Haji Ali Dargah , Mosque in Mumbai

Haji Ali is a venerated tomb (dargah) of the Muslims. Not only from Mumbai, people from all parts of India come to pay homage to this mosque. Located on an island off the shoreline of Worli, Haji Ali Mosque looks stunning amidst the blue waters of the sea. It also makes the most popular landmark of Bombay. In 1431, the mosque was built by Haji Ali - a rich Muslim merchant, who gave up all worldly charms before going to the pilgrimage of Mecca.

As per the legends, Haji Ali left this world during his journey to Mecca and a coffer carrying his body hovered back to Mumbai. Other stories state that the great saint drowned at the place, where the mosque stands at present. On Thursdays and Fridays, the shrine is visited by at least 40,000 pilgrims. Irrespective of faith and religion, people visit the ‘dargah’ to get the blessings of the legendary saint.

The edifice is a brilliant specimen of the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. Built on a small island, the mosque is sited about 500 yards from the shoreline, in the middle of Worli Bay. This island is connected to the Mahalakshmi area by a narrow walkway, which is not even constrained by railings and is prone to sea waters during high-tide. Consequently, you can reach the mosque only during low-tides.

The walkway, offering 500-yard-walk, is the highlight of this expedition, where the touch of cool waters and pleasing breeze altogether will make this a divine experience. Sprawling in an area of 4,500 meters, Haji Ali Dargah has a tomb that is always covered with a brocaded red and green sheet, supported by a delicate silver frame. The marble pillars inside the main hall are decorated with multihued mirrors and embrace the ninety-nine names of Allah.

The new minaret in the shrine of Haji Ali is rising skyward, made entirely of pure marble with no iron or steel fortification. Drawing on techniques used to construct Rajabai Tower and the Maratha forts of Shivaji Maharaj, engineers and craftsmen are rebuilding the iconic monument that they claim will be earthquake-resistant and last a whole century.

Rajasthani artisans, whose roughened hands shape the finest monuments in the country, have brought with them white marble from their native Makrana. Neatly wrapped in bundles of hay, these are stacked beneath the emerging minaret.

Inside the minar rises a spiral staircase modelled along the one inside Rajabai Tower. It will eventually touch a height of 72 ft, approximating a seven-storey building. Each step is neatly interlocked with the previous one simply by brass pins and cement mortar.

The Tardeo police arrested a 30-year-old man for allegedly stealing money from the donation box of Haji Ali dargah last week. The suspect Ravi alias Ramesh Kumar hails from Delhi and is said to be a historysheeter.

Mohammed Abdul Latif Shaikh, member of the Haji Ali Dargah committee had registered a complaint with the Tardeo police station. In his complaint, Shaikh reported that a person had stolen cash from the dargah donation box.

With the help of CCTV cameras around the dargah premises the police detained 15 people. The police then zeroed in on Ravi.

Ravi, who stays on a foothpath near Mahalaxmi bridge, confessed to his crime.

Ravi claimed to have stolen Rs 5,000, of which Rs 4,590 has been recovered from him, said the police. Kumar was involved in theft, pick-pocketing and other petty crimes, the police added. Kumar has been sent to police custody.

Money was stolen from a public donation box at the Haji Ali  dargah  in south Mumbai .

“A public donation box kept at the entrance of the road leading to the dargah was broken by some miscreants on Friday night and it was reported to the police on Saturday,”According to police official from the Tardeo police station.

The dargah is built on a tiny islet located 500 yards from the coast, in the middle of Worli Bay, in the vicinity of Worli. The islet is linked to the city precinct of Mahalakshmi by a narrow causeway. This causeway is not bound by railings, and is lashed by the sea during high-tide. Therefore, the dargah is accessible only during low tide. This 500-yard-walk on the causeway, with the sea on both sides, is one of the highlights of a trip to the shrine.

The whitewashed structure occupies an area of 4,500 metres, and an 85 foot (26 m) tower is the architectural highlight of the edifice. The tomb within the mosque is covered by a brocaded red and green chaddar (tomb cover sheet). It is supported by an exquisite silver frame. The main hall has marble pillars embellished with coloured mirror work: blue, green, yellow chips. The ninety-nine names of Allah are also written on the pillar

Haji Ali Dargah is one of the most popular religious places in Mumbai, visited by Hindus and Muslims alike. It is basically the tomb of Haji Ali, a wealthy merchant who renounced all the worldly possessions and became a saint, after he returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca. Along with the tomb, there is also a mosque at Haji Ali.

