View-Haji Ali durgah
The Haji Ali Dargah is mosque located on an islet off the coast of Worli in Mumbai. It is lying in the heart of the city and one of the most recognizable landmarks of Mumbai. Although a mosque, it is very popular among Hindus from Mumbai itself. It is believed that praying at the dargah helps fulfill one's wishes.The Sunni Barelvi Movement of India controls the Dargah and Masjid.
View:- Inside durgah
History
The dargah was built in 1431 in memory of an Islamic preacher, Sayed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. Hailing from Bukhara, in the ancient Persian Empire and now in Uzbekistan, Bukhari travelled around the world in the early 1400s, and had come to Mumbai, as per the historical records available with the Haji Ali Trust.
According to a legend surrounding his mystique, once Bukhari saw a poor woman crying on the road, holding an empty vessel. He asked her what the problem was. She sobbed that her husband would thrash her since she had stumbled and accidentally spilled the oil she was carrying. He asked her to take him to the spot where she lost 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, Bukhari had a recurring - and disturbing - dream that he had injured Mother 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. After his death, his followers fulfilled his last wish.
Drifting in the high seas for many days, the coffin finally came and rested on a tiny islet around half a kilometre in the bay off what is today known as Worli, south-central Mumbai.
Taking that as some kind of divine sign, his followers buried the coffin on that islet. Gradually over the years, small additions were made to the shrine, which progressively became famous as the Haji Ali Dargah
As many as 40,000 pilgrims visit the shrine on Thursdays and Fridays.
The dargah was built in 1431 in memory of an Islamic preacher, Sayed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. Hailing from Bukhara, in the ancient Persian Empire and now in Uzbekistan, Bukhari travelled around the world in the early 1400s, and had come to Mumbai, as per the historical records available with the Haji Ali Trust.
According to a legend surrounding his mystique, once Bukhari saw a poor woman crying on the road, holding an empty vessel. He asked her what the problem was. She sobbed that her husband would thrash her since she had stumbled and accidentally spilled the oil she was carrying. He asked her to take him to the spot where she lost 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, Bukhari had a recurring - and disturbing - dream that he had injured Mother 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. After his death, his followers fulfilled his last wish.
Drifting in the high seas for many days, the coffin finally came and rested on a tiny islet around half a kilometre in the bay off what is today known as Worli, south-central Mumbai.
Taking that as some kind of divine sign, his followers buried the coffin on that islet. Gradually over the years, small additions were made to the shrine, which progressively became famous as the Haji Ali Dargah
As many as 40,000 pilgrims visit the shrine on Thursdays and Fridays.
There is an another legend that the dargah was built in 1631 by a wealthy Muslim merchant and saint named Haji Ali who renounced all his wordly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. The second legend is that Haji Ali died on his way to Mecca and his body in its casket floated back to Mumbai. However, some believe that Haji Ali drowned at the place where the dargah stands today.
As many as 40,000 pilgrims visit the shrine on Thursdays and Fridays.
The dargah is built on a tiny islet located 500 yards from the coast in the middle of Worli Bay in the vicinity of Worli. The islet is linked to the city precinct of Mahalaxmi Temple by a narrow causeway. This causeway is not bound by railings, and is lashed by the sea during high-tide. Therefore, the dargah is accessible only during low tide. This 500-yard-walk on the causeway, with the sea on both sides, is one of the highlights of a trip to the shrine.
The whitewashed structure occupies an area of 4500 metres and an 85 feet tower is the architectural highlight of the edifice. The tomb within the mosque is covered by a brocaded red and green chaddar (tomb cover sheet). It is supported by an exquisite silver frame. The main hall has marble pillars embellished with coloured mirror work: blue, green, yellow chips. The ninety-nine names of Allah are also written on the pillars.
Most of the structure is corroded due to saline winds blowing from the surrounding sea. It was last repaired in the 1960s, but civil engineers say the structure is beyond further repair. The Dargah Trust is awaiting permission to raze the structure and rebuild it with Makrana marble. The same marble was used to build the Taj Mahal. The permission must be obtained from the Central Government as the shrine lies within the Coastal Regulatory Zone.
On 25thApril,2008, Central Government sanctioned Rs. 25 crores for beautification of the surrounding area of the Dargah. The area is proposed to be beautified in 12 parts resembling to the 12 zodiac signs.
As many as 40,000 pilgrims visit the shrine on Thursdays and Fridays.
The dargah is built on a tiny islet located 500 yards from the coast in the middle of Worli Bay in the vicinity of Worli. The islet is linked to the city precinct of Mahalaxmi Temple by a narrow causeway. This causeway is not bound by railings, and is lashed by the sea during high-tide. Therefore, the dargah is accessible only during low tide. This 500-yard-walk on the causeway, with the sea on both sides, is one of the highlights of a trip to the shrine.
The whitewashed structure occupies an area of 4500 metres and an 85 feet tower is the architectural highlight of the edifice. The tomb within the mosque is covered by a brocaded red and green chaddar (tomb cover sheet). It is supported by an exquisite silver frame. The main hall has marble pillars embellished with coloured mirror work: blue, green, yellow chips. The ninety-nine names of Allah are also written on the pillars.
Most of the structure is corroded due to saline winds blowing from the surrounding sea. It was last repaired in the 1960s, but civil engineers say the structure is beyond further repair. The Dargah Trust is awaiting permission to raze the structure and rebuild it with Makrana marble. The same marble was used to build the Taj Mahal. The permission must be obtained from the Central Government as the shrine lies within the Coastal Regulatory Zone.
On 25thApril,2008, Central Government sanctioned Rs. 25 crores for beautification of the surrounding area of the Dargah. The area is proposed to be beautified in 12 parts resembling to the 12 zodiac signs.
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