Wanderlust

Wanderlust
I like to linger, a little longer, a little longer here with you

29 June, 2016

Visit to Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki


I  consider myself very lucky to be living in such a diverse country. I love how we have a culture which no other place in the world has, maybe that's why it is said that you can take yourself out of India, but cannot take India out of you. Every single point of every single day there is so much happening around here. Imagine this has been happening since millions years!! Imagine this place, this land, this air we breathe in, the sky and the seasons have been here in the similar manner for centuries. We are the oldest civilization in the world. Humans have been coming and settling here one after another. In my eyes, this place is blessed. This place is blessed with the most diversified history, the most fascinating one infact.
From time to time, I come across people who are well versed in history who make me believe that there is more to philosophy of life, than physical existence of one's being. There are some characters in past, as I imagine must have had a different kind of personality or aura that they are not only still remembered and respected but are also relevant even today. I like to imagine them in their past. I believe in creating an image of these persons by reading more about them and making my imaginations work.
These days I am interning at National Monument's Authority. It is of course a very enriching experience to see how the real things work. I meet very interesting people in this process too. Recently, one of the staff archaeologist took us for a site visit to Qutub-Complex and around for inspection of Regulated and Prohibited zones around the monuments. It was a sunny day with high Humidity but the enthusiasm in me never dies down.
After the inspection we visited Dargarh-Qutub-Sahib.





Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din Bakhtiyar Kaki, popularly known as Qutb-Sahib, and surnamed Kaki because during his meditation he was fed on small cakes known as ‘Kaks’. He was born at Ush in Persia. He came to India with the earliest Muslim conquerors after journeying through Khurana and Baghdad and became a disciple, and later a spiritual successor, of Khwaja Mu'inu'd-Din Chishti of Ajmer. He lived during the reign of Iltutmish.




Entering the Dargah, while passing through I noticed several halls for various purposes, such a Naubat khana (drum house), Majlis Khana (assembly hall), Tosh khana (robe chamber).
I happen to strike a conversation with this lady who was here to pray for his daughter. She explained me how some women like her tie glass bangles on the jali window while making a wish, then she took me inside to show bibi Sahib's (wife of sufi saint) dargah ghar where women go inside and pray (ibadat)




Do you get this feeling? When you understand and really feel the positivity in a space? The faces of devotees, the prayers you hear, the fragrance of roses and incense sticks, and curious looks you get, all accumulate to make your visit interesting.
The main shrine in the Dargah is embellished by different Rulers of Delhi, the most pleasing part being the western wall containing floral multi-colored tiles, said to have been fixed by Aurangzeb.
Another unique fact that I learnt about the place was that different rulers who kept saint in high esteem also lie buried in various enclosers around his grave. Among those buried here are Bahadur Shah 1, Shah Alam 2, Akbar 2 and members of their families. Bahadur Shah Zafar prepared a grave here for his burial, but it remained unutilized, as he was deported to Rangoon where he died and was buried.




There are some experiences that stay with you forever. These experiences become yours and yours alone and you carry them with you wherever you go... This was one of those experiences.