Leaving things and people back to their own devices, all of us discard the body that we live in sooner or later during our visit to the earth as a soul. Death divides the mystic connection between a soul and a body; an experience that we all go through at the end of our exploration of life and all its nuisances. Post this separation, what happens with the soul remains a mystery though what is done with the body differs according to the religion of the dead. Muslims bury the body; a ritual which was done to the body of a merchant-turned-saint, at a place which is now known as the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai.
This dargah has now become a landmark of the state where it is located and frequented by people irrespective of their caste or creed.
Location
The Haji Ali Dargah is located in Worli, a locality of Mumbai, the largest urban conglomerate of India and the official, entertainment and commercial capital of Maharashtra.
History
The Dargah, which consists of a tomb and a mosque, is dated back to 15th century. It was constructed to bury the body of Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah, a wealthy merchant from Bukhara of the present day Uzbekistan, who gave up all his possessions and became a saint.
The legends state that the saint once came across a woman in the streets. This woman was crying as the oil she was carrying in a vessel had accidentally spilled on the road. She told the saint that her husband would beat her if he came to know of the incident. The saint asked the woman as to where she had dropped the oil, in reply to which she took her to the spot.
Upon reaching there, the saint just poked his finger and a stream of oil spurted out of the earth. The woman’s joy knew no bounds as she saw the stream of oil. She quickly filled up the vessel and headed back home.
However, this incident resulted in the saint being haunted by a recurring nightmare. He recurrently saw a dream that his act had injured the Earth. Soon, he fell ill and instructed his followers that the coffin containing his body should not be buried after he died. Instead, it should be left in the Arabian Sea.
While traveling to Mecca, the saint breathed his last, following which his followers did what he had instructed them to. But as a miracle of nature, the coffin floated and reached to the sea shore of present day Worli. It got stuck between the strip of islets at the shore.
When the people found the coffin, they decided that rather than leaving the coffin to float in the sea, it must be buried here itself, which led to the construction of the Dargah in 1431.
Earlier, there was no pathway and people used to visit the Dargah through a temporary path built by collecting and placing stones. This temporary pathway did not last for long and the devotees were again forced to walk through the low tides.
It is said that all the wishes of the people visiting this Dargah are fulfilled. Despite facing several natural calamities and high tides, the dargah and mosque have never been damaged much or submerged in water.
It was in the 1940s that the present day pathway was constructed by the Haji Ali Dargah Trust.
Structure
The Dargah and the tomb are located on an islet at a distance of approximately 500 metres from the coast. The whole structure is constructed in the Indo-Islamic architectural style.
To reach the dargah, one has to walk through a pathway which is devoid of any boundary wall or railings. This feature of the causeway restricts access to the Dargah, as it gets submerged in water during high tides.
The height of the causeway was increased which has made it easier for the devotees to walk up to the Dargah though it still remains inaccessible during monsoons.
The Dargah is spread over an area of approximately 4,500 square metres. The central shrine of the dargah is located just next to the entrance. The tomb is located within the mosque, covered with a green and red coloured blanket. A silver frame supports the tomb, which itself is supported by marble pillars.
The main entrance is decorated during various festivals and events observed by the Muslim community.
The structure also consists of a 85 feet height minaret where devotees gather in large number to offer their prayers.
There are separate worship rooms for men and women according to the traditions.
Best Time to Visit
The dargah and the mosque remain open for visitors throughout the year. It is only during the monsoon season when high tides from the sea make it impossible for the visitors to cross the pathway and reach the Dargah.
How to Reach
Haji Ali Dargah is easily accessible once you reach Mumbai. Mumbai is served by local trains and B.E.S.T buses, which are known to be one of the busiest and populated modes of public transport across the world.
Visitors can board a local train for Mahalakshmi Station or Byculla station and from thereon, hire a metered taxi or travel on a bus all the way to the mausoleum.
Mumbai enjoys connectivity with almost all parts of the country and the world through its railway station and the international airport. Frequent flights and express trains make it easier for the tourists to come to Mumbai and visit this historical Dargah and other attractions of the city.