Mansooruddin Faridi/ New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to connect all Sufi dargahs of India in a circuit. He told this to a delegation of Muslims to whom he handed over a Chadar to be placed on the Ajmer Sharif dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthy in Ajmer.

This was disclosed by Haji Salman Chishty, the guardian of Ajmer Sharif shrine who was a member of the delegation to meet Prime Minister Modi to receive the Chadar for placing on the mausoleum of Moinuddin Chisthy.

Speaking with Awaz-the Voice, he said that it is the first time that Prime Minister Modi has invited the heads of Dargahs from across the country and handed over the chadar with full devotion, and also expressed his views for Ajmer Sharif.

PM Narendra Modi and Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani offering a Chadar for AjmerSharif Dargah

 The Prime Minister asked the Sufi delegation to submit a proposal for a National Sufi Circuit for the government to initiate work on it. Such a circuit would promote spiritual tourism in the country and promote travel.

Haji Salman Chishty said that the conversation with Prime Minister Modi was very positive. He claimed all the members got a lot of solace from his thoughts. Prime Minister Modi praised them for promoting Sufi teachings.

“He told us to Keep it up. Dargah is a place where the concept of one world and one family is seen as reality. This is the idea behind the tagline of his public schemes sabka saath, sabka vikas (Support of all and development for all). We have to stay together; we have to move ahead together,” Chisthy quoted PM Modi

Sufi dargah representatives offering a painting to PM Modi

Haji Salman Chishty said that the important thing is that Prime Minister Modi has appreciated our efforts to promote Sufi thoughts and the Ganga-Jamuni culture across the world. 

 Modi said that there is a need to popularize Sufi teachings across the world. Salman Chishty said that he was very impressed by the warmth and interest of Prime Minister Modi.

He chatted with the Sufi delegation for 45 minutes although the time allotted was 15 minutes. Sufi representatives from Kashmir to Kanyakumari presented their views and opinions to the PM as he heard them patiently. He encouraged everyone to express their views.

PM Narendra Mod speaking with representatives of Sufi Dargahs at his residence

Maulana Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kachchvi said that I shared the memories of the World Sufi Forum with Prime Minister Modi. He also discussed the global impact of the proposed world-class Sufi spiritual circuit in India. People from across the world would visit India to experience the spiritual traditions of the land.

AIUMB President Maulana Ashraf described this conversation as very memorable and effective. He said that Sufi Circuit will be an important project, through which Indian Sufi teachings can be popularized in the world.

 Maulana Syed Kalbe Rashid Rizvi said that during their meeting with PM Modi, they discussed how to propagate Sufism. “It is a matter of happiness that Prime Minister Modi listened to everything carefully,” he said.

Farid Nizami of Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya said that during various festivals including Eid, Diwali, Baisakhi, and throughout the year, seekers and devotees of all religions, communities, and traditions from all over India come to the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. “We discussed our experiences of such occasions with PM Modi.”

PM Narendra Modi with representatives of Sufi Dargahs

Naseeruddin Chishty of Ahmedabad narrated his experiences of various Sufi dargahs in Gujarat. He explained how they organize langar and other services to the devotees.

Pyare Khan from Nagpur, Maharashtra, narrated his experiences of daily congregations at Baba Tajuddin Auliya Dargah Sharif. The Dargah has also launched a cleanliness and green campaign; infrastructural upgradation along with various education and health facilities for the devotees of all faiths.

 Hussain Aghadi of the World Memon Federation shared his experience of serving with unconditional love at Ajmer Dargah Sharif and his contribution to community development in Mumbai and other rural development projects to education and health care in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Javed Qutub explained his experience of serving at the Dargah of Baba Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki in Delhi. He said Prime Minister Modi’s interest in Sufism was commendable.

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Maulana Noorani of Kashmir Sufi Dargah, Srinagar praised the Prime Minister's efforts to establish peace in the region and be a part of development projects, especially children's education and skill development projects.