Wanderlust Tales : Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai
After our visit to the Shree Siddhivinayak temple, which you can read about it in the below post:
http://xylo742.blogspot.com/2016/11/wanderlust-tales-shree-siddhivinayak.html
We hired a yellow cab to drive us to the Haji Ali Dargah which is one of the famous landmarks of Mumbai. It is a mosque and Dargah on an islet off the coast of Worli in the Southern part of Mumbai.
From the sources from Google :
Legend has it that the Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of a wealthy Muslim merchant, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who gave up all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Hailing from Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan, Bukhari travelled around the world in the early to mid 15th century, and eventually settled in present-day Mumbai.
Word also had it, that once the saint saw a poor woman crying on the road, holding an empty vessel. He asked her what the problem was, she sobbed that her husband thrashed her as she stumbled and accidentally spilled the oil she was carrying. He asked her to take him to the spot where she spilt the oil. There, he jabbed a finger into the soil and the oil gushed out. The overjoyed woman filled up the vessel and went home.
Later, Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari had a recurring and disturbing dream that he had injured Earth by his act. Full of remorse, he soon fell ill and directed his followers to cast the coffin carrying his body into the Arabian Sea. Haji Ali died during his journey to Mecca and miraculously the casket carrying his body, floated back to these shores, getting stuck in the string of rocky islets just off the shore of Worli. Thus, the Dargah was constructed there.
The whitewashed structure has an area of the marble courtyard which contains the central shrine. The tomb within the mosque is covered with a brocaded red, green chaddar and is supported by an exquisite silver frame over the top.
The main hall has marble pillars embellished with artistic mirror work: blue, green, yellow chips of glass arranged in kaleidoscopic patterns interspersed with Arabic patterns which spell the ninety-nine names of Allah.
The designs, the pillars, the architecture is a classic exquisite example of Indo Islamic architecture. Opposite the Dargah was as unfinished building - not sure as to if more work was to be done on it or it was left that way.
As per the Muslim traditions separate praying rooms for ladies and gents are
provided here to pay their respects.
During the time we were here, girls were not allowed inside the Dargah as opposed to the recent declaration that women can step in too - a much appreciated effort.
There is no restriction on the dress. In fact I witnessed that few ladies who were wearing short dresses/ clothing were facilitated with wrap around - respect.
The Dargah stands heavily crowded with people of all caste, creed visiting the place to pay their respects.
The stretch of 500m to the mosque from the mainland could be bettered little more – by making the pathway and nearing places more cleaner, educating people not to litter, adding barricades along the way would make the place safer and would aid in avoiding any mishaps during the high tides, which is often.
The view from the Dargah is just out of the world. The water just gushing against the rocks and the slow tides. Beauty at its best! A soothing, calming and peaceful visit to the Dargah.
A must visit for all...
Few pictures from the visit:
~Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! :)
P.S. All the above photos have been clicked by me. :D
http://xylo742.blogspot.com/2016/11/wanderlust-tales-shree-siddhivinayak.html
We hired a yellow cab to drive us to the Haji Ali Dargah which is one of the famous landmarks of Mumbai. It is a mosque and Dargah on an islet off the coast of Worli in the Southern part of Mumbai.
From the sources from Google :
Legend has it that the Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of a wealthy Muslim merchant, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who gave up all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Hailing from Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan, Bukhari travelled around the world in the early to mid 15th century, and eventually settled in present-day Mumbai.
Word also had it, that once the saint saw a poor woman crying on the road, holding an empty vessel. He asked her what the problem was, she sobbed that her husband thrashed her as she stumbled and accidentally spilled the oil she was carrying. He asked her to take him to the spot where she spilt the oil. There, he jabbed a finger into the soil and the oil gushed out. The overjoyed woman filled up the vessel and went home.
Later, Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari had a recurring and disturbing dream that he had injured Earth by his act. Full of remorse, he soon fell ill and directed his followers to cast the coffin carrying his body into the Arabian Sea. Haji Ali died during his journey to Mecca and miraculously the casket carrying his body, floated back to these shores, getting stuck in the string of rocky islets just off the shore of Worli. Thus, the Dargah was constructed there.
The whitewashed structure has an area of the marble courtyard which contains the central shrine. The tomb within the mosque is covered with a brocaded red, green chaddar and is supported by an exquisite silver frame over the top.
The main hall has marble pillars embellished with artistic mirror work: blue, green, yellow chips of glass arranged in kaleidoscopic patterns interspersed with Arabic patterns which spell the ninety-nine names of Allah.
The designs, the pillars, the architecture is a classic exquisite example of Indo Islamic architecture. Opposite the Dargah was as unfinished building - not sure as to if more work was to be done on it or it was left that way.
During the time we were here, girls were not allowed inside the Dargah as opposed to the recent declaration that women can step in too - a much appreciated effort.
There is no restriction on the dress. In fact I witnessed that few ladies who were wearing short dresses/ clothing were facilitated with wrap around - respect.
The Dargah stands heavily crowded with people of all caste, creed visiting the place to pay their respects.
The stretch of 500m to the mosque from the mainland could be bettered little more – by making the pathway and nearing places more cleaner, educating people not to litter, adding barricades along the way would make the place safer and would aid in avoiding any mishaps during the high tides, which is often.
The view from the Dargah is just out of the world. The water just gushing against the rocks and the slow tides. Beauty at its best! A soothing, calming and peaceful visit to the Dargah.
A must visit for all...
Few pictures from the visit:
Cheers to life!!
~Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! :)
P.S. All the above photos have been clicked by me. :D
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