Tajbagh

    

Tajbagh: The Muslim shrine in the headquarters of Rashtriya SywamSevak Sangh (RSS)

Abstract

Tajbagh, also known as Tajabad Sharif, is a Sufi shrine and the final resting place of a Muslim Sufi saint, Hazrat Baba Tajuddin (d. 1925), but this Sunni Muslim destination is serving as an important holy place to the Hindus living in the city of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) headquarters, Nagpur, where RSS is considered to be a far-right-wing Hindu organization. In this research, it is suggested that the Tajbagh, despite being located in the headquarters of a far-right-wing Hindu organization, has been serving as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim communal harmony for a century, as Tajuddin Baba bestows his Ruhani Fuyuz (spiritual benefits) to his Hindu devotees too during his lifetime, apart from his Muslim followers. This communal harmony is credited to the charismatic personality of the saint, which attracted the attention and devotion of influential personalities of different times, including Raje Bahadur Raghoji Rao (b. 1873–d. ?), also known as Raja Bahadur Raghoji Bhonsle, the then Hindu king who was the 9th Raja of Deor, and contemporary political leaders with substantive social influence, such as Nitin Gadkari (b. 1957), the 40th Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India. The shraddha (devotion) of these influential personalities to this Muslim saint further aggravated the influence of the saint on the socio-polity and the religious culture of Nagpur. The devotion of the leaders from the regional Hindu-led BJP government to Baba led to the donation of millions of Indian currency to the beautification of this Muslim shrine in the present and past decades.

Introduction

Tajbagh, also known as Tajuddin Baba Dargah or Tajabad Sharif, is a Sufi shrine and a resting place of Shahenshah-e-Hafte-Aklim, Hazrat Syed Muhammad Tajuddin Rahmatullah Alaih , located in the Nagpur city of Maharashtra State. This Muslim monument is considered an ideal example of Hindustan 's Ganga-Jamuni Tahzeeb, as it attracts Baba's devotees from various religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, and Buddhism. Various festivals in Dargah, including Tajuddin Baba Urs, Tajuddin Baba Birthday, Sandal, and Niyaz, are celebrated by his devotees from various religions at the Tajbagh Dargah Complex. [1] It comprises two religious destinations, Bada Tajbagh (Motha Tajbagh) and Chhota Tajbagh, in the vicinity of around 1.5 km. Bada Tajbbagh is the actual final resting place of Tajuddin Baba, whereas Chhota Tajbagh is his Chillāgāh. [2]

Tajbagh is an Urdu term that means Taj's Garden. [3] It is named after the Sufi saint, Hazrat Syed Muhammad Tajuddin. The whole area surrounding the Dargah is commonly known as Tajbagh because of the establishment of Tajuddin Baba in that area. Whereas Tajabad Sharif is a compound Urdu term consisting of Tajabad and Sharif , Tajabad means inhabited by Taj or Hazrat Tajuddin Auliya. Sharif denotes an honorary suffix to demonstrate the religious significance of this Sufi destination. There were significant efforts by the Gadkari-directed BJP government in the region to sanction funds for the beautification of the shrine. [4]

Tajuddin Baba's influence on prominent personalities of Nagpur

In this section I have discussed the saint's influence on the two prominent personalities of Nagpur from different times. They include Raje Raghoji Rao Bhonsle, the 9th King of Deor, and Nitin Gadkari, the contemporary political leader and the 40th Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways in the Government of India.

