Dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi
Nizamuddin Dargah enshrines Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya or Nizam-ud-Din, a revered Sufi saint. During the lifetime of the saint, a settlement developed here, still inhabited and known by the name of Nizamuddin. Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din Auliya Dargah of Delhi also entombs Amir Khusrau, a poet and the saint’s favorite disciple. The Dargah was built by Muhammad Tughluq and consists of one of the most revered pilgrimages of the Muslims. Other tombs enshrined in the Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya Dargah are those of Jahan Ara Begum, Shah Jahan’s daughter and Mirza Ghalib, a distinguished poet.
Surrounded by a number of tombs, this Dargah is constructed on top of a tank. There is a legend attached to the Nizamuddin Dargah. It is believed that there was an argument between the rulers of Tughluqabad and the saint over building this tank. The saint, in anger, cursed the rulers that the city of Tughluqabad will never prosper and so did it happen. After its initial construction, the Dargah underwent a number of renovations and reconstructions. The present mausoleum, constructed by Faridu’n Khan, dates back to the year 1562-63. Qawwali singers perform at Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din Auliya Dargah of Delhi around sunset after the evening prayers.
The square chamber of the Dargah is adorned with verandahs and arched gateways. Domed roof of the building has vertical stripes of black marble and is crowned by a lotus cresting. Even the area surrounding the tomb is considered as sacred. Many Muslims, including the royals, have been buried here. The rush for the Dargah is exceptionally heavy during Id and the Urs fair held twice a year. The Urs fair is organized bi-annually n the death anniversaries of Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din Auliya and Amir Khusrau. There are a number of monuments in the Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin Awliya Dargah including Jama’at-Khana Masjid, Chini Ka Burj (mosque), tombs of Muhammad Shah and Mirza Jahangir, Kali-or-Kalan Masjid, etc.
Moth ki Masjid is situated between Uday Park and the plush South Extension Part 2 area of New Delhi. An interesting legend is attached to the origin of the Moth ki Masjid, or the Lentil Mosque, of India. About 500 years old, it was built by Sikander Lodi. According to the legend, one day Sikandar Lodi gave a grain of moth (a type of lentil) to his loyal minister Miyan Bhuwa as a reward for fun. The witty minister planted the seed carefully years after years until it multiplied so many times that it could finally finance the construction of the mosque. He then went to the sovereign to ask his permission to build the mosque.
Chiragh-i-Dihli’s Dargah in Delhi is a major tourist attraction in the capital city. It is home to the tomb of the famous Sufi saint Nasir-ud-din Mahmud. He earned the epithet ‘Raushan Chiragh-i-Dili’ (illuminated lamp of Delhi). He inherited the legacy of Hazrat Nizamu’d-Din, his master as the head of the Chisti sect. The sacred saint died in 1356. The village of Chiragh Delhi which grew up around the tomb of Nasir-ud-din Mahmud is today an urban settlement. The village was earlier enclosed in a large rubble-built rectangular square built by Muhammad Bin Tughlaq.
The Jama Masjid, the Friday congregational mosque, in Delhi is the largest and glorious mosque in India. It was the last architectural extravaganza of the Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan built in the year 1656 AD with the help of 5,000 craftsmen. It was made across the road from the Red Fort. The mosque is also known as Masjid-I-Jahanuma, which means ‘mosque commanding view of the world’. The measurement of the mosque is 65 m X 35 m while the courtyard is forms an area of 100 n square. The mosque has the capacity to hold as many as 25,000 devotees. The Lal Qila or the Red Fort stand towards the east of the mosque.
Rakab Ganj Sahib is an important historic Gurdwara in Delhi, India. It’s located at the exact spot where Dhan Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur’s headless body was cremated after the Mughal executioner Jalaudin of Samana beheaded the ninth Guru of the Sikhs. Two brave Sikhs of the Guru, Bhai Lakhi Shah Banjara and his son, Bhai Naghaiya rescued the headless body of the revered ninth Sikh Guru from Chandni Chowk, Delhi after the execution of the Guru. Guru ji’s body was rescued by these two with a convoy of several ox-driven carts carrying bales of cotton and foodstuffs. Due to the strong dust storm, these brave Sikhs managed to lift the body of the Guru without the Guards discovering what was going on.
Gurdwara Bala Sahib is one of the most important Sikh shrines in Delhi, next in importance to Gurdwara Sis Ganj and Gurdwara Bangla Sahib. Large number of Sikhs and Hindus visit this holy place daily. This Gurdwara is associated with the eighth Guru Sri Harkrishan Saheb ji and two wives of Guru Gobind Singh namely Mata Sundri ji and Mata Sahib Kaur ji. During his stay in Delhi, Guru Harkrishan Saheb won hearts of a large number of admirers by applying healing touch on ailing bodies. He cured hundreds of people, suffering from acute attack of cholera and smallpox. For Sikhs of Delhi, his very presence amidst them, had a very healthy impact. For them the Guru was the boat of salvation, a ladder to reach one’s ultimate home, a key to open the lock,a unifier of man with God and so on. In fact for Sikhs a Guru is indispensable, yet he is not an end in himself, but only a means for the attainment of salvation. So they were all happy to be in close association of their spiritual preceptor. But their joy was short-lived as he soon, left for his heavenly abode. During his stay in Delhi as guest of Raja Jai Singh,Guru Harkrishan Saheb performed the humane miracle of healing and giving solace to the poor and the sick. In fact the noble deeds of serving the suffering humanity won him more adherents than any other religious leader living in Delhi at that time. Even Muslims respected him greatly for the radiant peace and the hope his serene personality reflected. As if he had taken the burden and sufferings of others on his own shoulders, he himself got a severe attack of smallpox and died on March 30, 1684.
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib was built to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur. It is situated in Chandni Chowk, on the same site where Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ordered the beheading of Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur in the year 1675. It is said that when Guru Tegh Bahadur died, no one had the courage to pick up his body. Suddenly, it started raining heavily. Then, two of the brave followers of Guruji took his head and body and fled. The head was taken to Chakk Nanaki in Anandpur Sahib, while the body was taken to the place where Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib now stands.
Gurdwara Shahidi Asthaan Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is situated near Post Office in Meharauli Area of Delhi near the Qutab Minar. It is a place where Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Ji, his four year old son Ajai Singh along with forty Sikhs were tortured to death by the Mughals.
Gurdwara Nanak Piao is situated on Rana Pratap Road in the Shakti Nagar area of New Delhi. The gurdwara was built to commemorate Sri Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru. The site where the Delhi Gurdwara Nanak Piao stands was once a garden where the Guru camped during his visit to Delhi in 1505. The people, who came to visit the Guru during his visit, used to present him and his bard Mardana with numerous gifts, which he distributed among the deprived and poor. Infact, the Gurudwara Nanakpiao, in New Delhi, got its name from the habit of Guruji to offer food and water to the hungry and thirsty people. The well from which Guru Nanak served water to the people is still inside the compound of the Gurudwara.
Gurdwara Motibagh Sahib is situauted on Ring Road in Delhi city near Dhaula Kuaan. Guru Gobind Singh JI camped here with his army at this place. Earlier it was known as Mochi Bagh and later the name was known as Moti Bagh. It is told that the Guru announced his arrival in delhi by shooting an arrow into the right foot of the Emperor Bahadur Shah’s chair from a distance of eight miles, Bahadur Shah was sitting in Red fort at the time. Seeing an arrow, Bahadur Shah took this as a miracle. Soon another arrow was shoot in the left foot with a note that this was not a miracle but skill in archery. The Emperor was said to be so impressed with the skill that he immediately aknowledged Guru Sahib’s supermacy.