Urs – The Spirit of Devotion at Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia

Inside the dargah complex

The food,outside the Dargah

Khajoor (dates) the sacred fruit during Ramadan

Looking through the arches at Hazrat Nizamuddin

Visitors to the shrine buying religious items

Holy shrine visited by people of all faith at Nizamuddin Dargah

Beautiful details in the shrine

Beautiful details in the shrine with illuminated chandelier

The enclosure of the grave of Nizamuddin Auliya

The work on the walls and pillars of the shrine is breathtaking

In deep devotion

A man ties sacred thread at a lattice door at the shrine

Litting up Incense Sticks

Young devotees offering prayers at the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Syed Nizamuddin Auliya

Pedestrian devotee has come a long way to celebrate Urs Mela at Hazrat Nizamuddin

A lady ties sacred thread at a lattice door at the shrine

Young devotees offering prayers at the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Syed Nizamuddin Auliya

The six-day Urs of Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin festival is considered as one of the most sacred celebration

Devotees reciting prayer and offering religious drapes at the holy shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin

Devotees holding ceremonial religious drapes at the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin

Flowers and religious drapes outside the bazaar of Hazrat Nizamuddin

Devotee at Hazrat Nizamuddin

Bazaar outside the Dargah

Rose flowers at Hazrat Nizamuddin

Flowers and ceremonial religious drapes

Muslim devotees performing Namaz at the dargah

Number of people together in one faith at Hazrat Nizamuddin

Urs Mahal Celebrations

The evening of the union

Fine work in gold on the pillars of the tomb

Beautiful chandelier at the Dargah

Group of devotees holding flowers and Chaddars(Ceremonial religious drapes)at the shrines of Sufi Saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya during the festival

A Qawwali session in progress at Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

The struggle for the soul of Qawwalis

The festive season of Diwali, Christmas and New Year is followed by the festival of Urs, which memorialises the death anniversary of Sufi (a sect of Islam) saints by celebrating their lives. Located in the Indian capital New Delhi, the Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin is considered one of the most sacred places for the celebration of this festival as it is the shrine of 14th century Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. This festival is cherished by pilgrims and visitors, not only from the country but from around the world.

The Urs festival, which revolves around the Muslim majority of the country, is celebrated for four to six days. During the celebrations, the dargah, which is a shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, sees women and men gathering here after namaaz (prayer). The site itself is a thing of marvel with its distinct architectural style and artefacts lining the shrine wall. These walls are also decorated with embedded jewels and various forms of artwork.

Thousands of people from different parts of the world come to Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin during this time to be immersed in the festive aura that dazzles throughout the night. Qawwali, devotional songs, is a major attraction during this cultural festival. A number of gatherings take place where Urdu poetry about the life and legacy of Auliya is read in public. Apart from prayers, poetry and music, the food available is also something to look forward to, with special sweets and kebabs (grilled meats) being readily available during the festival.