Amidst the rising hate crimes and communal tensions, the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya lights up on the occasion of Diwali, like every year. During the festival, the Dargah gets flooded with visitors of all kinds who view festivals as a reason for celebration rather than something to discriminate against. With a long history of uniting people since the medieval ages, believers of every faith come together to keep up the spirit of festivities and fraternity.
Festival Of Lights And Brotherhood
On October 24, when the entire nation was lit up with lights and diyas, the Dargah Hazrath Nizamuddin stood out for bringing out the true essence of celebrations. Besides being decorated with the Diwali diyas, people of different faith came in from different areas to light them up and pray for peace.
The lighting of diyas is mostly done along the shrine's pathways and around the Muslim chaddar during the occasion of Laxmi Poojan, Bhai Dooj and other religious days as well. Following this, the Dargah ritually observes the Dua-e-Roshni, where evening prayers are held in the presence of lamps.
As it happens to be the resting place of a Sufi saint, it has always drawn people from across faiths regardless of the occasion. They come by to "express their love for Mehboob e Ilaihi (beloved of God) Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya," said Nazim Nizami, the gaddi nasheen of the shrine.
Talking about the history of Diwali celebrations at the dargah, Nizami says that it is 'as old as the dargah itself'. Adding on to this, he says that the lights are all set by their Hindu brothers, and very rarely does the dargah have to organise it. They come along of their own volition, light diyas, distribute sweets, pray at the dargah, and keep the spirit of brotherhood alive.
"The whole precipice bathes in roshni (light) on Diwali. It makes for a beautiful scene", said Nizami, as quoted from an article by The Print.
Localites also regularly join in to help them set the lights for what they locally call 'Eid e Charaghan' (festival of lights). Some of them even carry this light back with them to their homes as they believe that it would add Auliya's blessings to their celebrations.
Among those lighting the lamps inside the shrine ahead of Diwali was Indresh Kumar, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) National Executive member and Muslim Rashtriya Manch patron.
Commenting on the traditions they have kept alive over the years, he said, "When all religions are respected in the country, then the country will be free from the fundamentalists who make stone pelting on Friday. India is the only country that respects and accepts all religions."
Standing testimonial to this, many claims that ever since Sufis had come to India, they have 'offered them langar, goodwill, assimilation, and shared festivities, and would continue to do so'.
History Of The Celebrations
The story, according to many localites, is such that lighting diyas at the dargah started as a call for peace amid the wars waged between kings and chieftains during the medieval age. There are historical references that point back to the same as well.
A Sufi poet, Amir Khusrau, had composed numerous poems in Persian and Braj languages celebrating the "Rang" with his beloved Auliya. It was among the closest celebrations to his heart, and he ensured the memory was kept alive through his verses. One of the verses reads, "One festival bespeaks colours of life, and another one enumerates upon the light of life Ergo, these two festivals are so dear to me."
Many other artists and historians, such as Khwaja Ahmed Nizami, had also recorded the celebration of Diwali (also locally familiar as Jashn e Charaghan or Roshni e Zeest) in his epic based on Hazrat Nizamuddin.
The many non-muslim devotees who arrive at the dargah with diyas claim that it has very little to do about religion and a lot more about "the peace one doesn't find everywhere but here." They believe that the 'Light shines for everyone at Nizamuddin' and is a sentiment they collectively share.
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