Mahim Urs

I visited this place on the penultimate day of the "Mahim Urs" . It was the evening of 24 December, when myself and a friend went there. This is at the Dargah Sharif at Mahim. Its just about 10 mins walk from Mahim station. The complete name of the place / saint is "Darul-Uloom Hazrat Makhdoom Faquih Ali Mahimi". Now legend goes that this person was a kind of saint who lived eons ago at this place called Mahim. Hence the Mahimi appendage to the name. Im not sure if Mahim is named after him or vice-versa. People throng this place, especially during the "Urs" and ask for blessings and wishes. And just like the feast of Mount Mary at Bandra and at the St. Michaels Church at Mahim, people of all communities come here to be blessed and to ask for wishes.

What struck immediately was the orderly fashion in which the crowds conducted themselves. No hint of tensions and communal strife anywhere. It was rather crowded but later on I was told that the crowds that day were nothing compared to what it would be on the last day, i.e. Sunday. Also to be noted was the large police presence. Infact, if one is to beleive folklore, then its said that ages ago the police were helped by an old man in the area in order to nab some smugglers. Later on it was said that the "old man" was Makhdoom Baba himself. The police station close by , ever since has strong affilication to this place. Infact during the "Urs" the police are the first ones to place the "chaadar" inside the dargah. The police station also houses some old relics of the baba - all of which is safely tucked away in a cupboard at the police station. The police station iteslf is around 200 m away and at this time we saw that the festive lights and atmosphere was also to be seen at the police station.

Inside the dargah there were seperate entrances for males and females (many of whom were in a trance after perhaps some religious utterances of the in-charge inside). It was a rather solemn atmosphere and people did conduct themselves well.

And as is true of all religious fairs and places and events - the huge number of beggars - comprised mostly of young girls - is omnipresnet. They get after you to partake some cash - and narrate stories of hunger and misery. All this perhaps is part of an organised begging-network as every hardened Bombayite knows. One need not melt at their sight and stories. Outsiders would perhaps fall into the traps of these beggars.

Lined up outside teh dargah were a large number of stalls selling foodstuff, toys etc. and "chaadar sets" for the devotees who were going inside the dargah.