Muslim Pilgrimage in India
India is the home to some of the finest mosques and holiest dargahs. A
country where Islam is the second largest religion, India is indeed a
place where this great religion has not only flourished but has been
immensely respected and adored. From the northern states to the southern
parts of the country, a follower of Islam can find a number of holy
places to bow down or even prostrate. Here are some of the best places
that every Muslim must visit in India.
Jama Masjid, Delhi
Reckoned
to be the largest mosque in India, Jama Masjid is amongst the top must
visit places for Muslims in India. The sacred mosque was built by the
Emperor Shah Jahan in the year 1650 with the aid of 5000 workers over
the period of 6 years. The mosque has been designed by Ustad Khalil, who
was known to be the great sculptor of his time and apart from its pious
ambiance is also known for its architectural grandeur. The carvings
made in the mosque is exceptional and the major highlight here is that
none of the domes are of similar height; each dome is different from the
other. It is said that it was customary for the emperor and his
courtiers to visit the mosque every Friday for attending ‘Jumme ki
Namaz’, the congressional prayer. It is indeed one of the most
significant holy places of Islam in India.
Also Read: 55 Perfect Weekend Break Options from Delhi
Dargah Qutub Sahib, Delhi
Another
place that seems significant for Muslims in Delhi is the
Dargah-Qutub-Sahib. Situated near Gandak ki Baoli in the Mehrauli
village, some 400 meters away from the Adham Khan’s tomb, Dargah of
Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kalki is holds high regards for people of Islam
religion. Qutubudddin was the disciple and spiritual successor of Khwaja
Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer. It is believed that several high esteem
rulers like Bahadur Shah I, Shah Alam II and Akbar II lie buried in the
various enclosures around the saint’s grave. It is also believed that
one, who truly believes in the saint, makes a wish by tying a thread
near the grave.
Also Read: Best Heritage Sites to See in Delhi
Hazratbal Shrine, Srinagar
Situated
on the western shores of Dal Lake in Srinagar, Hazratbal Shrine is the
most important Islamic site in Kashmir. The main significance of
Hazratbal Shrine lies in the fact that it houses a strand of the hair of
the prophet Mohammad and it is the big reason the dargah is counted in
most religious places of Muslims in India. Done in white marble, it
dates back to the 17th century and ever since has been the centre of
attraction in Kashmir region.
Also Read: 25 Amazing Destinations in Jammu & Kashmir
Ajmer Sharif
Reckoned
to be the most popular place of Islam in India, Ajmer Sharif Dargah in
Rajasthan is indeed a religious destination that no Muslim should miss.
It is said that no prayer at this Dargah ever goes unanswered and that
is why one can see the place crowded all through the year. People of all
religion are welcome here. The shrine is the resting place of the
Gharib Nawaz Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti and is the oldest and biggest
Dargah in South Asia.
Also Read: Top 50 Ways to Discover Rajasthan
Sheikh Salim Chishti Dargah, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra-Jaipur Highway
Adorned
with white marble, the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti occupies a
prominent position among the sacred places of Islam in India. Built by
Mughal Emperor Akbar, it is situated at the imperial complex of Fatehpur
Sikri. Sheikh Salim Chishti predicted that the Akbar would father three
sons and the prediction came true, and Akbar’s son Jahangir was named
as Salim after the saint, and raised by the Sufi holy man. It is to
honour the great saint, Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned this dargah.
Every Thursday, thousands of locals visit the shrine to offer their
prayer to the great saint. The whole atmosphere in and around the Dargah
looked divine with hundreds of men and women gathered here for the
prayers. Pilgrims, who pray in the Dargah, also offer flower (rose) on
the tomb.
Also Read: Places to See in Agra Near Taj Mahal
Char Minar, Hyderabad
Amongst
the most prominent heritage buildings in India is Char-Minar in
Hyderabad. However, this monument has significance for Muslims as well,
as the structure was created to represent the first four caliphs of
Islam. The legend has that the monument was constructed after the
prayers of Sultan Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah were fulfilled regarding the
suppression of plague.Built from granite, mortar and lime, this sacred
structure reflects an unusual mix of mosque and arc architectire
together.
