Hazratbal Shrine or Dargah Sharif by Ahanger HOBO

Hazratbal shrine was originally built in 1634 AD by Sadiq Khan for the purpose of prayers during Mughal reign. Emperor Shah Jehan declared this place perfect for worship as he would conveniently perform ablution at the banks of the Dal Lake and perform prayers. The holy relic Moi-E-Muąqadas was placed at Hazratbal during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb around 1699AD when Fazil Khan was the governor of Kashmir. It is believed that the relic passed on from the descendant of prophet Mohammed SW (Peace be Upon Him) and reached to Sayyid Abdullah, amuttawali (caretaker) of Prophets PBUH shrine in Madina. In 1634 AD Sayyid along with his family visited India, where he was granted jagir(estate) and got settled in Bijapur.

After his death the relic passed on tohis son Sayyid Hamid. He sought the help of resourceful Kashmiri trader Khwaja Nor-ud-Din Ashwari in Jehanabad where Hamid wanted to restore his Jagir. For the immense support of Kashmiri trader SayyidHamid offered the relic to the Khwaja. Aurangzeb wanted to place the relic at Ajmer and demanded for the relic from the Kashmiri trader. Khwaja was aggrieved by this and he died at Lahore due to the shock. Before his death he desired to a friend Khwaja Medanish that the relic should reach Kashmir.

Meanwhile Aurangzeb in his dream is said to have been directed by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) to restore the relic to the trader. Khwaja Medanish took the relic to Kashmir where initially it was placed at Khankah of Naqshband sahib and later the relic was placed inside the mosque at Hazratbal. the body of Khwaja Noor-ud-Din Ashwari was buried near the Hazratbal shrine at the graveyard. Hazratbal shrine is the most visited shrine in Kashmir valley where people arrive from far and near to attend five times prayers every day. On some important dates in Islamic calendar the Holy Relic is displayed to the public to seek the blessings. The barbers make handsome sale from the first haircut of newly born child at the shrine complex, as performing the rite at the shrine is considered most sacred in the valley. The shrine area has some of the fascinatings hops selling traditional food items.

Location

Location: Hazratbal, Srinagar, Srinagar District, Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir

Country: India

Administration: Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Waqf Board

Geographic coordinates: 34°7′45″N 74°50′32″E

Architecture

Type: Mosque architecture

Style: Islamic

Completed     

1634 (first structure) | 1979 (expansion)

Specifications

Length: 105 metres (344 ft) |Width: :25 metres (82 ft)

Dome(s): One

Minaret(s): One

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