The Hazratbal Shrine (Urdu, Kashmiri: آستان عالیہ درگاہ حضرت بل, literally “Majestic Place”), is a Muslim shrine in Hazratbal, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. It contains a relic, the Moi-e-Muqqadas, believed by many Muslims of Kashmir to be a Hair of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[citation needed] The name of the shrine comes from the Urdu word Hazrat, meaning respected, and the Kashmiri word bal, meaning place. Thus it means the place which is given high regards and is respected among the people. This is one of the holiest places located in Kashmir, India. Hazrat bal is a supreme reverence anchored in love and respect for the great Muhammad Prophet. This Dargah is one of the most important Muslim’s pilgrim places.
Significance of Hazaratbal Mosque:
The shrine is situated on the left bank of the Dal Lake, Srinagar and is considered to be Kashmir’s holiest Muslim shrine. The special significance of Hazratbal Dargah is that it is derived from the truth that they have the hair of Prophet Muhammad with them. This hair of the great Prophet is open to the public on a very special and religious occasion that is on the eid-Milad, the birth and death anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. There are Friday prayers also offered by the devotees who visit this place very often. This is the only Dargah which has a dome on its roof as all the other have pagoda roofs. This Dargah is situated to the opposite side of the Nishat Bagh and provides grand view of the mountains and lakes.
Architecture of Hazaratbal Mosque:
The beautiful Hazaratbal Mosque is made up of white marble, which makes it more attractive. The construction work was headed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in the year 1968. The overall construction of this mosque took 11 years and finally it was completed in the year 1979. The major attraction of this mosque is the beautifully aligned windows which offer a different view of the entire place.
History of the Hazratbal Dargah
The history of Hazratbal Dargah dates back to the 17th century, when the great Mughal Emperor Shahajahan’s Subedar, Sadiq Khan placed a garden here and constructed an Ishrat mahal in the year 1623. However Shahajahan ordered Subedar to convert this building into a prayer hall with some alterations. In 1699 Aurangzeb visited this place during Moi-e-Muqqadus. It was first place in the shrines of Naqashbad Sahib this is located in the heart of the city. Later he found that this place was insufficient for the crowd who visited this place. So he shifted it to the Hazrat bal, known as the Sadiqabad. The new construction of this Hazratbal Dargah was started by Muhammad Abdulla in the year 1968 and was completed in the year 1979.
Legend says that the relic was first brought by Syed Abdullah to India; he was a descendant of Prophet Muhammad. He left Medina in the year 1635 and settled in Bijapur. After his death his son Syed Hamid, took care of the relic. Later he found that he was not able to handle it properly so he sold it to a Kashmiri businessman known as Khwaja-ud-din Ishbari. Now the current Nishaandeh of this holy shrine is the Khwaja Ghlam Hasan Banday.
This holy relic of Prophet Muhammad is displayed to public on the various auspicious occasions that is related to the life of the Prophet Muhammad.
Location of Hazaratbal Mosque:
This famous mosque is situated in Srinagar district of Jammu & Kashmir. To be more precise Hazaratbal mosque is situated on the western banks of the famous Dal Lake. The mosque offers a pleasant view of both the mountain and the Lake. Hazaratbal mosque stands uprights and faces the famous Nishat Bagh. The amazing picturesque of this place gains your attraction.
Reference:
http://www.kashmirsearch.com/Categories/Places/HAZRATBAL-SHRINE
http://www.srinagaronline.in/city-guide/religious-spots-in-srinagar