Haji Ali, Mumbai
Known
for its special location on an islet in Southern Mumbai, Haji Ali is a
must visit for all Muslims visiting India. Dedicated to Muslim Saint Pir
Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, the shrine is visited by thousands of pilgrims
irrespective of their religions. According to a record, more than 40,000
pilgrims visit this shrine to offer Chaddar and sincere prayers. During
URS (Death anniversary of the saint) and Eid-E-Milad-un-Nabi, special
Islamic rituals are performed here. Haji Ali Saint is known to have
given up all his worldly possessions and went to Mecca. His selfless
acts towards the people made him a highly revered personality. It is
also believed that he asked his followers to cast his body in a coffin
in the Arabian Sea when he dies. Soon after his demise, his followers
did as they were asked. However, it is said that the coffin stuck on the
piles of rocks, and this is where his Dargah stands today.
Also Read: 40 Spectacular Weekend Getaways from Mumbai
Nizamuddin Dargah, Delhi
Located
amidst a chaotic market area, Nizamuddin Dargah is one of the most
prominent places for Muslims to visit in India. The marble shrine of the
Sufi Saint, Nizam-ud-din Auliya is a notable point of pilgrimage for
Muslims. Other tombs in the compound include that of Jahanara (daughter
of Shah Jahan) and the renowned Urdu poet Amir Khusru. The Dargah is one
of the most extraordinary places to listen to Sufi music and qawwali
(Islamic devotional singing) at sunset. On every Thursday, people gather
here to be part of this heavenly experience. Scattered around the
surrounding alleyways are more tombs and a huge baoli or a step-well.
Cheraman Juma Mosque, Thrissur
Probably
the oldest mosque in the country, the Cheraman Juma Masjid is said to
have been built in 629 AD and then was rebuilt in the 11th century AD.
The mosque takes one back in the glorious years of Islam in India and of
course help in acheiving inner peace and tranquility. It was built on a
place rewarded by the last Chera ruler who upon witnessing a miraculous
phenomenon, travelled to Mecca and adopted Islam. The mosque is built
in a distinctive meld of Dutch-Kerala and Hindu architectural styles.
Also Read: 20 Spellbinding Hill Stations in Kerala
Piran Kaliyar Sharif, Haridwar
Piran
Kaliyar, also known as Kaliyar Sharif is dedicated to Sufi Saint
Allauddin Ali Ahmad Sabir also known as Sabir Kaliyari who lies here in
peace. The 13th century saint was the successor of the great Sufi poet
and Saint Hazrat Baba Farid of the Chishti order. The tomb was built by
Ibrahim Lodhi and typifies the Islamic architecture with its carved
grillwork. During the months of May-June, a 15-day Urs is celebrated at
the Dargah on which people belonging to all religions, castes and creeds
turn in multitudes. After the initial religious rituals, the Urs takes
on a festive mood with quawwalis and mushairas becoming the order of the
day.
Also Read: 50 Beautiful Hill Stations in Uttarakhand
Shah-e-Aalam, Ahmedabad
Shah-e-Alam’s
Tomb also known as Rasulabad Dargah or Shah Alam no Rojo is a medieval
mosque and tomb complex (Roza) in Shah Alam area of Ahmedabad.
Shah-e-Alam is believed to be the son of Sayyid Burhanuddin
Qutub-ul-Alam and the great grandson of the much celebrated Sayyid
Jalauddin Hussain Bukhari of Uch who is also known as Makhdoom Jahaniyan
Jahangasht. Shah-e-Alam was the guide of Mahmud Begada’s youth, and
afterwards one of the most revered of Muslim religious teachers of
Ahmedabad. Therefore, it is a good idea to visit the tomb of Shah-e-Alam
whose auro can still be felt in this holy dargah.
Also Read: 24 Fantastic Destinations of Gujarat
Haji Pir Dargah, Kutch
Haji
Pir Dargah of Kutch is an important attractions in Gujarat Tourism,
thus is indeed a significant place for Muslims to see in India as well.
People of all religions come here to seek the blessing of Pir Haji Ali
Akbar, who used to save the cows that were driven away by the local
goons and dacoits in the village named Nara. He later on was entitled to
be a “Haji” after his visit to the greatest pilgrimage of the followers
of the Islam faith, the Haj. Locals also used to call him Haji Pir and
Zinda Pir. People here believe those who visit the Haji Pir Dargah and
make a wish, their wish never goes unfulfilled. Believers also travel
four miles to the Karol Pir after visiting this Dargah.
