HUES OF YELLOW TO EMBRACE SPRING AT NIZAMUDDIN DARGAH
The 12th century shrine will reverberate with Sufi songs associated with the arrival of spring
As winter paves way for spring, Delhiites wear their yellow robes, and some head to the Sufi Basant celebrations at the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, today. With marigold flowers and yellow attires lining the way and qawwali programmes scheduled specially for this day, the conglomeration will maintain social distancing to keep it a safe affair.
The annual event of Sufi Basant falls on the third day of Jumada-al-awwal, the fifth month of the Islamic calendar. “This festival is celebrated in memory of poet Amir Khusrow, who dedicated his songs of spring to Khwaja Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
Celebrating with the community assumes greater importance in the face of the pandemic. Namaz se pehle basant leke ayenge aur phir program shuru hoga. Masks will be compulsory and we’ll provide sanitiser to all visitors,” says Peerzada Altamash Nizami, a direct descendant of Khwaja Nizamuddin and dargah committee's joint secretary.
The qawwalis, today, will be performed by Nizami brothers Ghulam Sabir and Gulam Waris, who have been keeping with this tradition for years. “Humare dada, pardada ke time se humari family Sufi Basant par dargah mein qawwali kar rahi hai. The qawwali usually happens in the courtyard, but on this day, we perform around the tombs of Amir Khusrow and Hazrat Nizamuddin. Covid-19 ki wajah se sab pareshan hai, but this will be a good occasion for everyone to come together,” says Waris, sharing how they celebrate this festival to commemorate the day Amir Khusrow got his master to smile after he was grief stricken at the death of his nephew.
People from different religions gather at the dargah to witness the celebrations. “I go to Nizamuddin every year on this day and feel at peace to see people come together,” says Archie Saxena, a corporate professional, adding, “I don’t think there’d be a better way to celebrate communal harmony. This speaks about India’s Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb.”