Hyderabad: A Hindu festival at a Muslim shrine! Sounds incredible. It may even seem improbable to some.
Yet every spring, Hyderabad’s Hazrath Shaikhji Hali Dargah in the old city offers precisely this stirring spectacle. Basant Panchami arrives, the dargah comes alive in a riot of yellow, echoing India’s centuries-old tradition of shared cultural and spiritual spaces.
As winter loosens its grip, the shrine resonates with soulful Sufi melodies and gets drenched in yellow, mustard blossoms and marigolds, symbols of renewal and hope – adorn its precincts. The moment carries added significance for Hyderabad: only last week, the desecration of a temple and damage to a shrine in Puranapul had sparked communal tension and violence. Against that backdrop, the sight of members of both communities coming together to observe Basant Panchami at the dargah stands as a quiet yet powerful reaffirmation of the city’s shared heritage.
A similar scene unfolds each year at the shrine of Hazrath Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi, underscoring a living legacy of syncretism that transcends rigid religious boundaries.
Traditionally, Basant Panchami marks the advent of spring and is associated with the worship of Goddess Saraswati in Hindu belief. But as early as the 12th century, the festival found resonance within certain Sufi traditions, particularly the Chishti order. For the Chishtis, Basant was not merely a seasonal transition; it embodied joy, love, and spiritual rejuvenation – values central to Sufi philosophy. Over generations, this observance evolved into a powerful symbol of India’s composite culture, where faiths met naturally through poetry, music, and shared emotion.
In Hyderabad, the All India Markazi Majlis-e-Chishtia is set to observe Basant Panchami on January 23. The centrepiece of the celebration will be a Mehfil-e-Nizami, a qawwali evening that promises to transport listeners across centuries. Lovers of Sufi poetry and music will be immersed in the timeless compositions of the legendary poet, scholar, and mystic, Amir Khusrau, whose verses continue to bridge cultures, languages, and belief systems.
The mehfil will feature classic sufiyana kalaam, manaqabats, and ghazals, with special emphasis on Khusrau’s beloved Hindavi compositions. Among the most evocative verses likely to be rendered is his immortal spring song:
Chhap tilak sab cheeni re
Mose naina milai ke
Prem bhati ka madhva pilai ke
Matvali kar dini re, mose naina milai ke
(You have taken away my looks, My very identity, with just a glance;
By making me drink the wine of love, You have intoxicated me with a single look)
Amir Khusrau remains one of the most luminous symbols of India’s pluralistic heritage. A devoted disciple of Hazrath Nizamuddin Auliya, he personified the confluence of Hindu and Islamic civilisations. His genius lay not only in shaping the qawwali tradition but also in enriching Indian classical music and vernacular literature through his Hindavi and Persian works. Speaking the universal language of love —both divine and human – his poetry reached across faiths and social divides.
A poignant legend explains the Chishti order’s enduring association with Basant Panchami. It is said that Hazrath Nizamuddin Auliya was once devastated by the sudden death of his young nephew, Taqiuddin Nooh. Withdrawn into grief, the saint refused to meet anyone. Deeply troubled by his mentor’s sorrow, Amir Khusrau searched for a way to console him.
One morning, Khusrau noticed Hindu women clad in yellow, singing joyfully as they carried flowers to a temple to celebrate Basant Panchami. On learning that such offerings were believed to bring happiness and divine pleasure, he drew inspiration. Disguised in spring colours and carrying mustard flowers, Khusrau approached his peer, singing songs of Basant with infectious joy. The saint immediately recognised his beloved disciple and smiled. That smile marked a turning point, and to commemorate the moment, Khusrau and fellow devotees began singing Persian and Hindavi verses celebrating spring, giving birth to a tradition that has endured for more than seven centuries.
“Such celebrations integrate humanity and create an atmosphere of oneness, peace, and amity,” says Muzaffar Ali Soofi, Sajjada Nasheen of Dargah Hazrath Shaikhji Hali. His words capture the essence of Basant at the dargah, not as a ritual belonging to one faith, but as a collective expression of joy and spiritual harmony.
In keeping with tradition, the Shaikhji Hali Dargah is adorned with marigold flowers, and attendees are encouraged to wear yellow —whether a shirt, sherwani, shamla, scarf, saree, or salwar-kameez. The visual harmony of colour, combined with devotional music, creates an ambience steeped in warmth and shared memory.
The programme will also see participation from leaders of diverse faiths and social organisations, including Dr. B. Samuel Sajan Kumar of the Baptist Church, Prof. M. Rajeshwar Solomon of the CSI Garrison Wesley Church, Dr. Sahadeva Dasa of ISKCON India, Dr. Mazhar Hussain of COVA, Shia scholar Maulana Askari Ali Khan, among others – further reinforcing the interfaith spirit of the occasion.
Amir Khusrau’s legacy remains as vibrant as ever. His compositions, including the celebrated “Man kunto maula fa Ali-un-maula,” continue to anchor qawwali gatherings across the subcontinent.
Paying tribute to his enduring influence, Allama Iqbal once observed:
Rahe na Aibak o Ghori ke ma‘rake baqi
Hamesha taza o shirin hai naghma-e-Khusrau
(The exploits of Aibak and Ghori have faded, but Khusrau’s melodies remain forever fresh and sweet)
Bathed in the golden glow of Basant Panchami, Sufi shrines once again remind us that India’s spiritual heritage has flourished not in isolation, but through dialogue, inclusivity, and shared celebration – where spring truly becomes a festival beyond faith.
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