By John B Monteiro
Mangaluru, Feb 5: Sayyed Madani Darga at Ullal is all set for its postponed 20st Maha-Urus, starting from February 10A and ending on March 4, with religious and cultural events, with Muslim and secular leaders scheduled to participate. Against the backdrop of Ullal making news in the media for periodic communal eruptions, this time around the town, located 10 KM from the centre of Mangaluru, across the Nethravati River, is set to garner positive media coverage. It is interesting to go back to its legendary roots. Its start was earlier scheduled for December 23, 2021but was postponed on the threat of Omicron variant of Covid-19.
Bypassing the detailed programmes, it is proposed the historical background of this Ullal Masjid and Dargah.
The Ullal Masjid, with Seyyed Madani Dargah (tomb) attract thousands of pilgrims from India and abroad, especially during the Uroos which is celebrated every five years. Devotees make votive offerings and donate for various welfare activities which the trusts, associated with the masjd and dargah, undertake for the uplift of the community and beyond. The magnet that draws devotees to Ullal is the Dargah of Hazarath Seyyid Mohammad Shareeful Madani.
Madani, the saint, came to Ullal about 500 years ago from Madeena in Saudi Arabia by floating across the sea on a piece of chadar or mussala. He camped at a small mosque in the Melangadi area, which is the present rebuilt and renovated Juma Masjid of Ullal. He led a very pious and simple life. His simplicity, devotion to faith and love towards the poor attracted the villagers who came to him because he used to solve their problems through his prayers and spiritual powers. Hearing of his miraculous healing, people flocked to Ullal to have a glimpse and blessings of the saint.
The saint married a girl from a local poor family that used to reside on a tenanted plot. One day, according to oral history, the landlord came to the plot and got plucked the tender coconuts from the trees in the yard. Children in the yard asked for a tender coconut which the landlord refused. When the saint came home, he saw the children crying for tender coconut. He pacified the children. A few days later the landlord came to the saint and complained of severe stomach pain. He confessed his guilt and begged the saint’s pardon. The saint gave him a glass of water on drinking which the landlord was relieved of his pain. To show his gratitude the landlord gave the tenanted land to the saint. His descendants are still in the enjoyment of the land.
The saint’s name is associated with several such incidents. On one occasion a vessel bound for Mangalore from Arabia lost a bag containing valuables in the sea. In spite of the captain’s efforts he could not locate the bag. Finally, on the advice of some locals in Mangalore, the captain approached the saint for help. He asked him to come on the following day. When the captain went, the saint lifted the bag from behind him intact with its contents and handed it over to the captain. Water was dripping from the bag as if it was just lifted from the seabed.
The saint never saved anything for his future. When he was on his deathbed, his wife wept bitterly and asked him how she would cope after his death. The saint consoled her and told her that she would find a rupee coin (which counted for much in those days) beneath her pillow every day. That was exactly what happened after his death. The widow, instead of spending the entire money, saved half a rupee. To her surprise, next day onwards she started finding only half a rupee under the pillow. Realising her folly, she began spending the whole amount without saving anything till her death.
When the saint died, a tomb was built over his grave which is the present day Dargah at Ullal where miracles are said to take place even now. During one Urus, a person committed a theft. After a while he suffered severe stomach pain. Doctors were summoned --but in vain. Finally, the man admitted his crime and sought the pardon of the saint. After that he recovered.
In 1945, there was acute shortage of water in the Juma Masjid area. At the time of Urus, with thousands of devotees congregating, there was no water even for drinking and cooking. The devotees assembled at the dargah and prayed to the saint for water to quench their thirst. To their surprise, a gurgling sound was heard and the well near the Dargah was filled to the brim with water. Ever since this particular well never dries up and devotees drink this water believing in its curative powers. They also drop currency notes and coins in the well that can be seen at the bottom of the well in the crystal-clear water, and are taken out once a week or ten days. Water from the Ullal Juma Masjid tank is supplied to the residents in the surrounding areas during summer.