Justice Shri D. Murugesan, Member, National Human Rights Commission visited Dargah and Dawa & Dua (in Tamil "Markkam & Maruthuvam") Project at Erawadi in Ramanathpuram district of Southern Tamil Nadu on the 23rd November, 2015 and looked into the facilities at a clinic-cum-pharmacy run by the Government of Tamil Nadu for patients visiting the Dargah praying for a cure to all their illnesses, especially mental problems.
Justice Murugesan also visited the Psychiatric Institute constructed by the Government of Tamil Nadu at Erawadi. He inaugurated a rehabilitation programmes for the patients attending the Dawa & Dua Project.
This project is a unique concept which provides a holistic mental healthcare to the pilgrims visiting Erawadi Dargah without disturbing their religious faith and belief. Under this programme, the faith-healers have come forward to construct a psychiatric clinic inside the Dargah. The patients, visiting the Dargah, are directed to go to psychiatric clinic by the faith-healers after they finish religious rituals.
It may be recalled that in the year 2001, a fire accident took place in one such mental asylum set up in Erawadi in which 28 people died, who could not escape because they were chained. The Erawadi tragedy galvanized all the stakeholders, including the judiciary and the National Human Rights Commission, prompting monitoring of mental healthcare system in the country.