Haji Ali Dargah, which juts out into the sea, is being rebuilt in marble, as the present concrete structure is eroding due to saline air and harsh weather conditions.

The shrine, which is around 500 years old is a prominent landmark of Mumbai that attracts between 5,000 to 10,000 devotees every day.

The renovation project, which began and is expected to finish in two years, will focus on reconstructing the tomb, minarets and adjacent mosque in Makrana marble without changing the original architecture, Managing Trustee and Chairman of Haji Ali Dargah Trust, According to A H Merchant.

The project will cost around Rs 10 crore, Merchant said.

The present structure is a rebuilt of concrete and steel done way back between 1960-64, but the steel used in the tomb, minarets and mosque has corroded now due to saline air, he said.

The Dargah, which often features in Hindi films, notably in ‘Coolie’,'Fizaa’ and ‘Halla Bol’ also serves as a source of inspiration to many.

Four years after plans were first made to demolish and reconstruct Haji Ali dargah, one of most prominent shrines and landmarks of Mumbai, the project has got the final set of permissions from the government.

With the commencement certificate to start work in hand, the first step will be to demolish the dilapidated structure. Though the shrine of Pir Haji Ali Shah Baba dates back to the 14th century, the present structure nestled like a pearl in the sea, was constructed a little over a hundred years ago. But with constant erosion the building has become dilapidated, leading to concerns over safety.

Haji Ali Dargah is one of the most popular religious places in Mumbai, visited by Hindus and Muslims alike. It is basically the tomb of Haji Ali, a wealthy merchant who renounced all the worldly possessions and became a saint, after he returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca. Along with the tomb, there is also a mosque at Haji Ali. There are two different accounts of how the tomb of Haji Ali came into being. As per one version, the saint drowned in the sea and his devotees built a tomb at the spot where he died.

Another version goes that Haji Ali died on his pilgrimage to Mecca and his body was put in a casket. The casket is said to have floated back to Bombay, stopping near the rock bed on the sea here. The place where his casket was found later served as the venue of his dargah (tomb), built by his devotees. Haji Ali Dargah is situated on an islet, in the middle of Worli Bay, located off the coast of Worli. It is visited by a large number of devotes every day. The rush particularly swells on Thursdays and Fridays.

The 500-yard causeway that leads to the Haji Ali Mosque is not surrounded by railings. Since it is lashed by sea waves, one can visit the dargah only when the tide is low. The location of the mosque serves as one of the major attractions luring tourists here. With the sea forming as the backdrop, Haji Ali becomes a sight to behold. The entire structure is spread over an area of around 4,500 m and stands adorned with an 85 foot high tower. Inside the mosque complex, one finds the tomb supported by a magnificent silver frame.

A pathway connects the shore to the Haji Ali mosque. The mosque was built amidst the sea with a narrow path to give it a celestial look. The path is used for reaching the shrine and can only be used during low tides. The mosque has a sprawling courtyard which represents a bright and cheerful ambience. Men and women can offer prayers in separate rooms. The gallant white structure resembles traits of Mughal art and architecture. The tomb is covered in exquisite red and green chaddar. The tomb is wrapped in a silver frame held by huge pillars and is adorned in ravishing mirror work. 99 names of the Allah are inscribed on the pillars. The white dome and minarets looks spectacular against the setting sun. The saline winds from the sea are eroding the shrine of its entire splendor.

Leading lady of Halla Bol, Vidya Balan, had heard a lot about the immense faith and power of belief in the holy dargah of Haji Ali baba, off the Mumbai coastline.

And she’d wanted to visit the shrine for a long time, but had never got the opportunity. It was only while filming for Raj Kumar Santoshi’s Halla Bol, that she got the opportunity to visit the revered spot for the very first time.

It was during the shooting of the song Piya haji by Pakistani singer Amzad Farid Sabri. Like she told us, “I have lived in Mumbai for such a long time but it was the first time that I physically visited the dargah.

I knew that it has lot of power and did wonders for those who believe in it, irrespective of religion or caste, but the minute I set my foot there, I felt so much at peace with myself.