"I am aware of how everyone feels about Malanggarh." Dharamveer Anand Dighe Saheb had initiated the Malanggarh Liberation Movement some years prior. At this point, everyone was chanting Jai Malang, Shri Malang. The sentiment is one of Malanggarh liberty, although there were some things we could not express in public. This Eknath Shinde will not stop working until it is finished.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde attended the Srimalanggarh Harinam Mahotsav in Mumbai on January 2, 2024. His words there gave Haji Malang Dargah's liberation struggle impetus. Almost every full moon day, Shinde pays a visit to Baba Haji Malang Shah Dargah and participates in the aarti performed there.
Hindu organizations assert that this is a temple connected to the Nath sect rather than a dargah. This Samadhi was constructed by the Nath sect's Guru, Machhindranath.
For almost 70 years, the Muslim community has been providing services at the Dargah. He claims that bullying occurs within Hindu organizations. Dainik Bhaskar listened to both the Hindu and Muslim sides' arguments during the Dargah temple dispute. viewed official documents and spoke with specialists on the controversies and history of the subject.
We looked into three concerns in relation to the assertions and arguments.
1. Where did Malanggarh's history and dispute start?
2. What are the experts saying in the midst of the disputes between the Muslim and Hindu camps?
3. What does the official 1884 gazette say about Malanggarh?
Hindu Manch's assertion: 70 years ago, Shri Malang Baba lived at Malanggarh, which was then known as Dargah.
The president of the Hindu Manch is Dinesh Shriram Deshmukh. Together with Anand Dighe, the political mentor of CM Eknath Shinde, he continued the freedom campaign. He is the author of a book on Haji Malang as well.
'Shri Malang Baba's place has been here since the time of saint Gyaneshwar Maharaj in the 13th century,' states Deshmukh. On Amar Parvat, Shri Malanggarh is present. Here resided the Navnath sect's Guru, Machhindranath, and his follower, Gorakhnath. Later on, Amar Parvat was renamed Fort Malanggarh. These days, some refer to it as Haji Malang Pahar. Still, the elderly continue to refer to it as "Bua Malang" or "Baba Malang."
According to Deshmukh, the Shri Peer Haji Malang Baba Trust was established in 1953. They added the terms Haji and Dargah to it. Gopal Ketkar is regarded as a Haji Malang ancestor. As a result of his designation as a deceased member of the trust, this family will always have a representative in the trust.
Later, a few Muslim individuals began to harass Gopal Ketkar. Subsequently, Shri Malang Jagran was founded by Hindu activist Mohan Dada Gokhale of Pune.
42 years ago, Anand Dighe, a leader of the Shiv Sena, launched the Malang Mukti Movement.
"Mohan Gokhale had laid the foundation of the Malang Mukti Movement," claims Dinesh Shriram Deshmukh. He traveled from Pune to Kalyan. Shri Malang Baba Jagran Janajagruti was founded by Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe following the death of Mohan Gokhale. Hindu Mahasabha, RSS, VHP, and Shiv Sena were among the groups that came together to form the Hindu Manch.
We believed that the public ought to be aware that the Nath sect owns this location. Thus, it ought to stay in Hindu hands. Anand Dighe founded the Malang Liberation Movement in 1982. He was Thane's Shiv Sena chief at the time. Dighe claims that the dargah is the mausoleum of the Hindu saint Machhindranath Pant, Saint Adinath's heir. There has been a call ever since for Baba Haji Malang Dargah to be turned into a temple.
VHP's position: The Samadhi was taken by the Muhajirs.
Malanggarh Janajagruti Andolan is linked to Parag Balkrishna of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Every day of the full moon, they offer aarti there. "Many years ago, some people who believed in Malang Baba had come here," adds Parag. On top of the mountain lies the temple, and below it is the community. Climbing and descending was challenging. It took a while for this as well. As a result, the inhabitants of the Devasthan made their home on the mountain above.
Parag goes on to say, "Anand Dighe observed that the Muslim side was making changes at Sri Malang, even though the Ketkar family held the reins of command." Hindu Manch thus initiated the initiative. Shiv Sena and Anand Dighe were key players in it. The BJP and Shiv Sena are continuously attempting to reach a firm conclusion on this.
"I have been involved in this movement since 1999," he declares. Twenty to twenty-five thousand people used to congregate in 2000 to remove the palanquin. It was seen that Hindus began to dress and worship like Muslims. Here, we sensed an Islamization process. Then, on Mahapurnima Day, we began traveling there to witness the aarti.
Parag asserts that the mausoleums bear Hindu symbols: "Malanggarh has two mausoleums." A woman who is the daughter of Nala Raja has a tomb. Malang Machhindranath's mausoleum is the second one. How can a lady have a mausoleum in a mosque when women are not allowed to enter them? Women are revered in Hindu society for their roles as mothers, wives, and daughters.
"The trust does not do anything for the puja arrangements there," states Parag in reference to the arrangements for puja. This is a right we have taken for ourselves. Under police protection, we go there. The Muslim side flipped the Omkar symbol that was placed there and claimed it as their own. There's a fish sign there as well. There's also a trident produced. In addition to this, the dome's construction is unique.
