A holy shrine on an islet off the coast of Worli in southern Mumbai showcases a hanging instance of the Indo-Islamic structure fashion at the same time as additionally being a topic to many legends
Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari turned into a Persian Sufi saint from Bukhara, positioned in gift-day Uzbekistan. Rumor has it that the saint as soon as noticed a bad girl crying via way of means of the street preserving an empty vessel. She had by accident spilled the oil that she turned into sporting onto the soil and turned into afraid of her husband’s reaction. Upon this, Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari jabbed his finger into the earth after which oil gushed out from this spot. The girl rejoiced, stuffed up her empty vessel and went to her home.
But the Sufi had a ordinary and demanding dream that advised him he had disturbed the earth with this action. Feeling regretful, he set out on a adventure to journey internationally withinside the early fifteenth century. Choosing to settle in Mumbai, he dedicated himself to spreading the Islamic faith.
Many different legends additionally say that he felt sick for the duration of his adventure to Mecca. He told his fans to place his coffin into the Arabian Sea after his demise. However, the casket sporting his frame got here floating from Mecca lower back to the island off the coast of Worli, and a shrine stands at the identical spot withinside the sea today. The respected shrine of Haji Ali in Mumbai, that’s referred to as Haji Ali Dargah, is one of the maximum famend and iconic landmarks in India’s Mumbai. It is thought to be greater than 550 years antique and is often visited via way of means of human beings from all faiths. In 2020, the monument turned into indexed withinside the World Book of Records as one of the world’s maximum visited shrines. On a day by day basis, lots of human beings go to the Haji Ali Dargah, making it a first-rate vacationer destination. According to Suhail Khandwani, a trustee of the shrine, the non secular web website online has a day by day footfall of 50,000 human beings, at the same time as on Friday, Sunday and Thursday traffic wide variety as much as a 100,000.
Architectural details
The Haji Ali Dargah is positioned on a small islet, hardly ever 500 meters (1,640 feet) farfar from the coast. The shape of the shrine includes a astonishing tomb manufactured from marble, an average instance of Indo-Islamic structure adjoined via way of means of a mosque, minarets and an arch-fashioned entrance.
The tomb of Pir Haji Ali in the most important corridor of the complicated has a sanduka, a form of sarcophagi located over the unique graves of outstanding human beings withinside the Turkish-Islamic tradition. The sanduka stays protected with inexperienced and purple brocade sheets. Besides, the marble ceiling of the primary corridor is embellished with replicate paintings in kaleidoscopic designs. The ninety nine names of Allah also are inscribed here.
A easy pathway connects the shrine to the mainland coast. As this pathway is submerged for the duration of the excessive tide, the monument is most effective to be had to get right of entry to for the duration of low tides.
The dargah complicated itself has a massive lobby referred to as Qawwal Khana, in which devotes take relaxation and concentrate to Sufi musical packages that contain of qawwali (a shape of Sufi Islamic devotional singing, originating from the Indian subcontinent) performances in honor of Haji Ali, locating sure comfort. Indeed, Sufi conviction serves fee and which means to devotees traveling this magnificent shrine.
Miracles of the shrine
In 1949, Mumbai confronted a massive hurricane that in part broken nearly all homes besides the Dargah of Haji Ali. People gift in the monument at that second feared that they could drown however they witnessed sturdy winds come and byskip away – as though they have been bowing on the wall of the dargah in submission to the saint – after which disappeared with out inflicting any damage. Some human beings stated that they noticed chiraags (earthen lamps) afloat on the ones waves. The human beings stranded inner got here out correctly unharmed.
Another miracle related to the monument occurred in 2005 whilst heavy rains hit Mumbai, inflicting massive destruction all throughout the city – besides, or direction the Dargah of Haji Ali. Moreover, for the duration of monsoon season, all of the roads of Mumbai grow to be tough and complete of potholes, however the pathway main to the Dargah of Haji Ali stays smooth. Despite its vicinity withinside the center of the sea, traffic see this pathway because the safest, with out any potholes.
Bollywood destination
Many Bollywood actors, along with Tusshar Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Sonu Sood, Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan recall the Dargah of Haji Ali as a fortunate spot. Actor Hashmi continually involves searching for benefits at this shrine earlier than venturing into any project. Also, this distinguished landmark in Mumbai has served as a fixed in lots of Bollywood films such as “Fiza,” “Halla Bol,” “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai,” and the maximum current being movie “Prassthanam.”
