Explore India: Celebrating Chishti Shrines

Introduced around 10^th century in Chisht, near Herat in Afghanistan, Chishti order within Sufi mystic of Islam reached Indian subcontinent in mid 12^th century and since then have been very popular amongst its mass and its shrines are always in buzz with its visitors. Here is an account of my experience at four popular Chisti shrines: Shekh Salim Chishti in Fatehpur Sikri, Nizammudin Dargah at New Delhi and shrine of Sabir Pak in Kaliyar, near Roorkee in Uttarakhand

Since the starting of making one’s way to Dargahs a sense of entry into a different world can be felt.The space marked by spurting energy, bustling activities, full of life enthusiasm and lively spirit. The panoramic display of bright colorful stalls selling offerings from vibrant chaadars and beautiful roses to products of daily needs like silver shining or elegant wooden utensils, sparkling cloths, attractive accessories and the aroma of special mouth watering delicacies sets a mesmerizing platform even before one reaches the main gateway and submerges into the captivating beauty of Sufi shrine. The charisma of these shrines is powerful enough to magnetize people into the mystical milieu. This gets well explained through the exploding number of visitors coming every hour of the day to these Dargahs. Joyful sama of Qawallis seems to have potential to make anyone forget the worries of materialistic world and plunge into the spiritual one at least once. For a nation which has constantly struggled for communal harmony, it is a delight to see people irrespective of their religion bowing before the same figure, following similar practices and sharing the same space cordially transcending all socio-economic barriers. Although the three Dargahs belong to Chishti order but their regional flavoring cannot be missed. While it is a large section of tourists from across the world thronging the shrine of Shekh Salim Chishti in Fatehpur Sikri, Muslim devotees dominate in Nizammuddin Dargah whereas presence of considerable number of Sikh visitors in Kaliyar Sharif Dargah of Sabir Pak¹ can also be witnessed along with Hindus and Muslims. Moreover, sometimes offerings of red colored chaadar is seen preferred over other colored chadars among Hindu devotees in Nizammuddin², words like ‘pir babbe di jai’ can also be something found written on the chaadars containing other drawings like mosques and Islamic holy number 786 in Kaliyar Sharif, tying of red thread knots on the marble screened wall of the shrine is a part of custom at all the four places but devotees hanging formal letters addressed to Sabir Pir with a red thread on huge Guler tree² is a unique phenomenon just like burning incense is common to all three but offerings of oil and burning of auspicious flame at the main entrance of Sabir Pak’s dargah is contrasting from others yet resembling popular Hindu ritual of lighting a lamp/jyoti as a symbol of fortune and well being. These shades of differences add even more charm and subtle variety to the prevalent popular practices and rituals of the shrines. But the way coin has two sides so could one’s experience at these shrines.

Despite enjoying amid this cheerful atmosphere, colorful surroundings and religious fervor soon a bleak fermenting picture was in front of my eyes which now detached me from other joyous activities around. Fatehpur Sikri, the city which had received all grandeur when was capital during Akbar’s reign is now in a heart breaking condition with poverty stricken population and humble infrastructure. Little kids running like headless chicken from one tourist to the other for selling souvenirs, youngsters disguised as guides narrating distorted history of the place and many others expecting a tip for even their simple gesture was a common disturbing sight. However, more horrifying was the thought about future of these innocent kids without any formal education, youth without any productive work and majority population with uncertain earnings. Another sad experience was at Nizammuddin Dargah which brought to my realization a grim reality of being feminine in a staunch patriarchal ambience. Not only entry to shrines was prohibited to women but even their presence was restricted at the market place. It had become extremely difficult to keep a free mind as always I had to be utmost conscious of my ‘female identity’ before making any action or striking a conversation with the people. Were these norms only peculiar to that neighborhood or could it be broadly understood as a reflection of particular section of the society? How would a confined bird with tied wings fly to big heights? Although Financial Crises encountered in Fatehpur Sikri and Gender Differentiation felt at Nizamuddin had already shaken me but the moment I started to hear mixed sounds of loud shouts of ‘Sabir chodo’(Sabir! Leave.), fearful screams of ‘main tujhe nahi chodungi/chodunga’(I will not spare you) and tearful cries from close vicinity of Sabir Pak’s shrine in Kaliyar I soon realized that a lot more was still awaited to be experienced. A chain of conversation with the people revealed it to be a complex fusion of physical and psychological world. A very large number of devotees had been either staying for months or were recurrent visitors. They were not only devotees or visitors but were actually the petitioners (petitions were tied and hung to Guler tree²) who had filed cases against the spell of evil spirits (shaitan) on them or their dear ones and waiting for justice under the administration of their ‘Sarkar’ -the Sabir pir. Until their hearings were complete and case was over most of them (humans/devotees) were with chained feet/hand as they (evil spirit/shaitan in human body) were in Sarkar’s custody and expected to be jailed, hung, enslaved or transformed (only evil spirit/shaitan and not human body) as per Sarkar Sabir’s jurisdiction. Isn’t this an interesting contrast with today’s juncture when Indian youth is boiling with anger and sizzling with demands of rapid trials and justice for victims of sexual assault from India’s government?

Neither for a country with 37 per cent population below poverty line, poverty a new phenomenon nor patriarchy is inevitable in this nation where female ratio has dropped down to 914. Also traces of spiritualism or pinches of black magic, Tantrism so on and so forth is not very unique or unheard in India. However, a journey to different shrines gives a wonderful opportunity to get a closer and a wider view of the convoluted Indian cultural fabric which until now one would have viewed only from a far distance. Deeper one thinks more becomes the bewilderment and so does the list of questionnaires. Although the time spent at Dargahs could be short but its imprints would remain everlastingly glowing in your memory lanes.

* Photo credit- Niti Deoliya

1. Sabir Pak is Baba Farid’s nephew and also stayed with him in childhood at Pakpattan, (now in Pakistan, earlier in Punjab) before arriving Kaliyar in 13^th century.

2. Under the thick Guler Tree which is still there, Sabir Pak meditated for 12 years in standing position.