Devotion of compassion at Hazrat Nizamudin Shrine

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JIBRN NAZIR  (PHOTO/VIDEO SAURABH SHRIVASTAVA) TENNEWS

 

Flower laden thallis, and green blankets are for sale, on the stalls, lining both sides of a narrow alley leading to the shrine of a great Sufi saint, Khawaja Hazrat Nizamudin Auliya, who lived his in the mid-1200s. Although, centuries have passed but devotion and reverence to this great saint still lives among the hearts of people. Irrespective of caste, religion, gender and culture, people of all age groups, from around the sub-continent throng this heritage site in tens and thousands every day.


Nizamuddin Dargah is the holy shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya who is counted among the world’s most renowned Sufi saints. It is located in the Nizamuddin West area of Delhi. This dargah is among the popular attractions of the city.

One of the most important rituals in the shrine is Dua-e-Roshni, the evening service when the lamps are lit with a special prayer. The pilgrims gather in the shrine’s marble courtyard and stand around a khadim, one of the shrine’s traditional caretakers.


After the symbolic beating of a drum, the khadim, speaking in a booming melodious voice, implores Hazrat Nizamuddin and other Sufi saints to grant the wishes of all the devotees. (The prayer is a little over the top for our modern times — the khadim also prays for all the unmarried people of marriageable age to be hitched soon.)
True to Sufi tradition, love for God is invoked in terms of romance through the music. The lyrics for qawwalis are usually simple, their meaning clear, and the artistes have plenty of room to improvise. The vocalists sit in the front with the harmonium player, the percussionists and the accompanying singers are at the back – there is a convergence of voices, a combined effort that is enchanting to the senses.


The saint was believed to be a Sufi mystic and was revered amongst the rich as well as the poor. His teachings, his spirit, his contribution to the world and an unshakeable faith in God are celebrated with regular gatherings of people who pay their respects and hold on steadfastly to a tradition as old as time.

 

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