Goripalayam Mosque is a large mosque in Goripalayam (part of Madurai City) containing two graves (tombs) of Sultans of Yemen namely Khaja Syed Sultan Alauddin Badusha Razi and Khaja Syed Sulthan Shamsuddin of the Madurai Sultanate. There is also one invisible grave of Khaja Syed Sultan Habibuddin Razi who is also known as Ghaibi Sulthan who came to India to spread Islam. Its dome is in diameter and in height and made of a single block of stone which was brought from the Azhaga Hills. It is said that it was built by Thirumalai Nayak for his Muslim subjects. Origin The name Gorippalayam comes from the Persian word gor which means grave. This area is called as Goripalayam because the graves of the two famous saints of Islam and rulers of Madurai Sulthan Alauddin Badusha (Radiyallah) and Sulthan Shamsuddin Badhusha (Radiyallah) are here. A beautiful green tomb can be seen from the A.V. Bridge, which is the Gorippalayam Dargah located in the northern banks of Vaigai River. People from all over Tamil Nadu come here to seek blessings and go back fruitfully. The two rulers were brothers who ruled the northern part of Madurai after coming from Oman during the 13th century to spread Islam after hearing about the travel of Qutb Sulthan Syed Ibrahim Shaheed Badusha of Erwadi and his victory in south India followed by the established Islamic rule in Madurai and Ramanathapuram provinces. Kazi Syed Tajuddin Radiyallah, the founder of Kazimar Big Mosque and who lived in Kazimar Street was government Kazi (Islamic legal advisor and jury) to the Sultans. The descendants of Kazi Syed Tajuddin are still living in Kazimar Street and the Kazimar Big mosque is being maintained by them. From the time of Sultans the Kazis to Madurai city are appointed from the descendants of Kazi Syed Tajuddin and this tradition was followed by the Pandiya Rulers, the Nayak rulers, the Nawab rulers and the British rulers. Even today the post independent democratic state government of Tamil Nadu appoints Kazi to Madurai only from the descendants of Kazi Syed Tajuddin who was the Kazi to the Madurai Sultans. An ancient Tamil inscription can be found planted on the outer campus of the Maqbara of the dargah campus: Inscription The descendants of Sulthan Alauddin Badusha, and Sulthan Shamsuddin Badusha (called as Sultans of Oman) purchased from the then King Koo(n) Pandiyan the land of Gorippalayam