"Haji Malang Dargah" is known to be a 300-year-old dargah in Maharashtra, located on a fort called Malanggad. The Malanggad fort is situated near Kalyan Railway Station which is above 789m of sea level and popular for the trek towards the top of the mountain. The Haji Malang Dargah is located on the first level of the mountain. Malanggad Fort has been divided into 3 levels that is "Pir Machi", "Sone Machi" and "Balekilla".
Haji Malang Dargah is the holy shrine of Haji Abdur Rehman Malang Baba. The holy shrine was built by the devotees on the Malanggad fort. From the time it was built till today the Dargah is managed by the people from Hindu and Muslim community. This is one of the few shrines where a Muslim Mutavalli(a family member of the saint) and Hindu Vahivatdar(a priest from the family of Hindu Vahivatdar) have found working together to run the religious rituals in harmony.
During the "war in 1780 between the British East India Company and the Marathas" for the Malanggad fort, the Hindu Pandurang Katekar along with his family and neighbours fought bravely against British Army to push them back from conquering the Fort. While the war was raging there were two Gardi musketeers Abu Sheikh Jamadar and Aziz Khan Jamadar from the Muslim community who responded to the British attacks. The Hindu and Muslim communities on the Malanggad fort have been seen living in harmony from the old days.
Later with the help of Nana Phadnavis, the Marathas pushed back the British Army, in 1780 British army decided and left the fort to the Marathas.
Haji Malang Dargah’s Urus Festival
Several hundreds of faithful were part of the religious festivities at Haji Malang Dargah, as the 1-month Urus festival got off to a fervent and colourful start every February. This festival is celebrated on the occasion of Haji Malang Baba’s annual death ceremony. The rituals, which begins with the Baba’s Palki (Procession) where the followers of Haji Malang Baba carry the wagon and forms the Juloos. Baba’s Palki is beautifully decorated with chadars and flowers. The followers of Haji Malang Baba consist of people from multiple religion like Hindu and Muslim communities, they come together and covers the route of the entire fort. The route of the Palki begins at the midnight covers the Malanggad fort in the nighttime and returns till the morning.
During the "Urus festival" entire Malanggad fort is decorated with beautiful lights. The kids on the mountain burns firecrackers during the ceremony which lightens up the mountain in the nighttime. The display of the Firecrackers is delightful to watch. The locals and the followers of the Baba visiting the Dargah for the festival stays awake to enjoy the view of the Dargah which is decorated for the festival, to enjoy the view of the firecrackers burnt by the kids in the night and to participate in the religious harmony atmosphere. In the nighttime, Qawwalis are being sung by the people from the Muslim community whereas as Hindu community people gather around and perform aarti during the Palki.
Haji Malang Dargah is one among the few dargahs in the country where several people from different communities come together to pray the "Haji Malang Baba" and to celebrate the Urus festival. It is considered to be the symbol of communal harmony as the people from multiple belief visits the dargah and pay their respect.