The Hindu Manch Organization stated that Dargah, which was transformed from Samadhi, is akin to an inside temple. The president of the Hindu Manch Organization, Dinesh Shriram Deshmukh, states that Sri Malang has long been a sacred site for Hindus. Its outward appearance is different if you look closely. It still feels like a temple from the inside. The actual Samadhi was transformed into a Dargah. The Dargah is oriented east-west, and the Samadhi is oriented north-south. Samadhi worship takes place in the Dargah in the evening and in Brahma Muhurta in the morning.
"Shri Malang Samadhi is in south-north," he continues. On the day of the full moon, worship is performed in Brahma Muhurta. At night, the palanquin is removed and sandalwood is applied to the Samadhi. While Islam does not worship symbols at all, Hinduism performs the entire ceremony in this manner.
"Shri Malang Baba is our family deity," declares Deshmukh. We have petitioned the court to have the terms Haji and Dargah struck from the Shri Peer Haji Malang Baba Trust's registration. There must be space set aside for Hindus.
Muslim side claims: Pir Naseer Khan, President of the Haji Malang Saheb Dargah Trust, is the shrine of Haji Abdul Rahman, also known as Malang Shah Baba, and he is located on a mountain. We met him at the trust office in Kalyan. He spoke about the ongoing legal dispute involving the Dargah and the background of Haji Malang. According to Naseer, workers of the Bajrang Dal, VHP, and Shiv Sena began referring to the Dargah as the Machhindranath temple.
"Haji Abdul Rahman Malang Shah was once Baba," he claims. Inside, there are two tombs. The grave of Haji Abdul Rahman is one. Mother Fatima is buried in the second little tomb. She was Nal Raja's daughter, taken in by Baba and raised as his own. He had also become an Islamist.
Naseer goes on to say, "Haji Malang Shah Baba has an 800-year history." There were two elders with him when he arrived. These three individuals arrived at the peak and made themselves at home.
"Gopal Rao Krishna Ji Ketkar registered his property and dargah in 1953 under the name Pir Haji Malang Shah Dargah." It has a Jama Masjid next to it and a Dargah within. There, Haji Malang Baba performed Namaz. Additionally, that is trust property.
After the Ketkar family established a trust, the Dargah land was given to the trust. Naseer states, 'A woman called Radha Bai was responsible for the upkeep and cleaning of Dargah Sharif. He wasn't a parent. Gopal Rao Krishna Ji Ketkar was adopted by him. Ketkar then tied the knot in Kalyan. Gopal Rao's family took 265 acres of Baba's land and set up a trust on the Supreme Court's orders. It has been the trust's property ever since.
He goes on, "A member of the Ketkar family will undoubtedly remain in the trust as they are the hereditary trustees in it." The Ketkar family's Chandrahas Ketkar has now submitted an application for trusteeship. Following the Act's implementation in 1995, the Dargah was converted into a Waqf. He now makes all of the choices.
According to Naseer, in 1982, Mohan Gokhale and a few of his accomplices claimed in District Court that Baba Machindranath's temple, not a Dargah, exists at Malanggarh. I take part in it. In 1997, Mohan Gokhale passed away, and in 2008, his colleagues. The court requested on January 13, 2023, that the system be operated in accordance with Dargah regulations. We'll see if any new claims surface now.
He states, "The Trust or the Court has not given permission for it," after doing Aarti at the Dargah. To destroy the mood, they resort to intimidation and coercion. We alert the police if any work is done in the Dargah that is illegal.
"The Dargah's structure is made in the Muslim style," Naseer states. It was created by earlier craftspeople. Mumbai is home to numerous dargahs, such as Maqdoom Mahimi Dargah and Haji Ali Dargah, which all have a similar dome. The terms Samadhi and Mazar are interchangeable. In Marathi, Samadhi is called. It is known as Mazar Sharif. The official gazette likewise states the same thing.
According to experts, Baba supported the Peshwa during the Anglo-Maratha War.
We spoke with Dr. Rama Shyam to get the truth about the temple's claims to be at the Dargah. His doctorate focused on Haji Malang Dargah. She's stayed close to Malanggarh Dargah as well. "It was the year 1775 during the Anglo-Maratha War," Rama relates. Kalyan was a significant port back then. The British were continually watching him. Built on a mountain, Malanggarh has earned the moniker "Kalyan's guardian fort."
Subsequently, Baba Malang aided Peshwa Chimaji Appa in defeating the British. Peshwa was informed by others that Baba possessed great strength and could aid in winning the battle. Then Peshwa declared that he would recognize Baba's authority if he won the war without using any blood. After the Peshwas emerged victorious in the war, they began to believe in Baba. There are also historical references available for it.
Official documents reference the Ketkar family; Rama claims that "official documents also mention Baba Malang." The Ketkar family possesses all the documents dating back to 1718. The only available records span from 1781 until 1908. Gopal Nath Ketkar, the father of Vishnu Ketkar, is recorded in the 1908 documents.
