THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With its bright pink colour, the Beemapally Dargah is truly a sight to behold in the morning rays of the sun. The dargah is named after Syedunnisa Beema Bevi, who is believed to have had miraculous powers which she used to heal the ailing people in the area.
The legend goes that Syedunnisa Beema Beevi and her son Syedu Shuhada Maheen Abubacker came from Arabia to India to spread the teachings of Islam. The faithful believe them to have been descendants of Prophet Muhammad. Coming from a family of hakims (traditional physicians), the mother-son duo gained popularity through their treatment of the ill and their generous nature.
Over time, many people embraced Islam through their testimony and settled down near the place of their residence. It is said that the increasing popularity of Beevi led to brewing jealousy among the local clergy who instigated the local king to impose heavy taxes on them. When Maheen Abubacker refused to pay additional taxes, a fight ensued which resulted in his death. The heartbreak caused by her son’s demise soon led to the death of Beema Beevi.
Ever since the burial of their bodies on the premises, believers have witnessed miraculous experiences. A popularly known occurrence amongst the believers is the healing power after consuming water from two wells said to have been from Beevi’s time.
One of the wells contains hot water while the other contains cold water, and both are said to never run dry even during the harshest summer. Historian M G Sasibhooshan reckons that the initial maqbara (mausoleum) of the venerated Beema Beevi and her son existed much before the mosque. The mosque itself must have been built during the 15th-16th century.
“It is one of the oldest mosques in Thiruvananthapuram, but we do not have proper records of the mosque’s history. What is special about the mosque is the fact that it draws visitors of all religions.”
The current mosque structure was designed by Govindan Gopalakrishnan, a Hindu architect who has been the mastermind designer for more than a hundred mosques.
The self-taught architect was approached by the Beemapally mosque committee in 1967 to be the designer for the reconstruction. The mosque has strong influences of Indo-Saracenic architecture and took 17 years to complete. Called the mosque man, Gopalakrishnan is a staunch believer in the idea of communal harmony he runs an organisation called Manava Maithri that promotes harmony between different communities.
The Beemapally uroos which celebrates the death anniversary of Beema Beevi is set to start on December 25, and preparations have started to accommodate the huge crowds that partake in the festivities.