ERODE: A 400-year old darga, coming under Wakf Board, at Erode VOC Park, for which Mysore King Hyder Ali, donated some land in 1762, is suffering without power supply for the past three years.
According to those who are maintaining the darga, a Muslim clergy Hazrat Fasal Sha Kadiri of Yeman with his family toured the area nearly 400 years back and after his and his wife Jechabibi’s death, their memorial in the present spot was converted as a darga by local Muslims, who respected them.
The present Erode district was at that time part of Mysore Samasthan and when Hyder Ali toured the area in 1761, he came to know the services of the clergy and donated 460 acre to the darga, named after the clergy, in the present town, they said. But, now, such an ancient darga did not even have power supply.
The hereditary muthavalli mushafari Fathima Bibi says ``there is proper record that the King donated the land to feed poor persons and milk to children visiting the darga. Such norms were followed by her ancestors maintaining the darga.’’
When Thanthai Periyar, rationalist leader, was the chairman of Erode Municipality in 1917, he obtained 25 acre of land in the site, where darga was located, as donation to the civic body to construct a water tank and as a reciprocate, he arranged free power supply to darga.
In later days, the darga’s lands were encroached upon by many and the entire area has also become a VOC Park. Now, the darga has no land in the town and proper revenue, except the donations offered by some devotees.
But, in 2007, the corporation disconnected the power supply to the darga and Anjeneya temple in the park.
However, the temple, later, got power supply by spending its own money. The darga has also approached the Erode corporation to get no objection certificate to get power supply as the darga is located in the park, coming under the corporation.
But, till date, the civic body refused to grant the NOC so that many Muslims coming to the darga for prayer were suffering much. During the annual festivals itself, the darga is using generators for power. She appealed to the Collector to attend the problem immediately.