Ameen Peer Dargah (Asthana-e-Magdoom'ullahi Dargah complex) in Kadapa, A.P is an example of the communal harmony preached by great saints and sages of old. Come Thursday and Friday, you can find scores of pilgrims transcending all religious faiths, throng the 400-year prayer complex. Legend has it that once some people demanded that they would trust Khwaja Peerullah Malik only if he could show them a miracle. The Sufi saint went ahead and accepted their challenge. The earth opened for Peerullah Malik and he descended into it alive, thereby attaining a burial while alive here on the 10th day of Muharram month (in the year 1716 AD). Three days later, people saw him performing prayers in the same place. After his death, Nawab Abdul Hameed Khan Mayana got his mausoleum built. Just to the east of the mosque, Peerullah’s tomb is found in a closed room with two entrances, one each in the western and southern walls. Peerullah’s Urs is celebrated on the 10th day of Muharram every year.
01CDDARGAH – Bollywood hero Akshay Kumar in Pedda Dargah on Thursday.
Scores of people visit the old shrine seeking blessings of the saint Hazarat Khwaja Peerullah Hussaini (R.A) who sacrificed himself here. Followers of the dargah believe that any wish that one makes at the shrine is always fulfilled. A large number of Hindus, Muslims and people of different faiths are disciples of the shrine. The family’s descendants identify themselves with a saffron dresss and the disciples wear a saffron cap. Khwaja Peerullah Hussaini (popularly known as Peerullah Malik), a devout Muslim born in Bidar (Karnataka), founded the Aasthana, in the 16th century. Peerullah Malik was of a lineage that descended right from the Prophet Mohammed. He visited mausoleums of all Sufi saints of India, as also that of Hazarat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti (R.A) at Ajmer, where Khwaja Peerullah Malik received instructions to move to the kadapa region. On the way, he stopped on the banks of Penna River (near Chennur). Nawab Nek Naam Khan, the Nawab of Sidhout Taluk also presented himself before the Sufi and paid his respects. Following the instructions of the saint, the Nawab named the town as Nek Naam Abaad, which later became Cuddapah, over the course of time. The saint devoted his life to spread the message of peace, love and communal harmony.
Khwaja Peerullah had two sons. One of them died childless. The other son Arifullah Hussani-I attained higher levels of mysticism and spirituality. His son Ameenullah Hussaini-I, had three sons: Shah Peerullah Hussaini, Yadullah Hussaini-I, and Arifullah Hussaini-II. Arifullah Hussaini II was a devout Sufi and Arifullah Hussaini II immersed himself in the love of Allah. Legend has it that Arifullah Hussaini II once paid a visit to his grandfather’s tomb at Bidar. The gateman asked for his credentials and refused to open the door for him. The saint called 'Ya Jaddi' (O' father) loudly. Then a voice from the tomb answered 'Marhaba Ya Waladi' (Come, my son) and welcomed him. The door automatically opened for him. Arifullah Hussaini-II spent some time there, and then shifted to the mausoleum of Ameenuddin Aala at Bijapur. He later went on to Ahmedabad and Ajmer, where he received instructions to go to Tadipatri (Anantapur District). He spent 40 years in deep meditation and prayers in the caves and forests of Tadipatri. It is also believed that a python used to stay guard outside his cave. He came to the forests of Gandi in Cuddapah district and spent his time in prayers till he turned 63. Besides being a saint of high order, Arifullah Hussaini II was also a great scholar, and an eminent poet.
There is a wide hall along the east-west axis consisting of a number of tombs. The highest tomb among them belongs to him, whose Urs is celebrated in Jamadi’ul Awwal (5th lunar month) of Muslim calendar. It is the biggest Urs of South India. The entire mausoleum complex is popularly known as Aasthana-e-Maqdoom’ullahi. This Urs brings millions of pilgrims to Kadapa from every nook and corner of the country, from as far as Delhi, Agra, Ajmer, Chennai, Bangalore, Calcutta, Jammu, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bhopal, and from beyond the country as well.
01CDDARGAH – Bollywood hero Akshay Kumar in Pedda Dargah on Thursday.
Scores of people visit the old shrine seeking blessings of the saint Hazarat Khwaja Peerullah Hussaini (R.A) who sacrificed himself here. Followers of the dargah believe that any wish that one makes at the shrine is always fulfilled. A large number of Hindus, Muslims and people of different faiths are disciples of the shrine. The family’s descendants identify themselves with a saffron dresss and the disciples wear a saffron cap. Khwaja Peerullah Hussaini (popularly known as Peerullah Malik), a devout Muslim born in Bidar (Karnataka), founded the Aasthana, in the 16th century. Peerullah Malik was of a lineage that descended right from the Prophet Mohammed. He visited mausoleums of all Sufi saints of India, as also that of Hazarat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti (R.A) at Ajmer, where Khwaja Peerullah Malik received instructions to move to the kadapa region. On the way, he stopped on the banks of Penna River (near Chennur). Nawab Nek Naam Khan, the Nawab of Sidhout Taluk also presented himself before the Sufi and paid his respects. Following the instructions of the saint, the Nawab named the town as Nek Naam Abaad, which later became Cuddapah, over the course of time. The saint devoted his life to spread the message of peace, love and communal harmony.
Khwaja Peerullah had two sons. One of them died childless. The other son Arifullah Hussani-I attained higher levels of mysticism and spirituality. His son Ameenullah Hussaini-I, had three sons: Shah Peerullah Hussaini, Yadullah Hussaini-I, and Arifullah Hussaini-II. Arifullah Hussaini II was a devout Sufi and Arifullah Hussaini II immersed himself in the love of Allah. Legend has it that Arifullah Hussaini II once paid a visit to his grandfather’s tomb at Bidar. The gateman asked for his credentials and refused to open the door for him. The saint called 'Ya Jaddi' (O' father) loudly. Then a voice from the tomb answered 'Marhaba Ya Waladi' (Come, my son) and welcomed him. The door automatically opened for him. Arifullah Hussaini-II spent some time there, and then shifted to the mausoleum of Ameenuddin Aala at Bijapur. He later went on to Ahmedabad and Ajmer, where he received instructions to go to Tadipatri (Anantapur District). He spent 40 years in deep meditation and prayers in the caves and forests of Tadipatri. It is also believed that a python used to stay guard outside his cave. He came to the forests of Gandi in Cuddapah district and spent his time in prayers till he turned 63. Besides being a saint of high order, Arifullah Hussaini II was also a great scholar, and an eminent poet.
There is a wide hall along the east-west axis consisting of a number of tombs. The highest tomb among them belongs to him, whose Urs is celebrated in Jamadi’ul Awwal (5th lunar month) of Muslim calendar. It is the biggest Urs of South India. The entire mausoleum complex is popularly known as Aasthana-e-Maqdoom’ullahi. This Urs brings millions of pilgrims to Kadapa from every nook and corner of the country, from as far as Delhi, Agra, Ajmer, Chennai, Bangalore, Calcutta, Jammu, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bhopal, and from beyond the country as well.
