Mosques

Pottalpudur Dargha and Chandanakudam

The centre of attraction of this place is the oldest dargha built around the year 1674. This dargha attracts not only the Muslims but Hindus and Christians also in equal numbers. This has been built adopting Hindu temple pattern. If the prayers of the pilgrims are answered, they pay their offerings, through the dargha in large numbers during Kanthuri festival with great reverence. In this dargha where the lebbais act as priest, customs almost similar to that of Hindus are followed in the rituals. Here holy ashes obtained from tamarind bark, ghee, and flowers called nerchai are distributed to the devotees.

For this Andavar, sheep and fowls are brought by all the classes of people and sacrificed before him as they do before the local Amman deities. Now refined people offer fruits for their worship rather than fowls and sheep. Sandal paste is prepared in a pot on a large scale during the time of the kanthuri and is sent to the Hindu village of Ravanasamudram, from where it is brought back to this dargha with great pomp. This is offered to the Andavar. Afterwards this sandal paste is distributed to the eagerly awaiting crowd without discrimination as to caste, creed or religion. This stands as an example of communal harmony and secularism. This Dargah is considered as a pious and a sacred one equal to the Nagore dargha and only next to Baghdad by the people of this place.