The Urs at Haji Malang Dargah-Maharashtra was an annual celebration honoring Sufi saint Abdul Rehman Malang Baba. This event took a twist this year when Hindutva activists came to the dargah and performed a mass aarti while shouting “Jai Shri Ram” and waving saffron flags, all within the traditionally Muslim precinct of the dargah. This act has raised controversy and revived certain things in hearts about religious harmony.
लोकेशन : कल्याण, ठाणे,महाराष्ट्र
हाजी मलंग दरगाह पर उर्स के मौके पर हिंदू संगठन दरगाह की जगह मंदिर होने का दावा करते हुए दरगाह परिसर में हे भवानी शक्ति दे मलंग गड को मुक्ति दे जैसे नारे लगाए दरगाह ट्रस्ट का कहना है यह कोई मंदिर नहीं है pic.twitter.com/BNqTvubb1i
— The Muslim (@TheMuslim786) February 14, 2025
The Urs festival at Haji Malang is for Muslims and Hindus. This is a saint in respect of his worthiness and esteem. It is a place frequented by various religious communities who come together in an essence of devotion. Now, the same scenario is different this time. Not only this but the jarring factor for anyone observing the Urs has been the images of saffron flags and the sound from within the dargah premises of “Jai Shri Ram”.
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Some say aarti, and slogans have become a new form of religious aggression where a Muslim holy site is trying to be imposed with Hindu practice. Adding to those concerns was the waving of saffron flags, generally associated with Hindu nationalism. They hold that such acts are an insult to the shrine and dilute Haji Malang’s identity as one of syncretism for a long time.
Some might see the activity as an expression of their faith and a celebration of their religious beliefs in what they think of as a common space. They could argue that the history of the dargah relates to Hindu personalities and so, these symbols and rituals prove appropriate.
This is the incident that marks the fine line balancing tolerance and confrontation when it comes to belief and the expression of belief. There is a call for the importance of mutual respect and open dialogue between communities. All parties should strive for constructive ends to keep this a site entered into by adherents of all faiths in a spirit of peace and harmony. Incidentally, this can keep ringing in the ears of everyone concerning the importance of keeping alive the syncretic traditions of such shared spaces and the need for different religious groups to understand each other. Only by keeping dialogue and respect can we prevent such incidents from escalating and ensure the continued peaceful coexistence of diverse communities.
