Darpan Mago discovered religious diversity where he least expected. He attended a Ramayana prayer gathering and participated in morning rituals at the dargah of Syed Jalal Bukhari, right outside the premises of Taj Mahal
A Ramayana prayer gathering right outside the premises of magnificent mausoleum of Taj Mahal offered expansive religious diversity at the place where we least expected it. This early morning prayer meeting, which has been happening for the past 90 years, brings to light the expansive religious tolerance in the area. Simultaneously, a few hundred meters away people pray at the dargah of Syed Jalal Bukhari Rehmatullah near the main car parking area.
During our recent visit to Agra, we discovered that visiting Taj Mahal early morning can be a different experience. The area surrounding the historical monument seems to convert itself into a spiritual land where people from all religions are welcome. Most visitors, who do not wish to be ‘guided’ in the city, are advised to have this morning experience. So you would see rows of tongas filling up the narrow lanes around the monument to take visitors from one spot to the other.
Babu lal Bhagel has been coming for an early morning Ramayana prayer meeting near Taj Mahal from the past 35 years. “I come at 4-4:30 in the morning and I am here till the end of the prayer. We usually end with an aarti at 6:30. Both men and women from even the far-off places come to cleanse their hearts and minds of any ills. Our prayer gathering is very old and initially it took place at the upper side of this building but we now have shifted places in the same building. Many eminent saints from Haridwar, Chitrakoot, Vrindavan, Varanasi and Indore have come to address our prayer gathering in the past. The tradition continues and only renders calmness and peace to our minds,” said Babu lal.
Merely a few hundred meters from this place is a not-so-famous dargah of Saint Syed Jalal Bukhari Rehmatullah. local people consider it as a spiritually powerful place and it is believed that one can only reach here, if he or she is lucky enough. Irshad Ahmed, a member of committee of this dargah informed, “Syed Jalal Bukhari Rehmatullah Allah was one of the four brothers, who were called from Bukhara in Russia to get rid of all the evil forces and negativity that were delaying the construction of Taj Mahal. The moment some part of the structure was erected, it used to fall down due to unexplained reasons. It was then that Syed Jalal Bukhari was called to cordon off all those energies which were sabotaging the construction of Taj Mahal. It is said that the man had so much jalal (majestic command) that till this day even a bird doesn’t dare to fly over the tomb of this shrine. Flock of birds usually fly in large numbers during evening, and when they reach this place, the flock spaces out above Syed Jalal Bukhari’s tomb.”
Speaking about the religious diversity in the areas, Irshad also mentioned that out of all people visiting this shrine only few are Muslims. Significant number of Hindus are visitors. “If you come with purity of heart, your wishes will certainly be granted. People have strong beliefs and many from places like Delhi, Mathura, Etawah and Buldshahar visit the dargah. The water from the adjacent well has healing properties,” added Irshad.