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Hazrat Nizamuddin's Tomb |
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| Located in the historic Nizamuddin village, about
2 kilometers from Humayun's tomb, and not far from the eastern
end of the Lodi Road, is the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin. It
is the shrine of a famous humanitarian Muslim Sufi and mystic
saint, Sheikh Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Chishti. |
| Born at Badaun in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in 1236, Sheikh Hazrat Nizamuddin was the disciple of the saint
Sheikh Farid Shakarganj, who appointed him as his successor.
Said to be a direct descendant of Sheikh Nizamuddin Chisti,
he had a large following which included Alauddin Khilji, Mohammed
bin Tughlaq and the great poet Amir Khusrau. The royal processions
of the Mughal Emperors Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, and
Shah Jahan always halted at Nizamuddin's shrine, while the Emperor
paid his respects at the sacred dargah. The revered saint was
popular among people of all faiths because of his doctrine of
renunciation and tolerance towards other religions. It is said
that he prophesied Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq would never return to
Delhi again and the ruler died soon after. Hazrat Nizamuddin
died in 1325 and his shrine today is a popular pilgrimage site.
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| Hazrat Nizamuddin's original tomb no longer exists.
Faridun Khan, a nobleman, built the present structure in the
mid-15th century, and it was repaired and decorated by Firoz
Shah Tughlaq, as well as by later rulers. A mosque and many
other tombs of famous people surround the dargah, as they wished
to be buried near the saint. It has a marble-paved courtyard
where the sacred shrine of the saint can be seen. Shah Jahan
later added the majestic pavilion with its marble arches and
lattice screens known as jalis. Worshippers tie red threads
to these jalis as signs of wishes they hope will be fulfilled.
The roof is surmounted by a dome, which is ornamented by vertical
stripes of black marble with lotus cresting. It is said that
Akbar II constructed this imposing dome. The main grave is wrapped
with a scented chadar or cloth, which is dark green in color.
Devotees offer their prayers at the shrine by showering rose
petals and lighting incense sticks. Pilgrims congregate at the
shrine twice a year for the festival or Urs held to mark the
anniversaries of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and the renowned poet
Amir Khusrau. |
| The best day to visit the shrine is on Thursday
evening to experience the faith of the devotees, who visit the
shrine, seeking fulfillment of their prayers. |
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