फुल रही सरसो सकल बन ....

In 2018, when I shifted from Mumbai to Delhi, one of the must visit places in my list was Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. Glimpses of this Dargah were seen in Ranbir Kapoor's Rockstar Movie. One gets to know about Hazrat Nizamuddin from Sufi Music popularized by A.R. Rehman. Hence a visit to Dargah at Nizamuddin was much looked up to. Visit To Dargah one balmy evening in Delhi turned out to be an experience in itself. One makes way to Dargah from narrow lanes on Mathura Road. Both sides of these lanes are lined up with shops selling Rose Petals, Chaddars for gracing Auliya Nizamuddin's tomb and many other things. You also need to wade through poor people seeking shelter and food in Dargah. Dargah is not just a tomb of Auliya Hazrat Nizamuddin. Its a complex consisting of an old mosque, a baoli or step well and tombs of prominent personalities like Aamir Khusro, Mirza Galib, Begum Jahan Aara (daughter of Shahjahan) . 

Auliya Hazrat Nizamuddin was possibly one of the most revered Sufi Saint in medieval times. Dargah is visited by lakhs of people every year, however  one of the most looked up to celebration in dargah is of Basant Panchami. (Spring Festival) 

It was indeed a surprise for me to know that Dargah has over 700 years old tradition of Basant Panchami celebrations. I made up my mind to visit Dargah on the occasion of Basant Panchami. Though Dargah has been at a walking distance from my home, it took me two more years to make it to the dargah on Basant Panchami. 

I decided to walk up to Dargah along with a friend. As we drew closer to Dargah, a wave of bright yellow caps, scarfs and a charged atmosphere was in front of us. We made it to dargah through a sea of devotees. What unfolded in front of us was not just celebration but centuries old tradition of devotion and love. A Qawwali was being performed in front of Auliya Nizamuddin's tomb. Currency notes were being showered on Qawwals. Though I couldn't really see Qawwals because of crowd, I could see their impact all around me. Devotees immersed in the magic of Qawwali, devotees paying respect to Auliya Nizamuddin, tears rolling down the cheeks of a young girl overwhelmed with the power of emotions. Sufi music, plates full of yellow marigold, bright yellow mustard flower bunches in hands of devotees, the enthusiasm, the devotion, everything was overpowering and transcending me to medieval India when the tradition started in Dargah. 

Story of Basant Panchami celebration in dargah goes back to the most favourite disciple of Auliya, Aamir Khusro. Auliya Nizamuddin was fond of his nephew who died young. Auliya was grief stricken. Aamir Khusro could not bear the condition of Auliya Nizamuddin but did not even know how to bring smile on the face of Auliya. One day, Aamir Khusro saw a group of men and women, wearing yellow clothes,  carrying malas and bunches  of bright mustard flowers and marigolds. When he checked on them, he realized they were going to Kalkaji Temple to worship Goddess Saraswati on the occasion of Basant Panchami. This procession was singing songs in praise of Spring (Basant). Taking inspiration from them, Aamir Khusro draped a yellow saree and went in front of Auliya Nizamuddin and sang, , Ful Rahi Saraso Sakal Ban. Aamir Khusro's avatar in saree brought smiles on the face of Auliya Nizamuddin. Since then, the tradition of celebrating Basant Panchami in Nizamuddin Dargah continues. 

Devoted rendition of Qawwali in Dargah is simply mesmerizing. Synchronized clapping and clear throated Qawwali embraces you, you simply float with the spirit of Basant, spirit of devotion. Soulful rendition of Ful Rahi Saraso Sakal Ban by Aamir Khusro to make his Guru Happy reminds one of ephemeral enthusiasm for nature's magic called Spring. It also reminds one of devotion full of love. 

Basant Panchami celebrations in Nizamuddin Dargah are testimony to our Country's long tradition of tolerance. Our spirit of assimilating threads of history, threads of culture, threads of religions in our culture which has been evolving over thousands of years.