Best Season to visit Haji Malang Gad

 Malanggad is a fort near Kalyan, in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. It is most likely known as Haji Malang Gad. It is famous for its most famous Sufi shrine located on the hill. It is a three leveled fort with each having its specific names. 

The lowest is the Pir Machi where the Sufi shrine Haji Malang Dargah is situated. The second is the Sone Machi which is a rocky projection. Ahead of the Balekilla or Citadel, it is the top-most fortification, which has some copper pipes and freshwater which is supplied to the lower parts of the fort. This water is supplied with the help of those copper pipes that are present at the Balekilla.

Haji Malang Gad is a combination of a religious and adventurous journey. The fort has many Hindu temples on its way upwards and a Dargah which is named after the Baba Abdur Rehman Malang, also known as Haji Malang Baba. The fort is famous as a trekking point. Many people visit Malanggad to trek and experience the mesmerizing view from the top of the hill.

  

Haji Malang Gad

Urs Festival at Haji Malang Dargah

Urs is a festival that solemnizes the death anniversary of Sufi Saint Haji Malang Baba. It is a huge festival that is celebrated for 8-9 long days. The ceremonies of the festival are performed at the Haji Malang Dargah which is situated at the Pir Machi (lowest level of the fort). The festival is usually celebrated in the month of February when many devotees come to seek blessings. The devotees carry processions which start from the Haji Malang Dargah, then moves further and covers the whole mountain and comes back to the Dargah. Many devotees and followers from all caste and creed come and be a part of this festival. This is the best time to visit the Haji Malang Dargah.

 

Haji Malang Dargah

Trekking at Haji Malang Gad

Trek to Haji Malang Gad is a must! The appealing and attractive view from the top of the fort shouldn’t be missed. Once you start from the base village it takes around 2.5 hours to reach the Haji Malang Dargah that is situated at Pir Machi. Then moving further to the rocky projection we reach the Sone Machi. This is the second part of the fort which is, a 25-meter-wide and 250-meter-long projection, and 70 feet wide and 100 feet tall. On reaching here, it is a wonderful breathtaking view. Further one can visit the Balekilla, which is a narrow gap connected with 14 feet long two pipes. The way is too risky and can’t be crossed without the help of a rope. The view from the Balekilla or Citadel is worth watching but at the same time, it’s too risky to be fatal. 

 

View from Sone Machi

The best season to visit Haji Malang Gad is Monsoon. It is best to visit when the rains pour and nature adopts the beautiful greenery around. The fog around while climbing up the fort altogether makes it a surreal experience.

From the top of Haji Malang gad fort one can enjoy the beautiful view of the Chanderi fort, Matheran range that is visible in the south direction. One can see Mahuli and the Kalyan and Ambernath city in the north direction. To the west is Mumbai city. 

The best experience to visit the Haji Malang Gad for trekking is during the monsoon season.

Haji Malang Baba Palki- A Procession at Urs Festival

In true syncretic tradition, Haji Malang Dargah situated at Shree Malanggad in Kalyan is one of the rare pilgrimages that attracts both Hindus and Muslims. It is a holy 300-year-old shrine of Hazrat Abdur Rahman Haji Malang Baba, a Sufi saint from the Middle East. The religious rituals at the dargah are performed by both Muslim Mutavalli (claiming to be a distant family member of the Saint) and a Hindu Vahivatdar (a traditional priest belonging to the Hindu Karandekar family). The elaborate history of the Haji Malang Baba, as well as the Malanggad fort, attracts thousands of devotees of Baba from various parts of the country.

Haji Malang Dargah decorated during Urs Festival

Urs Festival at Haji Malang Dargah

Every year in February, a festival is organized on the picturesque Malanggad mountain where Haji Malang Baba's holy shrine is located. On the occasion of Baba Haji Malang's annual death ceremony, people celebrate the "Urs Festival". People of various castes and creeds participate in the Urs ceremony with zeal. Since the hill is crowded with thousands of devotees during this period, the police force is present to handle the crowd and avoid any misconduct.

Urs Festival Celebration

Haji Malang Baba’s Palki Procession 

The festivities start with the unfurling of the ceremonial flag and lasts for nine days. On the first day of the annual celebration, the palanquin of Baba Haji Malang known as "Palki" is used in the juloos (procession). This program is popularly called "Sandal Palki ka Gasht". 

Palki of Hazrat Haji Malang Shah Baba

It starts from Haji Malang Dargah at midnight, covers the entire Haji Malang mountain, and reaches back the dargah around 5 am at the dawn. The procession is led by Hindu Vahivatdar Madhav Gopal Ketkar.

Palki Procession at the Haji Malang Urs Festival

Sacred tomb of Haji Malang Baba decorated during Urs

Other Attractions of the Urs Festival

Followed by Haji Malang Baba Palki, other programs like “Milad Sharif”, “Dhamal”, “Mir Sultan Shah Baba Urs”, and “Gusal Sharif” take place on the subsequent days. 

During the procession, the entire mountain is illuminated by beautiful lights. There is a spectacular series of fireworks displayed on the mountain. The Palki of Haji Malang Baba is decorated with flowers. The devotees pay their respect with floral chadars, cloth chadars, sandalwood, and other perfumed offerings.

Dargah premises lit up with light and floral decorations

Nobody sleeps till dawn as they enjoy the spiritual atmosphere and captivating firework display at the mountain. Muslim communities perform Qawwalis, devotional songs whereas Hindu communities perform Aarti in the procession.

Pilgrims gathered near the dargah during Urs Festival midnight

Accommodations are available near Haji Malang Dargah for the pilgrims. If you are planning to travel to Haji Malang Gad, the duration of Urs Festival is the best time to visit the dargah and witness the spiritual splendor.

Display of Communal Harmony at Haji Malang Urus

"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.