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Kanduri festival at Nagore Dargah
Devotees of every faith pull a chariot of sandal paste through the night to a Sufi tomb
Kanduri is the fourteen-day remembrance of the Sufi saint Shahul Hamid at the Nagore Dargah, on the Tamil Nadu coast in Nagapattinam district. Its high point is the ninth night, when pilgrims of every faith pull a chariot of sandal paste to the shrine, and the paste anoints the saint's tomb at dawn. Next: 11–25 November 2026 (expected), calculated from the Islamic calendar and confirmed after the moon sighting.
The dargah's hereditary Khalifa and trustees fix the days after the moon sighting; the Nagapattinam collector declares a local holiday for the anointing day about a week ahead.
The legend
The Nagore Dargah stands over the tomb of the Sufi saint Shahul Hamid. Tradition says he cured Achutappa Nayak, the raja of Thanjavur.
In gratitude the raja gave the saint's followers about 200 acres of land, and the dargah later rose on part of it.
Kanduri is the fourteen-day remembrance of the saint on his death anniversary. The word comes from the Persian for a tablecloth.
Customs
The saint's flag
On the first evening a saffron flag is carried in procession to the dargah and raised by its trustees, and flags go up on the minarets.
Qawwali, nagaswaram
Through the festival qawwali and the nagaswaram, the Tamil temple pipe, sound at the shrine, and pilgrims bring flowers and sweets.
The sandal chariot
On the ninth evening a chariot of sandal paste, the santhanakoodu, is pulled through Nagore's streets to music; at dawn the paste anoints the tomb.
Where to celebrate
Nagore
The Nagore Dargah marks the death anniversary of the Sufi Shahul Hamid for fourteen days; on the ninth night a chariot of sandal paste is pulled to the shrine to anoint his tomb.
How the fourteen days run
Kanduri follows the Islamic calendar and is built around three moments.
The flag, on the eve of the month. A saffron flag is carried in procession from a devotee's house to the dargah and hoisted by a Sirang, one of the hereditary trustees, with about twenty assistants. Flags then go up on the minarets. Through the following days qawwali and the nagaswaram, the Tamil temple pipe, play at the shrine.
The sandal chariot, on the ninth night. The santhanakoodu, a chariot carrying sandal paste, sets out from Nagapattinam in the evening and is pulled by pilgrims to music through the night to the dargah in Nagore.
The anointing, at dawn on the tenth. The paste is carried inside and applied to the saint's tomb as soon as the procession arrives, before dawn. This is the most crowded hour of the festival. The flag is taken down on the fourteenth night, which closes the festival.
Among the pilgrims are fakirs and qalandars (wandering Sufi ascetics), and visitors come from across Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and the Gulf countries.
The dargah and its devotees
The dargah stands over the tomb of Shahul Hamid, a Sufi saint of the 16th century who settled in Nagore; historians give different years for his death, and the festival marks its anniversary. It has five minarets. The tallest, about 40 metres, was built by Pratap Singh, the Maratha ruler of Thanjavur in the 18th century. The dargah's administration estimates that half to three quarters of its daily pilgrims are Hindu.
The festival has taken on forms of the temples around it: the pulled chariot, the nagaswaram, the sandal-paste anointing. Inside the precinct is the Shifa Gunta, a stepped tank where a dip is believed to heal. The dargah is managed by a committee of trustees under a scheme approved by the Madras High Court; its religious duties are led by the hereditary Khalifa.
How the dates are set
Kanduri falls in Jumada al-Akhirah, the sixth month of the Islamic calendar, so it moves about eleven days earlier each year. Next: 11–25 November 2026 (expected), with the anointing expected on 21 November 2026 (expected). These are calculated dates: the Khalifa and the trustees fix the days after the moon sighting, and the Nagapattinam collector declares a local holiday for the anointing day about a week ahead. Check the dates before paying for rooms.
Etiquette and safety
The dargah is open to people of every faith, and most of the festival can be seen for free from the streets.
- At the tomb — Cover your head and leave your shoes outside. Women can enter the shrine here.
- Where to watch — The flag procession on the first evening and the santhanakoodu on the ninth night are best seen from the streets along the route.
- The anointing night — The shrine is at its most crowded when the chariot arrives. FCDO notes that stampedes have occurred at some events with large crowds and advises particular care at religious gatherings.
Getting there and where to stay
Nagore is a small town; most visitors sleep nearby and come in for the main nights.
- Arrive by the eighth day
To see the chariot and the dawn anointing, be in place by the eighth day. One night covers the procession and the dawn; three nights give a calmer visit.
- Stay nearby
Book about a month ahead in Nagapattinam, about 5 km south, or in Karaikal, about 12 km north. Velankanni, about 12 to 14 km south of Nagapattinam, also has plenty of rooms.
- By train
Nagore station is in the town, and Nagore and Nagapattinam are on regular lines from Chennai and Trichy. Book about a month ahead.
- Pair it with Velankanni
Velankanni, south of Nagapattinam, is a Christian pilgrimage town with its own great festival, the Velankanni Feast.
FAQ
When is the Kanduri festival at Nagore?
Next: 11–25 November 2026 (expected), with the sandal-paste anointing expected on 21 November 2026 (expected). The dates follow the Islamic calendar and are confirmed after the moon sighting.
Kanduri festival is celebrated in which state?
In Tamil Nadu, at the Nagore Dargah in Nagapattinam district on the Coromandel coast.
What is Nagore famous for?
For its dargah, the shrine of the 16th-century Sufi saint Shahul Hamid, with five minarets and pilgrims of every faith, and for the Kanduri festival held there each year.
Can non-Muslims visit Nagore Dargah during Kanduri?
Yes. By the dargah administration's estimate, half to three quarters of its daily pilgrims are Hindu. Cover your head at the tomb and leave your shoes outside.
What is the santhanakoodu?
The chariot carrying sandal paste, pulled by pilgrims from Nagapattinam to the dargah in Nagore on the ninth night. At dawn on the tenth day the paste is applied to the saint's tomb.
Sources (7)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.