Haji Ali Dargah

Friday, January 20, 2012

Haji Ali Dargah can be reached either on foot or by a vehicle as it is very close to Mahalaxmi Railway Station.

Boarding a BEST bus, I alighted at the Haji Ali junction. This place is always the site of a traffic jam. The landmark to look out for here is the Haji Ali juice centre. Next to this juice centre, there is a path which takes you to the dargah. For that matter, the dargah itself is a landmark.

Haji Ali Dargah from a Distance

 On the way to the dargah you will see a number of stalls selling offerings to be offered at the dargah. The stretch can be covered in 15 minutes.

Entrance to the Dargah

 The Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who gave up his possessions before going on a pilgramage to Mecca. He later settled in Mumbai. Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari had a recurring and disturbing dream that he had committed an offence against the earth. Disturbed by the dream, he fell ill and directed his followers to cast his coffin into the Arabian Sea, on his death. When his followers did as he directed, they noticed that tThe coffin carrying his body floated on the shores and got stuck on the rocks. It was at this place that the dargah was constructed.

Dargah

 The dargah features Islamic architecture. It occupies an area of 4,500 sq ft. The tomb in the mosque is covered by a red and green chaddar. There are separate praying rooms for gents and ladies here.

Beautifully Carved Minaret

 People of all faiths visit this shrine in large numbers. I found some musicians playing devotional songs in the dargah premises. The dargah is reconstructed part by part so that it does not hamper the people visiting the dargah.

Devotional Singers in the premises

 The reconstruction is being done in two phases. The first phase involves the reconstruction of the mosque and minarets; the second phase involves the sanitarium building.

Old and New Minaret

On a rainy day when there is a high tide, the entire stretch of land leading to the dargah is submerged under water, making it an island. People are restricted from entering the premises at such times.

As the dargah is located in the middle of the sea, it provides a panoramic view of the city.