DOWN MEMORY LANE 

SOCIETY
Desolate tale of Hare Bhare Sahib
r.v. smith
DELHI:, APRIL 20, 2014 17:09 IST

Delhi is full of shrines. Besides

the ones of the 22 Khwajas there
are numerous other mazaars, some
maintained, others just left to
deteriorate. The shrine of Khwaja
Syed Abul Hasan, Hare Bhare is
unique among them as it is right in
the heart of Old Delhi, just below
the steps of the Jama Masjid, A
neem tree grows above it, which
divides the mazaar from the grave
of the saint’s disciple, Sarmad
Shaheed that is painted red as a
sign of his martyrdom, while his
mentor’s tomb is green in colour
to donate immortality. Towards
the direction in which the feet of
the saint point lies buried Shah
Mohammad Hinga Madani dating
to AD 1674. Maulana Azad was a
great admirer of the shrine, so was
M.F. Husain, while Raghu Rai
spent a whole afternoon in the
1960s photographing it and Sadia
Dehlvi detailed its history.
Hare Bhare Sahib lived during the
reigns of Jahangir, Shah Jahan and
Aurangzeb and is believed to have
come from Central Asia. Sarmad
was an Armenian Jew who
converted to Islam and became a
Sufi. Not much is known of
Madani, except that he forsook the
life of a nobleman to become a
recluse. Such an important place
is now in a state of disarray. The
green and red plaster of the shrine
has been peeled off. Part of the
two structures has been damaged
and the neem tree has been
brutally hacked. It is said that the
caretakers of the shrine want to
erect a commercial building above
the tombs. Thousands of devotees
of the three saints buried in the
complex are helpless spectators.
Something similar happened when
the shrine of Hazrat Kalimullah
Jehanabadi, also dating to mid-
Mughal times, just opposite the
Red Fort, was built around with a
pigeon-hole-type building, that
brings revenue for the caretakers
alright but at the expense of
despoliation. The mazaar of Bhure
Mian, where troops taking part in
the R-Day parade relax after the
show, has been given a facelift but
its original character has not been
altered probably because of its
close proximity to the Red Fort.
Another instance of despoliation
is the disappearance of a baradari
(not far from Hare Bhare’s shrine)
said to have been constructed by
Dara Shikoh, just next to the Jama
Masjid on the way to Esplanade
Road. Nobody remembers the old
building which was very much
there in the last decades of the
20th Century and housed a girls’
school. Now a multi-storied
building has come up to
accommodate the school, with no
trace of the historical monument,
which was believed to have been a
library of Dara.
Many old structures in Chandni
Chowk also have been so built
upon that one can hardly
recognize them. The Kaccheri of
Bhawani Shankar, the nobleman
who later got the disparaging
nickname of Namak Haram after
he deserted the Marathas and
joined the British about the 18th
Century, is yet another example.
The haveli of Namak Haram too
has changed shape because of
commercial exploitation.
Northbrook Fountain, the best
known landmark of Chandni
Chowk, has been almost covered
up by a plaque commemorating
Bhai Mati Das, opposite the old
Kotwali, which has become part
of Gurdwara Sis Ganj. The
fountain (known as Phuwara) was
built by the British Governor-
General Lord Northbrook from his
own funds as a beautification of
the spot where the bodies of
Mughal princes killed by Hodson
lay rotting. There have been more
such monstrosities especially in
Mehrauli, which have been
overlooked by authority, probably
for devious reasons. However the
changes planned at the Hare Bhare
mazar can still be prevented to
save a famous landmark, which
was left untouched even when the
tramway was introduced in 1908.
Sarmad Shaheed is said to have
danced on the steps of the Jama
Masjid after his head had been cut
off on the orders of Aurangzeb
(who branded him as a heretic)
until restrained by Hare Bhare,
who warned him that such action
against the law of nature would
destroy Delhi. Would Sarmad’s
spirit revolt again? May be not,
but the ASI should.
The author is a veteran chronicler
of Delhi
THE END.