Nakhoda Mosque, Kolkata
Reckoned
to be the largest mosque in Kolkata, Nakhoda Mosque is a must see in
India. Situated in the Chitpur area of the Burrabazar business district
in Central Kolkata, at the intersection of Zakariya Street and Rabindra
Sarani, this gigantic mosque has the capacity to accommodate around
10,000 people at a time. Abdar Rahim Osman in the year 1926 laid the
foundation stone of the mosque. The architecture is based on
Indo-Saracenic designing and contains a spacious prayer hall, a dome and
two minarets. The entrance of the shrine has been designed like the
Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri.
Pazhayangadi Mosque, Malappuram District
Pazhayangadi
Mosque or Kondotty mosque is a 500 year-old Muslim shrine in India. It
is situated in north Kerala and is considered to be the prominent
pilgrim centre of the Muslims in Kerala. This mosque is connected with
the Muslim Saint Muhammed Shah, who is also known as Kondotty Thangal.
The ‘Valia Nercha’ fair at this mosque is celebrated for three days in
February-March and is a significant festival which draws a lot of
devotees from around the country.
Rauza Sharif of Sheikh Ahmed Farooqi, Sirhind-Bassi Pathana Road
The
magnificent Rauza Sharif is a mausoleum which commemorates the burial
place of Mujadid-alf-Saani Sheikh Ahmed Farooqi, Kabuli, Sirhindi who
lived during the time of Akbar and Jahangir (1563 to 1634). It is an old
mosque adorned with a beautiful and spacious mausoleum that is
venerated as a second Mecca by Suni Muslims. The tomb is said to be
visited annually in or about August by thousands of Naqshbandi Muslims
from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia and India.
Also Read: 13 Astonishing Forts & Palaces in Punjab
Solah Khamba Masjid, Bidar
Solah
Masjid or the Zenani Masjid or the sixteen-columned prayer hall was
built in 1423 AD by Prince Muhammad prior to the shifting of the capital
to Bidar by the Bahamanis. This is believed to be the oldest Muslim
building in Bidar and among the largest in India. Therefore it is a must
visit for any Muslim who like to learn about the Islamic architecture
and history. It is also said that
Aurangzeb, after the conquest of Bidar, held prayers here to decree Mughal sovereignty. Steps lead to the top from where a panoramic view can be had of the countryside.
Aurangzeb, after the conquest of Bidar, held prayers here to decree Mughal sovereignty. Steps lead to the top from where a panoramic view can be had of the countryside.
Also Read: Enchanted Hill Stations in Karnataka
Taj Ul Masjid, Bhopal
One
of the most impressive structures in Bhopal is the Taj-ul-Masjid. The
mosque is also one of the largest and most elegant Muslim mosques in
India. Literally translated as ‘The Crown of Mosques’ could never be
completed due to lack of money, and after a long lay-off, construction
was resumed in 1971. The pink façade of the mosque is topped by two huge
white-domed minarets pointing upwards to the sky. The mosque also has
three huge bulbous domes; an impressive main hallway with attractive
pillars; marble flooring and a spacious courtyard. Taj-ul-Masjid is one
of the largest mosques in Asia with a large tank in the centre and an
imposing double storeyed gateway with 4 recessed archways and 9 imposing
cusped multifold openings in the main prayer hall. Some of the main
features of this great mosque are the 18 storey high octagonal minars,
onion shaped marble dooms and the gossamer fine screens of trellis work
in the prayer hall.
Khwaza Bande Nawaz, Gulbarga
One
of the most significant monuments in Gulbarga, Karnataka is the Khwaza
Bande Nawaz Dargah. The tomb of the great Sufi saint, Khwaza Syed
Mohammad Gesu Daraz, also known as Khwaza Bande Nawaz. It is a
magnificent building done in the Indo-Saracenic style that reflects the
highlights of the two cultures. The arches are done in Bahmani
architecture, while the paintings on the walls and the domes are Turkish
and Iranian in style. The Dargah is the venue of an annual ‘Urs’, which
is attended by thousands of people irrespective of any religion. There
is also an in-house Library in premises of the Dargah where as many as
10000 books in Urdu, Persian and Arabic on subjects ranging from history
and literature are kept.
We
are sure there are plenty of other places that can be recommended to
our Muslim brother and sisters to visit in India. If you have more
suggestions, please mention them in the comment below and we shall add
them to the list. If you liked the blog, please give us a LIKE and a
SHARE. And in case you are planning a visit to one of these places but
don’t know how to go about it, then allow us at Tour My India to help
you plan your visit.
