Bahadur Shah Zafar's Favorite Dargah-Panja Sharif

 Panja Sharif – Bahadur Shah Zafar's Favorite Dargah

By Prof.Mazhar Naqvi

The location of Dargah Panja Sharif in a narrow lane of old Delhi has proved to be a boon or else it might have also fallen prey to encroachers like Shah-e-Mardan shrine in New Delhi. Before partition, Panja Sharif was not as popular or significant as it stands today as the most prominent centers of Muharram ceremonies in Delhi. Dargah Shah-E-Mardan surpassed it in terms of popularity and mourning assemblies during Muharram and Ramzan in undivided India. The situation changed drastically after 1947 with the influx of refugees who were allowed to grab the space and even some of the buildings of Shah-e-Mardan in what can be termed only as a government sponsored destruction of holy Imami shrines. Panja Sharif fortunately did not suffer at the hands of refugees from Pakistan as it was already located in a crowded place with no space at all to be encroached upon.

Panja Sharif is considered to be one of the holiest Imami shrine for containing the hand imprints of Maula Ali and burial chamber of Mirza Mohammad Kamil Dehalvi, popularly known as Shaeed-e-Rabey (Fourth Martyr).He had authored  Nuzhat-e-Isna Ashariya a book in response to Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi's Tauhfa Ithna Ashari. He was poisoned by Nawab Abdul Rahman of Jhajjhar in 1809 who was enraged over the publication of this book. Besides, Nuzhat –E- Isna Ashariya, he also wrote 67 other books on religious topics of importance.  

The origin of the shrine and installation of hand imprints of Hazrat Ali, spiritual successor of Prophet Muhammad and father of king of martyrs, Hazrat Imam Husain shrouds in mystery. It is believed to have been during the period of Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar. The most authentic account about the presence of hand imprints of Hazrat Ali is attributed to his appearance in a dream seen by a religious scholar of Jafri School .Maula Ali told the scholar in the dream that he was leaving imprints of his hands on a stone. The next day the scholar visited the spot seen by him in the dream and he found the imprints engraved on a stone. He installed the imprints in an enclosure over which a shrine was built in due course of time. It derived its name as Panja means hand or palm.   

Despite containing as many as three hand imprints and two footprints of Maula Ali, Panja Sharif was not a popular center of azadari during later Mughal or British period. Dargah Quli Khan has not mentioned Panja Sharif in his Muraqqa-e-Delhi but given an account of Shah-e-Mardan with its Muharram rituals. He was in Delhi from 1739 to 1741. Similarly, one can’t trace Panja Sharif in the official map of Delhi prepared in 1912. Bashir Uddin has also briefly mentioned Panja Sharif in his work titled Waqiat-E-Darul Hukumat.  Zafar Hasan has also given not much importance to the shrine .Even Sir Syed Ahmad khan in his ‘Asar us sandid’ has ignored Panja Sharif. The caretakers of the shrine however derive pleasure in revealing the fact that Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar used to walk down to offer prayers at Panja Sharif from Red Fort. They however lack historical evidence to supplement their claim.

Since independence, the structure of Dargah has witnessed several changes but the main shrine retains its original shape and design. The imprint of three divine hand marks of Hazrat Ali is engraved in three separate brown color stone placed on a platform made of granite. Two foot prints of Hazrat Ali are also engraved on white marbles. On the right side of the hand mark is placed the Tabut( Coffin) of Maula Ali with a replica of Imam Husain’s shrine at Karbala. On the left side are placed relics associated with Maula Abbas and Hazrat Qasim, son of second Imam Hasan who was also martyred at Karbala at the age of 13. The wall behind the shrine is fine example of pure glass work. Adjacent to main shrine is the burial chamber of Shaeed a Rabey who was is also revered by devotees and believed to be a spiritual healer and fulfiller of wishes.

Of late, Dargah has emerged as a center of multi-Lingual Majlises. It becomes a center of Muharram rituals not only carried out by Delhites but also by Afghani and Kashmiris. Hence Majlises are held not only n Urdu but also in Kashmiri and Afghani. Even Kashmiri Hindus attend the oldest Muharram Procession that terminates at Dargah after originating from Jama Masjid Kashmiri Gate. The managing committee of Dargah has also been running an educational institute and sends some of its students to leading public schools of Delhi own expenses. Dargah also once housed an orphanage but it closed down as an aftermath of partition.

In 1947,Dargah gained great support from Hindus and followers of Sufis. As most of the Muslims had migrated to Pakistan, Delhi had no ‘Alim’ to address the Majlises during Ashra-E-Muharram. At this crucial juncture, Khwaja Hasan Nizami, a great historian and descendant of Mahboob-E-Elahi Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya filled the gap by addressing Majlises during Muharram. He was also supported by Maulana Ahmad Saeed, Maulana Zubair Qureshi   and Justice Vyas Dev Mishra in his endeavor to ensure sustainability of ‘Marasim-E-Azadari against odds.