Dargahs Abodes of the Saints

The dargahs of India are testaments to the widespread belief in the spiritual teachings and supernatural powers of Muslim saints. Commonly known in India as shaykhs, these saints mostly belonged to various mystical Sufi orders that traced their origins to northeastern Iran and Central Asia. Devotees regularly visit the tombs of these shaykhs, known as dargahs, to seek spiritual solace and the fulfilment of their personal needs. At the urs festivities marking the death anniversaries of individual saints, dargahs become the destination of huge crowds of pilgrims who arrive from all over the country and abroad. The remarkable popularity of these shrines is explained by the fact that dargahs have always appealed to all levels of society, from sultans and powerful elites to ordinary people both Muslim and non-Muslim. The authors of this volume focus on 11 of the most historically significant shrines in India.