https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Kondotty_NerchaKondotty Nercha - Revision history2026-07-31T11:16:00ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Kondotty_Nercha&diff=131419&oldid=prev>Ohnoitsjamie at 14:18, 17 May 20212021-05-17T14:18:06Z<p></p>
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[[File:Kondotty Nercha-Thattanpetti Varavu1.jpg|thumbnail|The arrival of the "Goldsmith Box"]]<br />
[[File:Kondotty Qubba.2.jpg|thumbnail|Kondotty Qubba]]<br />
[[File:Pazhayangadi Mosque-Kondotty3.jpg|thumbnail|Pazhayangadi Mosque, Kondotty]]<br />
'''Kondotty Nercha''' is an ancient festival conducted every year at the [[Dargah]] of [[Kondotty]] Thangal in [[Malappuram district|Malappuram]] District, Kerala, India.<ref name="malappuramtourism">{{cite web|url=http://www.malappuramtourism.org/kondotty-nercha.php|title=Kondotty Nercha &#124; Festivals and Fairs in Malappuram|publisher=malappuramtourism.org|accessdate=2016-01-31}}</ref><br />
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==Kondotty Thangal==<br />
Kondotty Nercha is conducted every year in memory of Kondotty Thangal alias Mohammed shah the Sufi exponent. His tomb constructed in the 18th century in Mughal style is located in Kondotty and it is known as the ''Kondotty Qubba''.<br />
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==Spring Festival==<br />
Kondotty Nercha is essentially a spring festival conducted in March or April every year. Once the harvest is over, the paddy fields of Kondotty are sufficiently empty and level enough to conduct a large scale local festival. A cannon is sounded to herald the beginning of the festival.<ref name="youtube">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd95M_a8Lb4|title=kondotty nercha - YouTube|publisher=youtube.com|accessdate=2016-01-31}}</ref><br />
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==History==<br />
The Muslims of this area were formerly under the leadership of Ponnani Makhdoomis and the Sayed Sheik Jiffri. Mohammed Shah Thangal came to Kondotty from Mumbai in 1717. They became known as '''Kondotty Thangal''' family. A biography of the Thangal family is written by Areekkod Kunhava. The Thangal of Kondotty died in 1766. Kondotty Nercha is conducted every year at his tomb in Kondotty. There is another belief that Kondotty Nercha is conducted in memory of the Bagdad saint Abdhul Khader Jeelani.<br />
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[[File:Kondotty Nercha-Thattanpetti Varavu2.jpg|thumbnail|The arrival of the ''Goldsmith Box'']]<br />
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==The Rituals of the Festival==<br />
This festival is also known as ''Kondotty Pooram''.<br />
* Three big cannons will be shot at the paddy fields of Kondotty to herald the arrival of the festival.<br />
* A white flag is hoisted at the Thangal junction in Kondotty to announce the peaceful nature of the festival.<br />
* The first procession arriving at the Dargah is the Vellad procession from Perinthalmanna.<br />
* Various enternatainments like Kolkkali, Songs and Dance are organized in the town.<br />
* Another ritual is the cleaning of the guns of the Thangal palace. The leftover oil is believed to have medicinal values. A Hindu style lamp is also lighted during this occasion.<br />
* The different processions from various villages come to Kondotty on different days. All over the route villagers greet the procession with fireworks and festivities. <br />
* All the supporting villages join the festivities by making stalls for selling [[Jalebi|jilebis]]. Two kinds of jilebis are made: the white and expensive sugar jilebis and the black and cheaper jaggery jilebies<br />
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==Distribution of Mareedha Sweet==<br />
The Mughal preparation '''Mareedha''' is distributed to the devotees at the end of the festival. Mareedha is a special sweet powder made of rice, ghee and various spices.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}<br />
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==Goldsmith Box Procession==<br />
[[File:Kondotty Town-Busstand.jpg|thumbnail|Kondotty Bus Station]]<br />
The culmination of the festival is the arrival of the '''Thattante Petti''' or the ''Goldsmith Box'' which is a procession of local merchants and devotees. This procession can include only neighboring villages of Kondotty. During this day, the Thangal of Kondotty comes on a horse and greets the devotees.<ref name="blogspot">{{cite web|url=http://kondotty-news.blogspot.in/2013/05/kondotty-nercha-festival-photos-news.html|title=Kondotty News - Kondotty Images : Kondotty Nercha festival Photos News|publisher=kondotty-news.blogspot.in|accessdate=2016-01-31}}</ref><br />
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Kondotty Nercha has a secular tone as it is celebrated jointly by the Muslim and Hindu community of Kondotty. The last procession of the Goldsmith Box is usually managed by the Hindu traders of Kondotty.<br />
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==Film on the Festival==<br />
A small group of students from GVHS School, Kondotty has made a short film on Kondotty Nercha. This 45 minute documentary film has become a local celebrity and won four state awards and a national award. The film shows the 100 year old history of the festival and more than 40 students participated in its making. The film was screened at Kerala State Children's Film Festival held at Kollam in Kerala. An eighth grade student called M.T.Shahama Bathool directed the film. The film is titled ‘Nercha Oru Nerkazhcha'. Thousands of people attend the religious procession and fairs held during the festival.<ref name="thehindu">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/students-make-film-on-kondotty-nercha-get-closer-to-roots/article745287.ece|title=Students make film on Kondotty Nercha, get closer to roots - KERALA - The Hindu|publisher=thehindu.com|accessdate=2016-01-31}}</ref><br />
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==Criticism==<br />
Some Muslim groups like the [[Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen|Mujahidhs]] and [[Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Kerala|Jamaat-e-Islami]] are against the celebrations organized around [[Dargahs]]. They have organized partial boycott of the festival in recent years.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}}<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Festivals in Malappuram district]]</div>>Ohnoitsjamie