Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

"Jamat Khana Masjid" redirects here. For the saint, seeNizamuddin Auliya.

TheHazrat Nizamuddin Dargah^[1] is thedargah andmosque complex of theSufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya, located in theNizamuddin West area ofDelhi,India. The dargah, ormausoleum, is aSufi shrine and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every week.^[2] The site is also known for its eveningqawwali devotional music sessions.^[3]^[4]

Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah
Amir Khusrau's tomb (left),Nizamuddin Dargah (right) and Jamaat Khana Masjid (background)
Religion
Affiliation	Sunni Islam
Sect	Sufism
Festivals	Urs(17th–18th ofRabi' al-awwal)
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Dargah andmosque
Ownership	Delhi Waqf Board
Status	Active
Location
Location	Amir Khusro Gate,Nizamuddin West,New Delhi,Delhi NCT
Country	India
Location of the dargah and mosque complex inCentral Delhi
Geographic coordinates	28°35′29″N77°14′31″E / 28.59140°N 77.24197°E /28.59140; 77.24197
Architecture
Architect(s)	Sunni Khilji
Type	Mosque architecture
Style	Indo-Islamic Mughal
Completed	1325(dargah and mosque) 1562(dargah dome)
Specifications
Direction of façade	West
Dome(s)	Many(unqualified number)
Shrine(s)	One
Materials	Red sandstone
Website
nizamuddinaulia.org


Monument of National Importance
Official name	Baoli at Ghiaspur (also known as Nizamuddin Baoli)
Reference no.	N-DL-54

Monument of National Importance
Official name	Tomb of Amir Khusro, Ghiaspur
Reference no.	N-DL-56

Monument of National Importance
Official name	Tomb of Nizamuddin Auliya, Ghiaspur No. 197
Reference no.	N-DL-58

Monument of National Importance
Official name	Grave of Jahanara Begum
Reference no.	N-DL-124

Monument of National Importance
Official name	Grave of Mohammed Shah
Reference no.	N-DL-125

The complex comprises the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, including several tombs, the Jamat Khana Masjid (or Khilji Mosque), and abaoli. Many of the structures areMonuments of National Importance,^[5] administered by theArchaeological Survey of India.^[1]

Architecture

edit

Dome of Dargah Sharif

The tombs ofAmir Khusrau, Nizamuddin's disciple, andJehan Ara Begum,Shah Jahan's daughter, are located at the entrance to the complex.^[6]Ziauddin Barani andMuhammad Shah are also buried here. Overall, the dargah complex has more than 70 graves.^[7]^[8]^[9]

The complex was renovated and restored inc. 2010 by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.[10]

Dargah

edit

Nizamuddin's tomb has a white dome. The main structure was built byMuhammad bin Tughluq in 1325, following Nizamuddin's death.Firuz Shah Tughlaq later repaired the structure and suspended four golden cups from the dome's recesses. Nawab Khurshid Jah ofHyderabad’s legendary Paigah Family gifted the marblebalustrade that surrounds the grave. The present dome was built by Faridun Khan in 1562. The structure underwent many additions over the years.^[11] The dome diameter is approximately 6 metres (20 ft).^[12]

The dargah is surrounded by a marble patio and is covered with intricatejalis (transl. trellis walls).^[9] The dargah complex also has awazookhana (transl. ablution area).[13]^[14]

The tombs of Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusro, and the graves of Jahanara Begum and Mohammed Shah, are listed asMonuments of National Importance.^[5]

Jamat Khana Masjid

edit

Next to the dargah is theJamat Khana Masjid, also known as theKhilji Mosque. The mosque is built ofred sandstone^[15] and has three bays. Its stone walls are carved with inscriptions of texts from theQuran. The mosque has arches that have been embellished with lotus buds, in addition to thefaçade of its dome having ornamental medallions. The structure was built during the reign ofAlauddin Khalji by his sonKhizr Khan. Completed between 1312 and 1313, Khizr was responsible for the central dome and hall, and was a follower of Nizamuddin. Around 1325, when Muhammad bin Tughlaq took over the reign, he constructed the two adjoining halls, each of which has two domes. The southern hall,chhoti masjid (transl. small mosque) is restricted to women and features a wooden door. The large dome of the mosque features a golden bowl that is suspended from the centre.[16]

Baoli

edit

Thebaoli

At the back entrance of the complex is abaoli (transl. stepwell), commissioned by Nizamuddin [8] and completed in 1321. It is close to theYamuna river and is always filled. People believe that its waters have magical powers and bathe in it.^[10] According to legend,Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq had commissioned theTughlaqabad Fort at the same time the baoli was being built. Because he forbade all workers from working on the baoli, they would work on it at night. Upon discovering this, the supply of oil was restricted. The masons then lit their lamps with the water of the baoli, after a blessing.^[8]

Thebaoli is listed as aMonument of National Importance.^[5]

Location

edit

Culture

edit

The area is referred to as the "nerve centre of Sufi culture in India". On the 17th and 18th day of the Islamic month ofRabi' al-awwal, thousands gather to observe the birth anniversary andurs (death anniversary) of the saint. Besides this, thousands also visit on the birth and death anniversaries ofAmir Khusrau, Nizamuddin's disciple. Hundreds visit the dargah everyday throughout the year to pray and pay their respects. The dargah has a tradition ofqawwali, especially the one on every Thursday night attracting approximately 1,500 visitors.^[20]> The regularqawwalis occur every evening after theMaghrib prayer. The dargah has multiple intergenerational darbari qawwals.^[21] Women are traditionally not allowed inside the dargah’s inner sanctum.^[22] Besides this, the dargah organizes a dailylangar.^[23]

The evening prayers in which lamps are lit, called the Dua-e-Roshni, is an important ritual. Pilgrims gather around thekhadim, the caretaker, who prays for the wishes of all those gathered to be granted.^[24]

Death is celebrated in most Sufi orders. As part of theurs, the dargah complex and the tombs are lit up in the tradition ofcharaghan. Lakhs of people from different religions come from across the world and recite verses in the tradition offateha. Plates of rose petals and sweets are offered to the tombs and fragrantchaddars (transl. sheets) are draped on them. People tie colourful threads on the jaalis and make vows (mannat) to the saints. Each thread symbolizes a wish.[25]

The festival ofBasant Panchami is also celebrated at the dargah. According to legend, Nizamuddin was deeply attached to his nephew, Khwaja Taqiuddin Nuh, who died due to an illness. Nizamuddin grieved over him for a long time. Khusrau, his disciple, wanted to see him smile and dressed up in yellow and began celebrating the onset of Basant, after spotting some women do the same. This caused Auliya to smile, an occasion that is commemorated to this day.^[26]^[27]

In popular culture

edit

"Arziyan", aqawwali in the 2009 filmDelhi 6 composed byA. R. Rahman is dedicated to Nizamuddin Auliya. "Kun Faya Kun", a song in the 2011 movieRockstar and again composed by Rahman, is also shot at the dargah, featuringRanbir Kapoor andNizami Bandhu, the traditional qawwal of the dargah.^[28] The dargah has also been featured in movies likeBajrangi Bhaijaan featuringSalman Khan andKareena Kapoor, and in "Aawan Akhiyan Jawan Akhiyan" aqawwali in the 2006 filmAhista Ahista featuringSoha Ali Khan andAbhay Deol.^[29]

Management

edit

The dargah is a property that belongs to theDelhi Waqf Board. Offerings are collected under thebaridari system throughpirzadas, who are the custodians of the Sufi shrines. This usually comprises descendants of those buried at the dargah. The committee, Anjuman Peerzadan Nizamiyan Khusravi, looks after the dargah.^[30]