Tajuddin Baba spent considerable time at Raghoji Rao Bhonsle's palace in Nagpur. [5] There is a short anecdote relevant to Baba and the king Raghoji, mentioned in the book by Albele Sarkar by Khadim Syed Shizan Taji, mentioning the incident of the pregnant daughter-in-law of Raghoji Rao. The life of the daughter-in-law of King Raghoji was deteriorating despite every possible step being taken by the available obstetrician to save her and her baby. But Baba's blessings and charisma saved the pregnant daughter-in-law of Raghoji Rao and her neonate in this life-threatening situation. [6] After impressing his grandson and her daughter-in-law with this miracle, the king invited Baba Tajuddin to his palace to stay there, so eventually Tajuddin Baba became the saint of the Royal Palace of Nagpur in 1908 and lived there till his Wisal. At that time Nagpur was the capital of the British province, Central Provinces and Berar. [7] The charisma of Baba, which attracted the Hindu king with the considerable influence on the capital of this large territory, further led to aggravating Tajuddin Baba 's influence upon the local Hindu population of Nagpur.

In one of his speeches, Union Cabinet Minister of India Nitin Gadkari mentioned his mother's devotion to Tajuddin Auliya. How, during his childhood, Gadkari's mother used to take him to the Tajuddin Baba shrine to receive his blessings. Gadkari further mentioned in his speech that Nagpur 's former Raje Raghuji Rao Bhonsle was also a great disciple of the saint. So, according to him, Tajbagh has deep connections to religious, historical, and cultural aspects of Nagpur's people, irrespective of their religion. He further mentioned that the whole of humankind is devoted to Tajbagh Dargah. He says this Muslim Sufi saint is not only specific to Islam but has a significant authority over the Hindus of the region too. [8] So I believe that Gadkari's devotion to the sanction of 132 crore Indian rupees [9] for the first phase of the beautification of this Muslim shrine was a result of his love towards Baba Tajuddin, which was inculcated in him by his mother in his childhood.

Traditions

To suggest my arguments, I have also explored the different rituals and traditions observed at Tajbagh during Urs. Before delving deeper into the individual rituals in detail and philosophical aspects of the rituals, I would like to give a brief overview of Urs of Tajuddin Baba. Urs Tajuddin Baba is a Sufi festival commemorating the death anniversary of Hazrat Baba Tajuddin Rahmatullah Alaih. The Urs is organized annually by the Tajuddin Baba Dargah Trust at the Tajuddin Baba Mausoleum in Nagpur, drawing devotees from across the nation. The festival begins with the Parcham Kushai, a traditional ceremony that features the hoisting of a religious flag. Another significant aspect of the celebration is Qul Sharif, also referred to as Qul ki Fatiha. During this event, Fatiha is followed by a Rang, which is a gathering for Qawwali. The Dargah hosts two Qul Sharif sessions, known as Chhota Qul and Bada Qul. During the Fatiha, pure water mixed with rose water is offered, which is later distributed among the attendees. The Shahi Sandal, or Sandal Sharif, features a day-long procession that attracts participants from Hindu, Muslim, and other communities. The event culminates in the Chadar Peshi, performed by the Shahi Imam. Langar, or blessed food, is provided to the attendees attending the Urs. The offerings typically include Aalu Bhat (Tahari) or Mutton Biryani. [10] The Urs is also characterized by a grand annual fair (Mela), which hosts various food stalls, amusements, circuses, and gift stalls.

Parcham Kushai

The Parcham Kushai, or a traditional flag-hoisting ceremony, is the first ritual of Tajuddin Baba Urs. The flag, which is usually green in color bordered with red cloth, contains Islamic calligraphy, usually the Kalma-e-Taiyyabah (the first pillar of Islam). The flag-hoisting ceremony begins with the chants of Nara eik Taqbeer and Allahu Akbar. The devotees participating in the ceremony also chant the names of Ali and Hussain because of the saint's connection to Imam Hussain and Imam Ali. [11] The first ceremony of this Muslim festival is conducted by the Hindus, the members of the Bhonsale family. According to Raje Jaysingh Bhonsle, the first Parcham Kushai was performed by Raje Bahadur Raghuji Rao Bhonsle, the 9th Hindu King of Deor, during the lifetime of Baba Tajuddin, and this tradition of performing Parcham Kushai is still done by the contemporary Hindus of the King's family. [12]

