Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, Sufi shrine in South East Delhi, India
Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah is a Sufi shrine in Delhi that spreads across several courtyards and prayer halls. The main building shows white marble architecture with a dome, flanked by ornate entrance gates and corridors leading to smaller burial chambers.
The shrine was founded in 1325 as a burial site for Sufi saint Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya, who lived and taught in Delhi during the early 14th century. The adjacent mosque was built during the reign of Alauddin Khalji and displays stone carvings from that period.
Every Thursday evening, singers gather in the courtyard to perform qawwali hymns while visitors sit on the floor to listen. The music follows a centuries-old tradition of spiritual chanting practiced at many Sufi shrines across northern India.
Visitors must remove their shoes before entering the complex, and women should bring or borrow a cloth at the entrance to cover their hair. The shrine is quietest during early morning and late afternoon when fewer pilgrims are present.
The adjoining Jamat Khana Masjid displays pierced stone screens with geometric patterns that let sunlight fall inside in fine lines. This technique dates from the time of Alauddin Khalji and appears in only a few buildings from that era.
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