Dargah of Shah Mohammed Qasim at Urdu Shareef to host Basant Panchami on Feb. 13

At a time when political parties raked up enough issues all extraneous to civic body elections to trigger communal polarisation and get votes, a dargah in old city is hosting a unique event that brings Muslims and Hindus together. If everything goes on as planned by the organisers, the dargah of Shah Mohammed Qasim alias Shaik Ji Hali Abul Ulai, at Urdu Shareef behind Patherghatti, would see people from the two communities wearing yellow scarves and caps and join in celebrating Basant Panchami on February 13.

Taking a leaf out of Delhi’s famed Basant Panchami at the dargah of the Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya, the organiser, All India Markazi Majlis-e-Chistia is leaving no stone unturned to make it an equally memorable occasion with the overarching theme of communal harmony. “We want to replicate the Basant as it is celebrated at the famed dargah in Delhi and draw more and more people from both communities to be part of festivities that reflect syncretic culture,” said Maulana Sufi Shah Mohammed Muzaffar Ali Chisti Abul Ulai, the current Sajjada Nasheen (priest) and Mutawalli (custodian) of the dargah.

Like most of the dargahs in Hyderabad, this one too has an interesting tale. Hazrath Shaykh Ji Hali who joined the Sufi order at the age of fourteen migrated to Hyderabad in 1778 from Jhunjhunu, the town of frescos on Havelis, in Rajasthan on the express instructions of his Sufi master, Hazrath Izzatullah Mian to propagate Sufism.

Mr. Muzaffar says Shaykh Ji Hali was the first to introduce qawwali during the reign of the third Nizam, Mir Akbar Ali Khan, Sikander Jah (Secunderabad was named after him). The mystic Sufi poetry provided spiritual solace to souls in distress and it soon became popular among Hyderabadis. “He was known for getting into spells of ecstasy as the suffix in his name Hali suggests while rendering them”.

Through his Sufi preaching and qawwalis he spread the message of love, tolerance, charity and peaceful coexistence until he breathed his last in the year 1817 A.D. A beautiful mausoleum with Makrana marble was built at his burial place. Besides the Nizams, among the ardent patrons of the dargah was Maharaja Kishen Pershad, Prime Minister during the reigns of sixth and seventh Nizams.

Quite strangely the dargah is also popular among litigants irrespective of caste, creed and religion, the belief being if they pay their respects, they will get a favourable judgment, its location being in proximity to the courts.

There is interesting legend of why Basant Panchami is celebrated at the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi. The Hazrat who had no children was saddened when he lost his young nephew and found it difficult to cope with the tragedy. His follower Hazrat Amir Khusrau wished to see the smile back on the Hazrat’s face.

Inspired by women devotees, who, clad in yellow saris walked daily to the nearby temple singing bhajans and carrying with them mustard flowers, Khusrau too wore a sari and appeared before the Hazrat singing “ sakal ban phool rahi sarson ...” He succeeded in his mission as the Hazrat broke into laughter on seeing him. This slice of history is still commemorated as an occasion for rejoicing on Basant with his followers dressed in yellow, carry mustard flowers and offer them at the Hazrat’s dargah as the qawwals sing Khusrau’s verse.

The organisers plan to do the ditto in Hyderabad through a Mehfil-e- Sama where Khusrau’s qawwalis will be part of the repertoire.