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Bara Shaheed Dargah
Bara Shaheed Dargah is a mausoleum located in Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh State of India, where memorial tombs of 12 warriors who gave their lives in a battle are installed.
This dargah is particularly famous because of its Rottela Panduga festival, celebrated during Muharram time, in which millions join to place their wishes and also come back to acknowledge the grace by offering rotis to people who come with similar wishes at that time.
People from all parts of the world visit this place to give their roti offerings at the Sandal festival and this place is a small village with a population of around 500 people living in the nearby village called Vaynad.
History
The Bara Shaheed Dargah had been constructed in memory of twelve martyrs, who lost their lives in a battle believed to have held before 1200 years, whose chopped heads fell in the place where this Dargah now exists. These warriors fought the war aiming at Peace, good will and communal harmony, but became the victims of the war at the end.
The important Muslim festival Mohharram is celebrated in a grand manner over a period of time, when in the 11th and 12th day functions, a Sandal festival is observed when large number of devotees come with special prayers for relief from their difficulties in health, living, delay in marriages, etc and offer bread in the nearby tank as an acknowledgment of fulfilment of their prayers. It is also a custom for the ones who come with prayers to pick up those breads for them to offer breads in turn when their wish fulfilment occurs.
Lal Dargah, which is Red Dargah, is another Dargah situated within the compound of Bara Shaheed Dargah.
Nearby Attractions
Pilgrims and tourists coming to Nellore to visit Bara Shaheed Dargah in Nellore can also go to the nearby Kasmur sharif (Hazrath Kale Shah Mastan Baba Dargah) situated in 25 km distance from Nellore and Rahmatabad Shareef (Hazrath Nayab-e-Rasool) Dargah another dargah located in 53 km from Nellore.
Things to do
The Sandal celebrations at Bara Shaheed Dargah are called Rottela Panduga, also known as Rotiyon Ki Eid meaning Festival of Breads in Islamic terms. Many people having immense faith that wishes made during this festival at the dargah are fulfilled to their satisfaction. Millions have been blessed with answers for their prayers, acknowledging which they visit this place for the second time during Sandal festival and offer Rotis (bread) in the pond to another set of people who come there with similar kind of wishes, which they accept near the adjacent pond.
The wishes and prayers are for different purposes for which rotis are offered, each of them having a nomenclature observed over a period of time, such as
- Rozi Ki Roti, which is the bread offered for employment
- Rizq Ki Roti, which is the bread offered for food
- Shadi Ki Roti, which is the bread offered for marriage
- Sehat Ki Roti, which is the bread offered for good health
There are many more types of wishes according to the type of need that one has.
The one who wishes for good health for example, makes the wish in a particular year, when gets one’s wish fulfilled, comes back to Bara Shaheed Dargah in the following year, offers Sehat Ki Roti in the pond enabling another person who comes there on that particular year seeking blessings for Good health picking up that roti, also promising to offer Sehat Ki Roti to someone else next time when that person’s wish is fulfilled. Faith is the most important aspect of this Sandal festival celebrated here during Muharram days.
How to Reach
Nellore is approachable both from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh cities, well connected by road and rail.
For one to commute by air, Nellore is having its nearest airports at Tirupati, Vijayawada and Chennai.
Situated 173 km from Chennai City, one can drive through Nayudupeta and then to Sulurpet, from there take a trip towards Sriharikota road and after going through kutcha road towards Vaynad, Andhra Pradesh to reach the Dargah in about 20 km distance.
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