The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 2 (of 4)Crooke, William
History
The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 2 (of 4)
Crooke, William
Caste -- India -- History; Hindus -- India; Tribes -- India -- History
3. “The Chishtis in repeating the profession of faith lay a particular
stress on the words Illa ‘llâhu, repeating these with great violence,
and shaking, at the same time their heads and the upper parts of their
bodies. The sect is said to be specially affected by Shiahs, and it is
distinguished by its adoption of vocal music in its religious services.
The members of the order are worked up by these religious songs to a
high pitch of excitement, and often sink down exhausted. They
frequently wear coloured clothes, especially clothes dyed with ochre or
with the bark of the acacia tree. Their principal shrines in the Panjâb
are the tomb of Nizâm-ud-dîn Auliya at Delhi, the Khângâh of Mîrân Bhîk
in Ambâla, the shrine of Bâba Farîd at Pâkpatan, and the Khângâh of
Hazrat Sulaimân at Taunsa in the Dera Ghâzi Khân District.”
4. The Dargâh of Khwâja Muîn-ud-dîn Chishti at Ajmer is an object of
veneration and pilgrimage to all religions and sects. The Emperor Akbar
made a pilgrimage on foot to this tomb, and the Banyas of the Dargâh
Bâzâr daily lay their keys on the steps of the shrine before opening
their shops. Khwâja Muîn-ud-dîn Chishti is said to have died in the
year 1235 A.D. at the age of ninety-seven, and to have come to Ajmer at
the age of fifty-two. At Madîna a voice is said to have come to him
from the tomb of the prophet directing him to go to Ajmer and convert
the infidels. “He obeyed the call, and on his arrival at Ajmer rested
on a spot, now known as the Kangara Masjid in the Dargâh, where at the
time the King’s camels were tethered. From this he was ejected and went
and took up his abode on the hill, which overlooks the Anasâgar, the
margin of which lake he found covered with idol temples. The idolators,
enraged at the slaughter of kids by the Musalmâns, conspired to
massacre them; but coming in sight of the Khwâja, they remained rooted
to the spot, and though they tried to ejaculate Râm! Râm! could only
articulate Rahîm! Rahîm! In vain did the idolators, led by the great
sorcerer Ajaypâl, and the Deota Shâdi Deo, renew their attacks. They
were defeated on every occasion, and finally begged forgiveness of the
Khwâja, and invited him to come and take up his abode in the town.
[265]” One peculiar observance at the Dargâh is the looting of boiled
rice from great cauldrons which are filled by pious worshippers.
5. Another famous place of Chishti pilgrimage is the tomb of the saint
Salîm Chishti, by whose intercession a son was born at Fatehpur Sikri
to the Emperor Akbar, and named Salîm after the saint. He was
subsequently Emperor in the name of Jahângîr.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE CHISHTIS ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS OF 1891.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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