While discussing the philosophical aspects of Parcham Kushai, I want to point out the tolerance of Khuddam (Muslim caretakers) here, as the shrine, which is totally run by the Muslim caretakers known as "Khuddam" of Baba Tajuddin Auliya, still allows this century-old ritual to be performed by Hindus only in this city of headquarters of RSS. There is no single event of objection where the Hindus were denied the right to carry out this very first and important ritual of this Muslim festival. Instead, the Hindu members of the King Bhonsle's family are wholeheartedly welcomed by the Muslim "Khadims" there. This suggests that this Muslim ritual of Parcham Kushai is also serving as the medium to neutralize the toxic efforts of the RSS to destroy Hindu-Muslim communal harmony in the region.

Shahi Sandal

Another ritual that intensifies the communal harmony in the region is Shahi Sandal, which shows nearly equal participation of devotees from both the Hindu and Muslim communities. Shahi Sandal here means the grand procession in honor of the saint. It is a day-long procession that begins at the saint's shrine in Bada Tajbagh and ends there, encircling the various parts of Nagpur, characterized by bands, horses, orchestras, and the devotees. The main attraction of Sandal is Shahi Chadar [13], which is carried by the devotees on their heads under the protection of  Chandni, [14], intended to be presented on the grave of Baba Tajuddin on the occasion of the annual Urs. The history of this ritual traces back to the life of Baba Tajuddin, where he ordered his companion, Muhammad Hussain Shafi Baba, to organize a procession (sandal) for the saint in the plague-endemic Nagpur in 1922. Shafi Baba informed Raja Raghoji Rao Bhosle about this wish of the saint; accordingly, the Hindu king, Raghoji, fulfilled the wish of the saint and organized a large procession with horses, elephants, bands, drums, flowers, etc., to honor the saint. It is believed that the Hindu king Raje Raghoji Rao, with his Hindu followers, did participate in this historical procession. Later this procession of sandals became the yearly ritual followed by the Hindu and Muslim devotees of the saint. Each year thousands of people participate in this Shahi sandal to honor irrespective of their religion. 

Nagpur is also characterized by different great processions like Juluus Eid Miladunnabi by Muslims and Ram Navmi Juloos by Hindus separately. But this procession is unique of its kind, where one can observe Hindus serving snacks and drinks to fellow Muslim participants of the procession and vice versa. This procession has no new religious barriers like other processions of the region, further strengthening the communal harmony in Nagpur. While whiling with the philosophical aspect of this ritual, I wanted to point out that this procession was first initiated by the Muslim companion of the saint, with the support of the then Hindu king of the region. This procession's management eventually came under the Tajuddin Baba Dargah trust and later became the important ritual of this Muslim festival of annual urs, which has no religious barriers to participate in.

RSS is a far-right-wing Hindu organization founded in 1925 known to spread communal violence between Hindus and Muslims and hamper peace between the two groups. [15] The paramilitary organization believes in the ideology that there is no place for Muslims in Hindu India and slogans such as "The only place for Musalman is the graveyard or Pakistan." [16] In multiple instances, RSS served as the catalyst for the communal violence in various parts of India. The 2002 riot of Ahmedabad had a significant role for the RSS, which was seen as one of the most devastating communal riots of independent India. [17] Irony is that despite the birthplace and headquarters of RSS Nagpur facing only a single communal riot in the entire century, just because of the communal harmony that was inculcated by Tajuddin Baba in the locals. Till the time of this research (December 2024), there was only a single incident of communal riot in 1927, and after that, in the entire century, there was not a single instance of any communal riots in Nagpur till December 2024.

