Nagore dargah festival begins with holy flag hoisting

The 468th annual Nagore Dargah Kanduri Festival commenced with the traditional flag hoisting ceremony, led by Kalifa Masthan Sahib Qadri, the Nagore Dargah’s Kalifa. The holy flag was hoisted on Saturday morning, marking the beginning of the renowned festival

The 468th annual Nagore Dargah Kanduri Festival commenced with the traditional flag hoisting ceremony, led by Kalifa Masthan Sahib Qadri, the Nagore Dargah’s Kalifa. The holy flag was hoisted on Saturday morning, marking the beginning of the renowned festival.

As part of the inaugural events, the Payimaram (holy flag post) was installed on all five minarets of the dargah in the early hours of Saturday, following traditional customs. The event was led by Chief Trustee Seyyad Muhammad Haji Hussein Sahib and included special prayers for the well-being of the community. Thousands of devotees gathered, and the dargah distributed Tabarruk (sweet offerings) to mark the celebration.

The event was a symbol of communal harmony, with followers from multiple faiths joining in to offer prayers at the dargah. The Kanduri festival will officially commence with the flag hoisting on December 2, with the traditional Sandhana Koodu procession starting from Nagapattinam on December 11. The procession will conclude with the ceremonial application of sandalwood paste to the tomb of the revered saint on December 12.

The dargah administration, represented by chief trustee Seyyad Muhammad Haji Hussein, expressed gratitude to the State government for providing support, including 45 kg of sandalwood, 100 special buses, sanitation facilities, and drinking water arrangements for the festival.