An ideal homage that could be paid to Sufi shrine in Pirana is by tracing its 600-year journey. After all, how many things last such long these days! Longevity has become a passé.
For over six centuries, not only have people belonging to different communities from Ahmedabad visited this religious shrine but even thousands of devotees coming from far-flung places paid homage at the Sufi shrine in Pirana, located at some 45-minutes drive from the city. Known for its harmonious past, the place still stands proud for its secular credentials.
That's when we thought an ideal homage that could be paid to this historical monument is by tracing its 600-year journey. After all, how many things last such long these days! Longevity has become a passé.
Crossing the hustling-bustling national highway after a 30-minute drive, a cluster of closely-knit villages greet the visitor with a rare visual delight.
A giant tower clock with a big 'OM' painted on its top appeared - the first real image of the shrine of Sufi saint, Imam Shah Baba.
After a long conversation with the security guards where we gathered knowledge about the trustees with whom we could talk to, we met Naimuddin Bademiyan Saiyed, one of the three Muslim trustees apart from the seven Hindus.
Naimuddin Saiyed said that Imam Shah Baba established the shrine for both Muslims and Hindus.
However, since 1991 differences in administration have led to instances that have hurt Sufism's soul. Basically, the outcomes of meetings have been depressing. The shrine, therefore, has turned into a bone of contention between the two religions.
Near the barbed wires, from where the shrine was clearly visible, dozens of graves welcomed us to this shrine.
Signalling us to enter the shrine from the main gate, guide Nayeem said, "Earlier, there used to be five entrances, but now, only one is open."
We entered with hope held high of finding out the magic of a sect (Sufi) that was musical in its liberal image. As we reached the grave of the Sufi saint, we saw them nicely protected.
Devotees' praying to get their wishes fulfilled is a sight that every visitor will encounter more often than not at the Pirana.
Standing tall is a replica of a light house on the side of the shrine that was installed by a fisherman whose wishes were fulfilled. The fisherman had come to the shrine because his boats sank frequently in the sea.
The legend goes that after he offered his prayers here, all his problems were solved and as a mark of respect, he got a giant light house installed on the premises.
Four of the five gates to the shrine have already been closed, but problems started creeping in since the last two decades. Six hundred years since the construction of the shrine, we never knew this is what we would be writing.
This implies that today Sufism is more relevant than ever but is seemingly shrouded with religious differences. It's the saddest thing that could have happen to a sect that was born with a commonness shared by Hinduism and Islam.
Paying our share of respect to the teaching that taught us to live together harmoniously, we left the place. The current administrative turmoil seems to have taken its toll on this architectural brilliance.
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