‘Can one ascertain a river’s source? Haji Malang Baba’s dargah is like that’: Dr Rama Shyam

While the structure that is called the Haji Malang Dargah may be centuries old, the oldest historical reference to the tomb dates back to 1774 from the times of the Anglo-Maratha war. The Thana district gazetteer of 1882 also mentions the Bawa Malang fair held in the Malang-gad Hills, an important festival in Thane district; Bawa Malang is mentioned as a Muslim missionary.

Historical records found with the Ketkar family who claim to have been associated with the dargah for over 360 years, go back to 1718. Regarding the history—the dargah of Haji Malang Baba and various shrines that line the entire path from the foothills up to the mountain top are abound with stories passed down through generations of oral traditions which talk about Baba Malang having come all the way from Medina, his interaction with local chieftain Raja Nal and how his daughter became Baba’s disciple.

What strata of society visit this place? You have spoken of women coming in large numbers to the shrine—why is that?

During the annual urs, which is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint, celebrated as a union between the saint and the Almighty, one would come across wealthy, English speaking Parsis and Sindhis who had been associated with the dargah for generations and had provided facilities for drinking water and resting places for devotees along the mountainous path. People who thronged to seek blessings from Haji Malang Baba were the Agris, Kolis, adivasis from surrounding villages, Muslims from informal settlements in Bombay, Thane, Kalyan and other such districts, neo-Buddhists and Christians from vulnerable backgrounds.

The Kinnar/Hijda community was a prominent presence during the annual urs as they had the sole right to unfurl the flag that announced the commencement of urs festivities. Hundreds of Malang Fakirs, Madaari Sufis, Naga Sadhus and those from the Nath Sampraday congregated during the urs. Women from marginalised backgrounds, seemingly possessed, complaining about infertility, pains, physical suffering and mental agony frequent the dargah. Many see this tomb which has no restrictions on movements of people of varying faiths as a place to seek relief from the everyday distress of deprivation.

Has the place always been syncretic in nature?

Historically, the Haji Malang hill has been a shared space with multiple religious associations with Haji Malang–the Muslim pir, Nal Raja–a Hindu chieftain, the Brahmin Mujawars who are caretakers of the dargah, and the patronage of the Maratha empire to the structure.

Over time, the entire mountain path has become a sacred syncretic complex with multiple shrines beginning with Sufi Darshan that was built by a Sindhi as a shared faith museum at the foothills. You also have a shrine to Wagh Devi, a Nav Durga mandir along with multiple mazaars of disciples of Haji Malang. The place also has a very interesting Naga Sadhu akhada. It is not unusual to find sadhus and fakirs congregating here together, sharing banter along with smoking a chillum together.

When was the issue of control of this structure communalised?

The Malang gad movement started by Shiv Sena under the leadership of late Anand Dighe gathered steam around 1986. Small steps had been taken since the 1970s that culminated in the Malang gad mukti morcha by the 1980s. A large group of Shiv Sainiks climbed the hill every year on the day of the urs calling for the liberation of the structure. This happens every year on the day of the urs.

It’s almost like a parody staging that is sanctioned for an evening to ensure peaceful coexistence all year around! However it may be futile to establish historical truth when it comes to syncretic shrines. Malang Baba’s custodian Ketkar once asked me —”Can one ever ascertain the source of a river? Haji Malang Baba’s dargah is just like that!”