Simon Soon
The Nagore Dargah is a dedicated shrine to the Saint of Nagore, Hazerat Syed Abdul Kader Syed Shahul Hamid who was alive around the 13th century. Unlike conventional Sufi shrines, the Nagore dargah is not a tomb,, but a memorial. The body of the Saint of Nagore is not sited here but in the mother shrine in Tamilnadu. Other memorials of Nagore dargah exist in Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Jitra (Kedah).
The grave within the Penang dargah belongs to Shaik Abdul Kader alias Sheena Naina Sahub who died in 1850. He was the father of Vaopoo Dorai Saiboo, whose family became principal custodians of the shrine and who claimed to be a descendant of the Saint.
The Penang's dargah has existed since the early 1800s. It is recorded that the piece of land, meausring about 1656 square feet was granted by the East India Company to the Indian Muslim community in 1801. The dargah is said to be built by Nakarsah Jamadar based on a Land Commissioners' Report in 1904.
The anniversary of the Saint's death is marked with a 14-day kandoori, or feast, commencing on the first day of the Muslim month of Jamathuiul akhir.
The local kandoori , like how it was practised in Sri Lanka, Singapore and Tamil Nadu, began with flag-raising ceremony. Three double-pointed green flags, bearing the Islamic emblem of the white crescent and star, were raised following the reading of the Fatihah and the uttering of chants. Sugar, dates, and bananas were then handed out to those in attendance.
The flag parade used to proceed along Ah Quee, Street, Pitt Street, Carnarvon Street, Maxwell Road, Burmah Road, Transfer Road, Argyll Road and Chulia Street, before returning to the shrine. Nasi minyak or ghee rice was cooked and distributed to all during the festival period. Songs to the Prophet Muhammad and verses in priase of the Saint of Nagore was sung in the evening and offerings and prayers were made. On the final day of the festival, a procession of decorated chariots went through the streets, following a similar route to the flag-procession.
NOTES:
Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof. 1989. 'Lasting Charisma' Pulau Pinang 1:2. 33-4.
