Haji Malang

Hazrat Haji Abdul Rahman, popular as Haji Malang, was the Sunni Sufi saint and a Muslim missionary from Arab who migrated to India along with some of his followers under the reign of Nala Raja. He carried out his missionary activities in India and was later recognized as Sufi Saint among the local population of India. Malang-Gad fort is named in his honor. His tomb (Sufi mausoleum) is in (Kalyan), Mumbai. Dargah of Haji Malang attracts pilgrims from all cast, creed and societies; near to the dargah there are five (5) Mazars (graves) of his followers known as Panch Pir (Pir Machi). Here is the couplet written near Dargah of Bawa Malang, painting the beauty of Sufism;

Kisi Dardmand Ke Kaam aan

Kisi Dubte Ko Uchhal De.
Ye nigah e mast ki mastiyan
Kisi badnasib Pe Dalde. 

According to various sources and 'Khuddams' (caretakers of Dargah), saint came to India from Yemen around 300/400 years before, per the order of Allah to improve the pathetic condition of the inhabitants of the region. Some sources also claimed that he migrated to India as per his Pir's advice to save the community from the female demon who was  known as "Devni", among the then indigenous population.  

Haji Malang Dargah 

Haji Malang Dargah witnesses its Urs Sharif annually, which involves various traditional Sufi practices such as decorating the shrine with flowers and doing 'Charaga' (lights) and procession. Shrine attracts more than 3500 individuals during Urs Sharif, in addition to a year-round flow of devotees from India and abroad. Dargah is situated around 3200 feet above sea level. Dargah of Hazrat Bakhtawar Shah Baba and Dargah of Hazrat Sultan Shah Baba are located near the Dargah, which is called as 1st Salami and 2nd Salami by the followers, respectively. The main shrine comprises two Mazars; one belongs to Baba himself and another belongs to Maa Fatima (daughter of Nala Raja, who embraced Islam at the hand of Haji Malang). The Dargah is looked up to by both Hindu and Muslim caretakers.


Haji Malang
devotees receiving the holy water in Haji Malang Dargah

There is a small water reservoir on the Dargah premises. The water of this reservoir is considered sacred (Tabarruk) by devotees. People believe that the water was derived from the hoof hit of Baba's horse ('Ghode ki Taap') which leads to the nomenclature of the reservoir's water as "Ghode Ki Taap Ka Pani". It is also a common belief among the devotees that drinking this water can eliminate various diseases and other Ruhani Ailments. 

It is said that in the past, there were attempts by Shiv Sena to rename Haji Malang Dargah as Sri Malang, which was seen as the diabolical attempt to hamper the peace among the disciples of the Baba who were belonging to different religions.

References

  • The First Anglo-Maratha War, 1774-1783, A Military Study of Major Battles, By M. R. Kantak ·(1993) . 
  • Sawaneh Umri Baba Haji Malang by Munshi Syed Sulaiman Aasif. Translated by Hafiz Anwar.
  • Darbarul Naqshbandiya Foundation.
  • Economic and Political Weekly, Volume 31 by Asad Bin Saif, Sameeksha trust 1996.
  • Saints in Indian folklore by S.N Chanda.
  • Asgar Ali Engineer, Communal challenges and Secular response. Page 75.
  • Navbharat Times, Aastha ki Dagar, Published on  10 June, 2018.