Erwadi Santhanakoodu Festival

The Erwadi Santhanakoodu Festival is a monthlong festival held in Ervadi dargah, located in Ramanathapuram district, to commemorate the anniversary of Sulthan Syed Ibrahim Shaheed Badhusha nayagam whose grave is in Ervadi. The festival is organised as a National Integrity festival by the local Dargah Huqdhar Management Committee (D.H.M.C.), constituting the heirs of badhusha nayagam called as Mujavirs or Levvais. It is a month-long festival happening every Hijri year in the full Islamic month of Zil Qa'dah.

It is organised to commemorate the anniversary of Sulthan Syed Ibrahim Shaheed Badhusha Oliyullah, at the famous Erwadi Dargah which always stands as a symbol of religious harmony. Every year hundreds of thousands of people from a variety of religions and communities within Tamil Nadu and elsewhere throng Erwadi on this day to witness the festival, marking the sandal anointing ceremony of the tomb.

A sense of unity in diversity is exemplified by the 'Santhanakoodu' festival with all community people's participation and contribution and going in a procession, led by a decorated elephant, dancing horse and preceded by a dancing folk arts troupe at midnight. People of all faiths, hue and colour throng the pathway leading to the dargah with reverence, once the procession reach the dargah, people of all religions enter the dargah and offer obeisance. The day is declared a holiday by the district administration and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation operates special buses throughout the night for the benefit of devotees.[1]

Lakhs of pilgrims witnessing the Holy flag hoisting ceremony at Erwadi dargah, October 2010.