Hyderabad: Dargah mesmerises one and all during Basant Panchami

 The Hazrat Shaikji Hali Dargah in the Old City is being decked up with marigold flowers.

The Dargah behind Urdu Shareef will resonate with Sufiana songs on Sunday evening.

Spring is nature's way of saying, let's party. It's the time of the year when the bitter winter is on its way out and one feels good to bathe in the warm sunshine. Across the country it is time to celebrate 'Basant Panchami' and relish the first bloomers of the season.

To keep its date with Basant, the Hazrath Shaikji Hali Dargah in the old city here is all geared up to celebrate the festival. The Dargah situated behind Urdu Shareef will resonate with Sufiana songs on Sunday evening. For the fourth year in a row the All India Markazi Majlis-e-Chistia is observing the 'Sufi Basant festival' with a view to foster love and harmony among people of different faiths.

Connoisseurs of poetry can soak into the compositions of the legendary Amir Khusrau at the 'sama' mehfil beginning 6.30 p.m. Well known qawwals, Atiq Husain Khan and Ghulam Husain, promise to throw a spell with ghazals of the iconic poet-scholar.

Chhap tilak sab cheeni re

Mose naina milai ke

Prem bhati ka madhva pilai ke

Matvali kar dini re mose naina milai ke

You've taken away my looks,

My identity, with just a glance

By making me drink the wine of love-potion,

You've intoxicated me with just a glance

The Basant festival being observed by sufis of Chistia order goes back to nearly 700 years ago. It is said Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was very upset at the sudden passing away of his young nephew, Taqiuddin Nooh, and remained aloof for days together. His ardent devotee, Amir Khusrau, couldn't bear the anguish of his pir and wanted to do something to cheer him up. One fine morning he happened to see some Hindu women dressed in bright spring colours singing and carrying flowers to the temple. It was Basant festival. His enquiries revealed that the goddess would be happy when floral offerings were made.

"Amir Khusrau also thought of making similar Basant offering to his pir. And when he did this Hazrat Nizamuddin smiled seeing his disciple donning yellow attire and pagadi", says Muzaffar Ali Soofi, Sajjada Nasheen of Dargah Hazrat Shaikji Hali.

Glad on seeing his pir smile,  Amir Khusrau and others sang Persian and Hindavi couplets in praise of Spring. And the tradition continues to this day. Basant festival has been adopted by Indian Muslims, particularly sufis of Chisti order, in the 12th century. "It is the best way of promoting social harmony and national integration", says Soofi.

To mark the occasion, the Hyderabad chapter of INTACH is organising a heritage walk tomorrow evening from Sahr-e-Batil kaman near Gulzar Houz to the Dargah. P. Anuradha Reddy, convenor, INTACH,  will explain the architectural aspects and heritage value of the Dargah which earlier bagged the INTACH award.

In keeping with the colours of spring, the Dargah is being decked up with marigold flowers. The organisers want people to blend with the season. An 'appreciated' dress code is given for those visiting the Dargah. They are requested to be dressed in yellow kurta and put on cap, headband, scarf, turban or shawl of the same colour. In case one can't find a yellow attire the next best alternative is white. Black and dark colours are not welcome. Separate arrangements are being made for women to enjoy the qawwalis.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Deccan Chronicle

Dated February 10,2019