This article is closed for comments.
Please Email the Editor
 EXPAND
Trending in Society
Society The crowned in a corner
Society Kerala's online shoppers feel the crunch
Society A mini Punjab in Tamil Nadu
Society All the President's mien
Society Young man on an epic journey
Society All in an auto
Society A humanist called Manto
Society The story behind Lord Labak Das
Society The big, fat male ego
Society The strange story of a settlement
Society Pen down your thoughts
Society The cherry on the top
Society When women won a fair place in CET
Society ‘It is like reversing the motion of the earth’
Society The rape issue
Society Tradtional board games: From Kochi to Iraq
Society Inside India’s oldest hotel
Society A dead city beneath a living village
Society Treading the organic path
Society Tracing the roots of the Tamil God
Society Redeeming the mountains
Society I am… M. Chellama - Vegetable Vendor
Society Kuchas and katras keep their tales
Society The law on pet owners in apartments
Society I am... Radhika M, Kalaripayattu Instructor
Society The life story of a neurosurgeon
Society The chemistry of business
Society Redefined family values
Society Throwing light on fire and light
Society Standing surety for a loan?
Society The crowned in a corner
Society Kerala's online shoppers feel the crunch
Society A mini Punjab in Tamil Nadu
Society All the President's mien
Society Young man on an epic journey
Society All in an auto
Society A humanist called Manto
Society The story behind Lord Labak Das
Society The big, fat male ego
Society The strange story of a settlement
Society Pen down your thoughts
Society The cherry on the top
Society When women won a fair place in CET
Society ‘It is like reversing the motion of the earth’
Society The rape issue
Society Tradtional board games: From Kochi to Iraq
Society Inside India’s oldest hotel
Society A dead city beneath a living village
Society Treading the organic path
Society Tracing the roots of the Tamil God
Society Redeeming the mountains
Society I am… M. Chellama - Vegetable Vendor
Society Kuchas and katras keep their tales
Society The law on pet owners in apartments
Society I am... Radhika M, Kalaripayattu Instructor
Society The life story of a neurosurgeon
Society The chemistry of business
Society Redefined family values
Society Throwing light on fire and light
Society Standing surety for a loan?
Society The crowned in a corner
Society Kerala's online shoppers feel the crunch
Society A mini Punjab in Tamil Nadu
Society All the President's mien
Society Young man on an epic journey
Top Picks in The Hindu today
‘Skater Girl’ movie review: Lots to root for in this
heartwarming drama
‘The Night Watchman,’ Malcolm X biography win arts Pulitzers
‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ trailer: Healing with Nicole Kidman
Trip to space with Jeff Bezos sells for $28 million
Log onto Clubhouse and get a job
‘Operation Olivia’ to the rescue of Olive Ridleys
Indian-origin journalist wins Pulitzer for exposing China’s
infrastructure for detaining Muslims
Teen who recorded Floyd's arrest, death wins Pulitzer nod
New on Apple TV Plus: ‘Mythic Quest’ Season 2, ‘Physical,’
and more
Monkeys poop ‘rotten’ fruit tree that’s new to science
‘Skater Girl’ movie review: Lots to root for in this
heartwarming drama
 ‘The Night Watchman,’ Malcolm X biography win arts Pulitzers
‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ trailer: Healing with Nicole Kidman
Trip to space with Jeff Bezos sells for $28 million
Log onto Clubhouse and get a job
‘Operation Olivia’ to the rescue of Olive Ridleys
Indian-origin journalist wins Pulitzer for exposing China’s
infrastructure for detaining Muslims
Teen who recorded Floyd's arrest, death wins Pulitzer nod
New on Apple TV Plus: ‘Mythic Quest’ Season 2, ‘Physical,’
and more
Monkeys poop ‘rotten’ fruit tree that’s new to science
‘Skater Girl’ movie review: Lots to root for in this
heartwarming drama
‘The Night Watchman,’ Malcolm X biography win arts Pulitzers
‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ trailer: Healing with Nicole Kidman
TRENDING TODAY
 VACCINES
 
