Tora Rang Man Bhayo Nizamuddin!
Nizamuddin Dargah at night is a beauty unparalleled. Though I've been to the place quite a few times and all in the mornings and despised the state of the place at all times, the dargah at night made me fall in love with each of its corners that I despised and each of its people that I felt sorry for. There is something magical about its air once the sun sets. Adorned in the soft glow of yellow lights and coloured papers that hang mid air, the dargah and its narrow alleyways are a sight to behold. And then there are those small shops inside its alleys, selling rose petals, colourful 'chadars', athars, rings and tasbis that beam in the glory of the night, adding to the mystique of the place.
As a qawwali enthusiast, I've literally grown up listening to qawwalis that sing praise of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (most of which were composed by Amir Khusro, whose tomb lies just opposite the sufi saint's). And the first time I visited the place, I expected to be transcended into a different world. But I still remember how uncomfortable I felt on my first visit, adjusting to the huge crowd, seeing people begging on its alleyways and witnessing people moving like a maddened group, trying to enter the dargah. But the 800 years old history, the innumerable legends and the beautiful qawwalis of the dargah still pulled me towards the place and its people, that I decided to visit it again and again.
The dargah is famous for its Thursday night qawwalis and we decided not to miss a chance to witness the beauty of it. The dargah was more crowded than ever before- some to pay respects to the 'mehboob-e-ilahi' and some others like us, just to live the experience of a Thursday night at the dargah. Those same alleys that we walked through seemed like scenes from a period drama, crafted in the 14th century, that same crowd we despised, seemed like a song, dancing to its own rhythm, and the same atmosphere we were not very fond of was charged with mysticism and love, by the passion of the qawwali.
Built during the time of Mohammed bin Tughlaq, the dargah complex also houses the tombs of Amir Khusro and Mughal princess Jahanara Begum. Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was perhaps one of the greatest proponents of the idea that the greatest service to God is to love humanity and his teachings have a profound impact on people's lives hundreds of years after. The dargah is a place of congregation for people of all faiths, united by their love for God and for each other.
As we took leave, there is just one line from the famous qawwali "Aaj Rang Hai Ri Maa", composed by Amir Khusro that keeps ringing in my head.
"Des Bides mein dhoondh phiri hoon
Tora rang man bhayo Nizamuddin"
I have wandered far and wide in search
But yours is the colour that has captured my heart, O Nizamuddin!
T
As a qawwali enthusiast, I've literally grown up listening to qawwalis that sing praise of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (most of which were composed by Amir Khusro, whose tomb lies just opposite the sufi saint's). And the first time I visited the place, I expected to be transcended into a different world. But I still remember how uncomfortable I felt on my first visit, adjusting to the huge crowd, seeing people begging on its alleyways and witnessing people moving like a maddened group, trying to enter the dargah. But the 800 years old history, the innumerable legends and the beautiful qawwalis of the dargah still pulled me towards the place and its people, that I decided to visit it again and again.
The dargah is famous for its Thursday night qawwalis and we decided not to miss a chance to witness the beauty of it. The dargah was more crowded than ever before- some to pay respects to the 'mehboob-e-ilahi' and some others like us, just to live the experience of a Thursday night at the dargah. Those same alleys that we walked through seemed like scenes from a period drama, crafted in the 14th century, that same crowd we despised, seemed like a song, dancing to its own rhythm, and the same atmosphere we were not very fond of was charged with mysticism and love, by the passion of the qawwali.
Built during the time of Mohammed bin Tughlaq, the dargah complex also houses the tombs of Amir Khusro and Mughal princess Jahanara Begum. Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was perhaps one of the greatest proponents of the idea that the greatest service to God is to love humanity and his teachings have a profound impact on people's lives hundreds of years after. The dargah is a place of congregation for people of all faiths, united by their love for God and for each other.
As we took leave, there is just one line from the famous qawwali "Aaj Rang Hai Ri Maa", composed by Amir Khusro that keeps ringing in my head.
"Des Bides mein dhoondh phiri hoon
Tora rang man bhayo Nizamuddin"
I have wandered far and wide in search
But yours is the colour that has captured my heart, O Nizamuddin!
T
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