By Dr. Syed Ahmed,
The dargahs (graveyards) of renowned Pirs in the North-East India, like elsewhere in the country, have become symbols of communal harmony over the years. They stand for hope and miracles for devotees irrespective of faith and culture. People from far and wide visit these dargahs and pray to fulfill their wishes.
Dargah of Hazrat Zahir Auliya Khuwajagan
The dargah of Pir Hazrat Zahir Auliya Khuwajagan (Chisti), at the banks of river Bharalu, in Ulubari near Gawahati, is one of the popular dargahs of Assam. People in thousands, gather at the annual Urs (annual religious ceremony) of the renowned Pir which is held every year in the month of February.
Syed Abdul Karim, the Khadim (caretaker) of the dargah, said that the Urs of the Pir is a special day as it is in this month that Hazrat Zahir left for his heavenly abode. More than 5,000 poor people are fed and alms distributed free of cost, he added. According to the Khadim, his great grandfather, Jinnat Shah, came to Guwahati from Ajmer Sharif, in Rajasthan, to build the grave and dargah of Hazrat Zahir. It was discovered and rebuilt following a vision of Jinnat Shah.
Muslims praying at Pao-Mecca mosque
“The Pir’s grave has been here for almost two centuries. It was lost in wilderness and my nana- jaan dreamt about it while he was in Ajmer. He moved to Guwahati in 1950 to give a shape to the dream,” Karim said.
It is said that Hazrat Zahir was a renowned Pir who came down from Arabia two centuries ago. He came to Assam to preach and spread the message of Islam. He made Ulubari his abode. Syed Karim said, “Hazrat Zahir saw a lot of pain and suffering of people around him. He empathized with the people of Assam and decided to stay back and help them. The dargah has a history of embracing devotees of all faiths and communities. We believe in principles of faith, love and harmony.”
According to the local traditions, Hazrat Zahir used to exhibit many miracles when he was alive. The miracles continued even after his death. In course of time the popularity of dargah spread far and wide and the legend of Hazrat Zahir grew by leaps and bounds.
People of all faiths, classes and ages visit to offer prayers at the dargah to fulfill their wishes. Before Urs, visitors donate food items for sheerni (a sweet dish) and money for alms and donations. To accommodate the visitors, the dargah is now building a shelter for pilgrims and needy travelers.
Many of the visitors claim that they were cured of many major illnesses after offering prayers at the dargah. Visitors come not only from Assam but far off places like Ajmer, Delhi, Patna, Lucknow, Kolkata, etc. The Khadim along with 10 of his family members serves
Dargah of Giasuddin Auliya
There are numerous other dargahs in other parts of north-east India. The dargah of Giasuddin Auliya on the summit of Garuchal hill, in Hajo, is one such, which is visited by people of all faiths. The Pao-Mecca mosque which lies close to the dargah was built in the 16th century. It is believed that one visit to Pao-Mecca (one-fourth of Mecca), is equal to one-fourth of a trip to Mecca. It is said that Ghiyasuddin Auliya had brought along with him a pao of earth from Mecca to lay the foundation of this mosque. The renowned Saint is one of the first propagators of Islam in the region.
Ajan Pir
The dargah of Ajan Pir at Dikhomukh, located on the bank of the river Dikhaw near its confluence with the Brahmaputra, is also one of the most venerated dargahs in North-East India. Annual Urs is held at the dargah of the Pir. He is said to have migrated to Assam from Baghdad, accompanied by his younger brother, Nabi Pir, in 1634 to spread the message of Islam. He stayed at a khanqah at Souaguri Capari which is near the then Ahom capital in Sibsagar and gathered numerous murids (disciple). It is said that he first came to Delhi and became a disciple of the well-known, Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya.
Hazrat Shah Kamal
There are also many dargahs in the interior states of North-East India which are venerated. The dargah of Hazrat Shah Kamal Baba in Mahendraganj, about 100 km west of Shillong, in West Garo Hills, popularly known as Pirsthan, has been venerated for centuries. Numerous visitors throng the dargah during the annual mela day. According to the local tradition, Shah Kamal was a contemporary of the renowned Pir Shah Jalal, probably one of his disciples, who was deputed for preaching activities in the region.
Pir Patashah
The dargah of Pir Patashah, at Dharyans Pargana in Jaintia hills, also attracts a cross section of the people desiring to be cured of some diseases or be blessed with children. Interestingly, on the Laur hills, about 70 miles from Shillong town, there is a remnant of a khanqah. Local tradition holds that the khanqah was established by a Pir known as Shah Sharifin. The locals believe that the Saint is still alive as they occasionally hear the azan called by him.
Pir Shah Ahmad Gaisu Daraz
In Tripura, the dargah at Kharampur, associated with Pir Shah Ahmad Gaisu Daraz, is one of the frequently visited dargahs. In the region of Jaganathpur the miraculous feats of Pir Karim Ali are related even today. Both Hindus and Muslims held the belief that the Pir could rise from the dead, and bring rain whenever and wherever he pleases.
Genesis of Sufi tradition in North-East
The Ph. D thesis, titled Islam in North-East India – 17th to the 19th Century (2005), submitted by the author of this article at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi studies the Piri (Sufi) tradition in north-east India thus: “Many of the Pirs penetrated in the remote areas of eastern Bengal and north-eastern region and managed to spread Islam. The presence of these Pirs and theologians and their missionary activities is attested by the numerous local traditions and also by the dargah/mazar/muqams (graves) and khanqahs (hospices) associated with these Pirs that mushroomed far and wide in the region. Like the Muslim and Hindu rulers in other parts of India, the local rulers of the north-eastern region – known for their secularism and catholicity – too patronized the Muslim Pirs. They were granted pir-pal lands (revenue-free lands), presented stipends, granted money for the maintenance of their shrines, and many of them were attached to the royal court. They were employed to pray for the welfare of their benefactor. In the Ahom court many Muslim religious pontiffs were attached along with the Hindu priest. There was no restriction imposed on their missionary activities. Thus, being in such a favorable condition many of the Muslim Pirs adopted the region as their homeland.
Little information on these Saints
Unfortunately we have very little information about the activities of these Pirs, as most of their followers or disciples left no proper hagiography. Of the several of the preachers, little is known beyond their names, the sphere of their activities, or acts of miraculous feats performed by some of the preachers. Whatever scanty information we get is either through local traditions (folklores) or the few literary texts and folksongs available, especially mulfazat (sayings of Pirs, lyrical compositions), and the epigraphic remains.
However, to the orthodox Muslims these practices are leveled as shirk (associating companions with God) and hence regarded un-Islamic.