 CORONAVIRUS
 
 PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI
 

 19K | Indian-origin journalist wins Pulitzer Prize for
exposing China's vast infrastructure for detaining
Muslims
 18K | China's wandering elephants become
international stars
 16K | Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine offer 77%
protection against hospitalisation, CMC Vellore study
finds
 13K | Coronavirus | Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till
June 21 morning
 12K | Mukul Roy returns to Trinamool Congress
 12K | Cartoonscape — June 11, 2021
 11K | Hindu migrants — Persecuted in Pakistan,
ignored in India
 11K | Centre takes steps to engage with J&K parties
 34K | India unlikely to allow return of 4 Kerala women
who joined Islamic State
 19K | Indian-origin journalist wins Pulitzer Prize for
exposing China's vast infrastructure for detaining
Muslims
 18K | China's wandering elephants become
international stars
 16K | Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine offer 77%
protection against hospitalisation, CMC Vellore study
finds
 13K | Coronavirus | Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till
June 21 morning
 12K | Mukul Roy returns to Trinamool Congress
 12K | Cartoonscape — June 11, 2021
 11K | Hindu migrants — Persecuted in Pakistan,
ignored in India
 11K | Centre takes steps to engage with J&K parties
 34K | India unlikely to allow return of 4 Kerala women
who joined Islamic State
 19K | Indian-origin journalist wins Pulitzer Prize for
exposing China's vast infrastructure for detaining
Muslims
 18K | China's wandering elephants become
international stars
 16K | Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine offer 77%
protection against hospitalisation, CMC Vellore study
finds
 13K | Coronavirus | Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till
June 21 morning
 12K | Mukul Roy returns to Trinamool Congress
  12K | Cartoonscape — June 11, 2021
 11K | Hindu migrants — Persecuted in Pakistan,
ignored in India
 11K | Centre takes steps to engage with J&K parties






 ePaper

TRENDING TODAY
 Data breaches expose emails, passwords of several
government officials to hackers
 Indian-origin journalist wins Pulitzer Prize for exposing
China's vast infrastructure for detaining Muslims
 GST brought down on 14 COVID relief goods
 SAD, BSP to jointly contest Punjab Assembly election
 Djokovic defeats 13-time champion Nadal in 'greatest'
French Open display
 Hindu migrants — Persecuted in Pakistan, ignored in
India
 Counting the dead: On measuring excess deaths
 Monsoon malady: On Mumbai’s decrepit buildings
  India unlikely to allow return of 4 Kerala women who
joined Islamic State
 Coronavirus | Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till June 21
morning
TRENDING TOPIC
 Coronavirus
 Islamic State
 The Hindu MetroPlus
TRENDING ON OUR GROUP SITES
BUSINESSLINE
 Airlines And Aviation
 Reliance Jio

 National Highways
 Travel And Commuting
SPORTSTAR
 Denmark

 French Open

 HOME
 NEWS
 OPINION
 BUSINESS
 SPORT
 COUPONS
 CROSSWORD+
 ENTERTAINMENT
THE SITE 
 About Us
 
 Terms of Use
 
 Privacy Policy
 
 Contacts
 
 Archive
 
 Print Subscription
 
 ePaper
 
 Digital Subscription
 
 RSS Feeds
 
 Sitemap
 

GROUP SITES 
 The Hindu
 
 இந்து தமிழ் திசை

 
 Business Line
 
 BL on Campus
 
 Sportstar
 
 Frontline
 
 The Hindu Centre
 
 RoofandFloor
 
 STEP
 
 Young World Club
 
 Publications
 
 eBooks
 
 Images
 
 Classifieds
CONTACT US Copyright© 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT
LTD.