteries of the world
and who could teach him more about God and his ways and at his parent's
desire went to Gwalior to be initiated by Hazareth Saiyed Muhammed Ghouse
Sahib in divine knowledge. After some years of training he left Gwalior and
went to Manickapur with a party of 404 disciples and then toured extensively
with his disciples in Afgnanistan, Balachistan and other places performing
innumerable miracles on the way by raising the dead, making the dump speak
and the lame walk and by curing all kinds of incurable diseases. he refused
to marry the daughter of his Guru and preferred to practice celibacy. On
his way to Mecca, he halted in a Mosque at Lahore where a rich and
respectable Muhammedan Kazi Hazarath Noordin Sahib approached the Saint
to be blessed with a child. The Saint sent for Noordin's wife Beebi Johra,
chewed betels and nuts, and gave it to Noordin to be handed over to Beebi
Johra and prayed God to bless Noordin with children. He also told Noordin
that the eldest son should be decicated to the Saint as his son and asked
Noordin to remain with the Saint for 40 days without seeing his wife who
was sent home. Beebi johra soon conceived and gave birth to a son on the
12th of Rajab, Hijri 959 and the child was named Saiyed Muhammed Eusoof
Sahib as directed by the Saint who wanted to have the child named after
his brother. The said child was properly educated and in his seventh year
took leave of his parents to go and meet his real father at Mecca as he
heard a voice informing him that his father was awaiting his arrival at
Mecca. he joined the Saint at Mecca, and the Saint, his son and the
404 followers visited ponnani Ceylon, Kayalpatnam, Keelakari and Tenkasi and
propagated Islam. Lastly he visited Tanjore and cared Achuthappa Naicken,
the then Ruler of Tanjore of a grievous and prolonged malady. The Queen
of Tanjore overjoyed at the miraculous cure of her husband fell on her
knees, before the Saint and begged the Saint to bless them with children.
The Saint accordingly blessed them with a fruitful progeny and in return
the Rajah offered wealth and rich presents which the Saint did not accept,
but only asked him to give him a piece of land when required and
accordingly the Rajah gave the Saint a piece of land on which the NAGORE
DURGAH stands. He remained in this place till the end of his life with his
son whom he got married in Mela Nagore. He went to Vanjoor on the road to
Karaikal and fasted there for 40 days in a pit covered with a plank on
which site stands the present Vanjoor Durgah. He died in his sixty eighth
year on Friday and was burried in the tomb at Nagore according to his
directions Besides the tomb of the saint the Durgah contains the tombs
of his miraculous son and his wife who had six sons and two daughters.
Tulasaji Maharaja, the then Maratha King of Tanjore endowed large extent
of lands and his father Pratap Singh built the big minaret in front of
the Durgah.