maritime activities economy and social customs of the muslims of ...

The devotees, be it Marakayan. Labbais, Rowthars or Deccanis without excoption,
flock to these dargah shrines like the bees to sip the sweet honey, where ( It lo believed that)
mental and physical afflictions are soothed and healed and all supplicatlons are met. They
sing upon the saints,'You who are beloved of God and his Prophet. rid me of my disease,
shower your grace upon me"l14.
Dargahs attract both Muslims and Hindus who believe that the miraculous power of
the Peer, entombed there will cure ailment of the mind and body including afflictions such
as infertility and possession of malavalent demonic forces. Many of the Dargahs in
Coromandel have become the assylum for psychiatric patients. It Is interesting to note that
the padel between the Muslim saint cults and Hindu Goddesses traditions involves
more than a superficial similarity between the healing functlon performed at
the dargahs and Hindu Amman shrines.
The Thazkiras (hagiological texts and legends) on these shrines and dargahs
are full of maimings and other acts of destruction wrought by the Aualis. As a
protector the saint is portrayed as a figure of terror and destroyer of evils, like the
blood taking Dravidian Tamil Goddesses. Susan Baily who has undertaken an
indepth study on the aspects of Muslim saints of Coromandel argued that the
association of certain animals and weapons, as described in the Thazkira literatures.
are similar to the motifs found among the Saivaitic and Vaishnavaitic Gods, with the
help of which they destroy the evil spirits and demons. For example, Baily suggests
that the association of Natharwali, the famous Aulia entombed at Tiruchirapalli,
with lion, is similar to that of the vehicle of the Goddess Durga. She adds that a
common item of regalia to be found in dargahs is a wand made of peacock feathers
bound at the base with some ornamental silver band. This is considered to be an
emblem of power and kingship. The officient at the dargah administers a ceremonial
knock on the head of the devotee who make offerings to the shrine. This is
considered to be a spiritual way of submission to the Peer or Aulia. Thls connects the
Mushm saint cult with the divine Lord Subrarnanya - Karthikeya - whose vehide is pead115.