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When India met the world
Celebrating the birth anniversary of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya — the saint who transformed the Sufi movement
The 11th edition of Delhi International Arts Festival (DIAF) kicked off with the opening ceremony on Saturday. Braving the smoggy weather, Capital’s art afficionados enjoyed a performance by Indian classical dancers on the song Vande Mataram along with performances from countries such as Russia and Egypt.
In an unassuming neighbourhood of Delhi, filled with aromas of kebabs, flanked by shanty houses of Nizamuddin basti and an 800year-old mosque (believed to be built by emperor Alauddin Khilji), stands the mausoleum of Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, the structure that embodies a part of Capital’s history. And today, as we celebrate the 803rd birth anniversary of one of the most famous Sufi saints of the Chishti order in the Indian sub-continent, we take you on a journey through the lanes of chaadar sellers, and fakirs. “We celebrate the day with great devotion. The qawwali programme will begin at 8pm and go on till 5.30am. Amir Khusrau’s kalaams will be sung too,” informs Syed Afsar Ali Nizami, chief in charge, Dargah Sharif, adding, “At night, we will organise a langar with vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. At 1am, the mazaar sharif (the burial place) will be opened by the saint’s family for decoration, shielded from outside view. We wash the darbar with kewda (flower essence) and sprinkle attar (perfumes) on it. Then, we smear sandalwood paste and finally offer a chaadar. And, after the morning namaaz (fajr), disciples can offer flowers and chaadars.” Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, propagated love and religious pluralism. And his shrine too attracts people from all faiths, age groups and social statures. “He never differentiated. He promoted the message of brotherhood and peace,” says Afsar Nizami, the 38th generation member of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya’s family, informing that every Friday, a Dubai-based Hindu family sends langar to be distributed at the dargah. As we converse with Nizami, the qawwals take position to begin the musical assembly. “Qawwalis have always been an integral part of Sufism, which became commonplace with the khanqah (spiritual retreat) of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. Khusrau is acknowledged as the first poet of Urdu. He created songs that add novelty to the musical assemblies of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. All Chishtis were committed to music as it believed to be the source of reaching spiritual ecstasy,” says Sadia Dehlvi, author of The Sufi Courtyard: Dargahs of Delhi, adding, “The Capital’s Sufi landscape underwent a major transformation with his presence, creating a lasting impact on history.”