Rama continues, 'People contribute different things about Baba over time. It has been said that he originated in Medina. It is said that he arrived after doing the Hajj, which is why he was given the moniker Haji Malang.
The government gazette published the accounts of Raja Nal and Haji Abdul Rahman 141 years ago.
'Baba Malang' is the spelling of Malanggarh in the official gazette of 1882. This hill was home to King Nala 700 years ago, according to legend. Simultaneously, Haji Abdul Rahman and a few others arrived from Arabia. Everybody was residing beneath the mountain. King Nala sent his daughter to test Baba's chastity.
In a conversation, Naseer Khan, the Chairman of Pir Haji Malang Saheb Dargah Trust, informed Bhaskar that Haji Abdul Rehman had regarded Nal Raja's daughter as his own. The gazette, however, says something different. This says that King Nal married off his daughter to Haji Abdul Rahman because he was happy with him.
The Gazette reported that Baba's disciples were still in existence when the British era began, 600 years later. Peshwa spent his years in Kalyan (1780–1782). In order to present a sheet of gold, silver, and pearls to Baba, he sent it to Kashinath Pant Ketkar. At Malang, Ketkar Haji arrived. He managed to have the tomb fixed.
The Muslims of Kalyan did not appreciate Brahmin meddling in the Dargah's administration at this time. The disagreement got to the collector in 1817. He commanded that a lottery be used to choose the patron saint.
Three times, a lottery was conducted, and the representatives of Kashinath Pant won each time. He was appointed Baba's guardian. The Hindu family therefore gained control over Haji Malang Dargah.
The dargah is mentioned in Trustee Ketkar's letter as possessing a certificate attesting to the Haji Malang Baba Dargah Trust's attestation by the Deputy Charity Commissioner, Greater Bombay. This indicates that the trust was founded in 1953. The trust has a letter of gratitude from Chandrahas Madhavrao Ketkar attached. In addition to being the Dargah's next caretaker, he practices law.
The Gazette reported that Baba's disciples were still in existence when the British era began, 600 years later. Peshwa spent his years in Kalyan (1780–1782). In order to present a sheet of gold, silver, and pearls to Baba, he sent it to Kashinath Pant Ketkar. At Malang, Ketkar Haji arrived. He managed to have the tomb fixed.
The Muslims of Kalyan did not appreciate Brahmin meddling in the Dargah's administration at this time. The disagreement got to the collector in 1817. He commanded that a lottery be used to choose the patron saint.
Three times, a lottery was conducted, and the representatives of Kashinath Pant won each time. He was appointed Baba's guardian. The Hindu family therefore gained control over Haji Malang Dargah.
The dargah has a certificate stating that the Haji Malang Baba Dargah Trust was attested by the Deputy Charity Commissioner, Greater Bombay, according to Trustee Ketkar's letter. This indicates that the trust was founded in 1953. The trust has a letter of gratitude from Chandrahas Madhavrao Ketkar attached. In addition to being the Dargah's next caretaker, he practices law.
On the day of Maha Ashtami, October 13, 2021, a few individuals entered the mosque's Dargah. This was a Hindu temple, he has alleged. They lit a lamp, did puja, and sprinkled vermillion on the Dargah's exterior and interior structures.
In this dispute, Dainik Bhaskar had a conversation with Sultan Shah, the servant of Roza-Rozi Masjid. "I was not in the mosque on October 13," he claims. I got a call from the cops. The throng consisted of people who did not live in the village. He stored the image of the Hindu deity close to the dargah. praised him and began to bow down to him.
Sultan continues, "Police and ASI personnel were present in the mosque during the entirety of this incident." Pooja's video was also posted to social media. Now consider the motivations of this assembly. It is not necessary to create a video and promote it widely if you practice a religion.
"This video caused social harmony to be disrupted and violence between Muslims and Hindus to occur." I am not allowed to read Azaan in a church or temple. Similar to this, the mosque is not a place of prayer, but some members of the public live there with the express purpose of inciting unrest.
Dholka Masjid controversy: This mosque is located in the Ahmedabad district as well. Following the Roza-Rozi Masjid controversy, the hashtag #ReclaimTemple became popular on social media in 2022. According to the social media post, Dholka's Tanka Masjid is a Hindu temple. In a memorandum, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad claimed that this location was once Bhim Rasoi and the Pandava Ashram. The case is presently pending in court.
"There was a Jain temple here during the time of Veer Dhawal, the Maharaja of Gujarat," states Bharat Vyas, the former district head of the VHP. The Gujarat Maharaja's secretary was Chitrapal Tejpal. His home was directly next to a Jain temple. The Mughal era saw the temple's demolition. A mosque was constructed in place of the temple.
Parts of the Jain temple remain near the entryway, but the original statue and pillars in Bhima's kitchen have been smashed. On both sides of the entrance, there are gatekeepers.
Argument in Dhar about Bhojshala
The Archaeological investigation of India, or ASI, was requested by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on March 11 to carry out a scientific investigation of the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Masjid complex in the Dhar region. Bhojshala is regarded by the Hindu community as the goddess Vagdevi's shrine. The Muslim community uses this mosque.
