Despite 5yrs of appeal, pontoon bridge only link to M’luru uroos

Mangaluru: With wait for a bridge stretching into years, thousands of devotees and visitors to Dargah Sharif at Rahmaniya Masjid — popularly called Nadupalli Maqam — on an island formed by Nethravati river at Adyar Kannur in Mangaluru taluk have been depending on boat service and pontoon bridge to reach the shrine.For more than five years, villagers have been petitioning various levers of the government, demanding that a bridge be constructed across the river, which is about 100 metres wide.As a lasting solution remains elusive, Rahmaniya Masjid committee has started setting up a pontoon bridge, made with nearly 60 traditional boats, for the uroos on Jan 31 and Feb 1. This is the fifth straight year that the makeshift bridge is being installed.The two-day annual Nadupalli Uroos attracts no less than 50,000 people from Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Hassan from within Karnataka and Kerala's Kasargod. The masjid is a prominent pilgrim centre with a history of over 400 years.Usually, devotees visit the dargah, which is 100 metres from the mainland, by boat. When thousands throng the spot during uroos, the committee builds a pontoon bridge for the convenience of devotees.Decades ago, there was only a narrow stream dividing the mainland from the island. Over years, the water stream has expanded, forcing devotees to use boats — no longer by foot — to reach the masjid. Currently, a boat operates from Adyar Kannur to ferry devotees to the masjid every day, according to Abdul Hameed, president, Usman Bin Affan Masjid, (another masjid under the Rahmaniya Masjid), Borugudde."People, cutting across religions, visit the Dargah, bringing rice, coconut, jaggery and sugar as offerings. During uroos, the shrine distributes ‘bella ganji', a sweet dish made of rice and jaggery, to all devotees," he said, explaining the importance of the event.Residents say the three tombs in Nadupalli Maqam were said to have been built in commemoration of religious preachers. Villagers started offering prayers after they reportedly witnessed miracles.Earlier, nearly 20 boats fitted with outboard engines were used to ferry devotees from Adyar to Nadupalli. Later, the masjid committee decided to build a pontoon bridge when the shrine started witnessing increased footfall, said a resident.