Conclusion

It is concluded that, although the Tajbagh is a final resting place of the Muslim Sufi saint, it has significant involvement of Hindus in its various rituals due to their deep devotion to the saint. Not only in its various rituals but also in its administration, as the Tajuddin Baba Dargah trust records state that the trust had members belonging to the Hindu community in the administration. Baba's charisma in the hearts of the local Hindu community makes Tajbagh an ideal example of Hindustan's Ganga Jamuni Tahzeeb and communal harmony in Nagpur, despite being the headquarters of the far-right-wing Hindu militant organization Rashtriya Svayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu militant organization known to spread communal violence and hatred throughout India.

See also

* Sailani Baba

* Morfata

* Gyarvi Sharif

* Kunde ki Niyaz

* Nabi Musa Festival


References

  1. ↑ P. 57, Deodhar Dilip (1977). Nagpur Guide. Yuvak Prakashan.

  2. ↑ Chillāgāh or Chillā means 40 in the local Hindustani language; it is derived from the Persian word, Chehel. In Sufism, it is used to denote a period of spiritual exercises lasting for 40 days. Or simply denoting a place where the saint used to meditate for the particular period of time. For example, Chillā of Baba Fareed Ganjshakar is in Girad, Maharashtra, India, whereas his actual Mazār (final resting place) is in Pākpattan, in Punjab, Pakistan. While doing the fieldwork It is also noted by the author that some local Marathi devotees of different Sufi saints of Maharashtra do refer to Chillā as Chalāwā, like Baba chya Chalāwā.

  3. ↑ Kalchuri, Bhau (2024-10-22). Lord Meher, Part 3: August 1949 – October 1955. Meher Nazar Publications.

  4. ↑ "State grants Rs 30 crore more for Tajbagh development." Nagpur Today: Nagpur News. 2017-03-27. Retrieved 2025-05-07. Please see https://www.nagpurtoday.in/state-grants-rs-30-crore-more-for-tajbagh-development/03271500.

  5. ↑ Burman, J. J. Roy (2002). Hindu-Muslim Syncretic Shrines and Communities. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-839-6.

  6. ↑ Taji, Syed Shizan. Albele Sarkar. Nagpur: Baba Tajuddin Dargah Trust. pp. 31–32

  7. ↑ "Central Provinces and Berar." Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 681–683

  8. ↑ Nitin Gadkari's speech at Tajbagh during the inauguration of its beautification project is available on his official YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/live/ZSP6Ui8WCUA?feature=shared.

  9. ↑ "Tajbagh Trust seeks Rs 224 crore for Phase II of beautification drive." Nagpur Today: Nagpur News. 2023-08-09. Retrieved 2025-05-07. Please see https://www.nagpurtoday.in/tajbagh-trust-seeks-rs-224-crore-for-phase-ii-of-beautification-drive/08091410

  10. ↑ For information on the Urs, please see https://www.qadrishattari.xyz/p/urs-tajuddin-baba.html.

  11. ↑ Tajuddin Baba was born into a Sayyed family, tracing back his ancestry to Imam Hussain. See the biography of Tajuddin Baba at https://tajuddinbaba.com/.

  12. ↑ Interview of Raja Jaysingh Bhonsle, one of the current heirs of King Raghoji Rao Bhonsle. Please see https://youtu.be/XuACfX81qUc?feature=shared for the interview

  13. ↑ A sheet of cloth with Islamic calligraphy usually intended to be offered as a chadhawa (offering) on the grave of Sufi saints in Southa.

  14.  ↑ Chandni is a kind of shelter for the holy Chadar supported by 4 bamboo and steel pillars on four corners.

  15. ↑ Ahmed, Imran; Ahmed, Zahid Shahab; Brasted, Howard; Akbarzadeh, Shahram (2022-02-04). Religion, Extremism, and Violence in South Asia. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-981-16-.

  16. ↑ Burns, James P. (2023-12-20). Curriculum and the Problem of Violence: Biopolitics, Truth, History, and Fascism. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-003-83071-9.

  17. ↑ Basu, Amrita (2015-06-30). Violent Conjunctures in Democratic India. Cambridge University Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-1-107-08963-1.