The story of Hazrat Sufi Sarmad Shaheed who was beheaded by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb

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By Murtaza Ali Khan

After ensuring a most terrible death for his elder brother Dara Shikoh, Emperor Aurangzeb's attention turned to the Persian mystic and poet Sarmad who was a friend and mentor of Shah Jahan's beloved son Dara. Even before his ascension to the throne, Aurangzeb detested Sarmad for he would roam around naked and often ridicule him with his mystical ways. Dara, whom Aurangzeb saw as an infidel, had great love for mystics and poets and was probably as secular as Akbar the Great himself. 

It is widely believed that had he succeeded the war of succession, the course of history of the Indian subcontinent would have been entirely different. Alas, it wasn't to be as Aurangzeb slowly but surely destroyed everything that the great Mughal legacy stood for! He not only killed his brothers and their sons but also imprisoned his father Shah Jahan as well as his own daughter Zeb-un-Nisa until their respective deaths, apart from exiling his own son Muhammad Akbar.

But probably none of these deeds haunted him more than his insidious act to get Sarmad beheaded. The sole act of killing the mystic robbed him of his inner peace and despite all his kingly comforts he was forced to live a cursed life. As per the legend, after being beheaded, Sarmad’s body took the severed head in its hands and started dancing, wandering across the city of Shahjahanabad, refusing to rest in peace. But just as it was about to enter the Jama Masjid, the saintly voice of Hare Bhare Shah pacified him as Sarmad's body finally laid to rest.

If you ever visit the Jama Masjid then make sure you also visit the the twin shrines of Sarmad Shaheed (aptly painted in red) and his spiritual guide Hare Bhare Shah (painted in green) sandwiched between the grand mosque and the tumultuous Meena Bazaar. And, befitting of the place, there are no restrictions on dress code or the entry of women.

P.S. Although, I have grown up listening to the story of Hazrat Sufi Sarmad Shaheed, today, I was reminded of it by a brilliant piece by Amit Ranjan in DailyO which can be read at the following link:

https://www.dailyo.in/arts/who-was-sarmad-naked-saint-aurangzeb-killed-dara-shikoh-sufis-same-sex-love-mughal-india/story/1/25142.html

Readers, please feel free to share your thoughts/queries by leaving your comments in the comment box. As always your feedback is highly appreciated! 

Ellora Caves: A great communion of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain rock-cut architecture

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Inside a Jain Cave in Ellora

Note: You can read my travelogue on the world famous Ajanta Caves here

Having already immersed myself in the spiritual and artistic wonders of the Ajanta Caves, I was all prepared for my next destination. Situated in the north-west of the city of Aurangabad and about 100 kilometres from Ajanta, Ellora is an UNESCO World Heritage Site that represents the epitome of rock-cut architecture in India. Ellora is one of the major tourist attractions in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and is protected under the Archaeological Survey of India. The site has a total of 34 caves which are essentially structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills. There are 12 Buddhist (caves 1–12), 17 Hindu (caves 13–29) and 5 Jain (caves 30–34) caves. While the Buddhist and Brahmanical group of caves are built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty, the Jain group of caves are built by the Yadavas. As per the estimates, the Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock-cut temples and viharas and mathas were built between the 5th century and 10th century. The Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain caves, built in proximity, are a testament to the religious harmony and tolerance prevalent at the time.

Ajanta Caves: One of the finest specimens of the Indian rock-cut architecture

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Note: You can read my travelogue on the world famous Ellora Caves here

Travel has always fascinated mankind. It caters both to the senses as well as the intellect. There is no denying that theoretical knowledge is important. But, bookish knowledge can only take us so far in our quest to unravel the mysteries of the world. The following quotation, taken from the Holy Quran, underlines the importance of travel in understanding the world we live in: “Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled.” India is a land of such incredible cultural diversity that traveling the entire length and breadth of it is no less remarkable feat than traveling across one whole continent. India’s rich diversity is beautifully summed up by the famous Hindi adage “Kos kos par badle paani, char kos par vani” which says that such is the multifariousness of our country that the taste of water changes after one mile while the language of people changes after four.