Most beautiful mosques in Mumbai
Eid Mubarak, everyone!
The festival of Eid adds such a fervor to the bustling city of Mumbai, that it’s hard to not absorb the excitement around us. From the food walks at Mohammad Ali Road to witnessing the morning prayer outside Bandra railway station to spotting the best ethnic attires all around us, Eid has a city-wide joyous vibe.
It also makes me think of the mosques and dargah I’ve been to in the city, and how elegant they are in terms of architectural and cultural importance. Some of the most beautiful ones I’ve visited are as follows –
- Haji Ali dargah
- Mughal Masjid
- Hasnabad dargah
- Ma Hajiani dargah
- Mahim dargah
Haji Ali dargah
One of the most famous landmarks in Mumbai, Haji Ali dargah is a mosque and a tomb made in 1431. The beautiful structure with white colored dome and minarets is made in Indo-Islamic architectural style. The visitors are greeted with waves on either side of the causeway leading to the mosque. It’s a surreal experience to spend time at the mosque, some visitors spend time praying in the courtyard, while some spend time at the rocks by the sea behind the mosque.
It houses the tomb of saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, a wealthy Muslim merchant from Uzbekistan who traveled the world and settled in Mumbai. It is believed he gave up his material possessions, headed for Mecca and passed away on the way. Some stories mention that his casket came floating back to the site of present-day tomb.
Tip: Please don’t miss out on buying ittar/attar (essential oil) on your way out, which are sold in tiny bottles. Make sure you spare some time to indulge in strawberry cream and pizza at the famous Haji Ali Juice Center.
(In pictures: Haji Ali dargah, Strawberry cream and Kit-Kat cream at Haji Ali Juice Center)
Mughal Masjid
The Mughal Masjid, popularly known as the Blue Mosque is tucked away in the busy streets of Bhendi Bazaar. Considered to be a slice of Persia in Mumbai, the mosque is unbelievably beautiful with a mosaic of blue tiles and ornate architecture. It has a garden and a pond with a water fountains.
The mosque was built in 1860 by a wealthy Iranian merchant, Haji Mohammad Hussain Shirazi, on the lines of the mosques in Shiraz, Iran. The blue tiles were brought from Persia and have inscriptions on them. It was built for the purpose of worship and community gathering. Although we were not allowed inside the prayer hall, the dargah is so peaceful that it’s easy to forget that it’s situated on a busy street.
Tip: Please don’t miss fresh fruit ice cream at Taj Ice Cream, which is a short distance away!
(In pictures: Mughal Masjid; Litchi and watermelon ice creams at Taj Ice Cream)
Hasnabad dargah
Situated on a short walking distance from the Byculla zoo, Hasnabad dargah is a hidden architectural gem made in 1884. It is often called the Taj Mahal of Mumbai, given its splendid Mughal architecture with white domes and tall minarets. The top of the dargah is made of gold. The structure is surrounded by modern buildings on all sides and yet can stop one in their tracks with its charm. It is the resting place of Aga Khan I, a prominent spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, who passed away in 1881.
Tip: It is believed that the dargah is the most beautiful sight at sunset, when the setting sun touches its golden top.
(In pictures: Hasnabad dargah)
Ma Hajiani dargah
Along the Mumbai coastline is another, lesser known dargah dedicated to woman saint Ma Hajiani, believed to be sister of saint Pir Haji Ali. The dargah was made in 1908 in Indo-Saracenic architecture. It was under restoration for almost two years and opened to visitors in 2019.
It is believed that both saints died at the sea and their bodies washed ashore. Hence the two tombs were built, Haji Ali for the brother and Ma Hajiani for the sister. The dargah is mostly visited by women devotees. Women can worship the tomb and offer bangles in prayers (red bangles for one’s wish of getting married and green bangles for one’s wish of bearing a child)
The dargah is hidden in plain sight with its striking blue dome. With the famous Haji Ali dargah merely meters away from it, most cab drivers confuse the place with Haji Ali dargah, and the one who took us here profusely thanked us for showing him the ‘new’ dargah.
Tip: Visit the dargah in the evening to witness a beautiful sunset, view of endless Arabian sea and lit up dargah glowing in the night sky.
(In pictures: Ma Hajiani dargah)
Mahim dargah
Makhdoom Ali Mahimi, popularly known as the Mahim durgah look surreal in the evenings. Lit up with beautiful lights, it looks like a castle right out of Arabian Nights stories!
Named after the saint and scholar, Makhoom Ali Mahimi Shaifi, the dargah is his resting place. It is known for its annual 10-day festival ‘Urs’ marking his death anniversary, the same time the Mahim fair takes place. Owing to close association, the Mahim police get to place the first chadar of Urs, to pay respects to the saint.
Tip: The dargah is near Baba Falooda at a five minutes’ distance. Do spare some time to savor the famous falooda after the visit.
(In pictures: Mahim dargah; Falooda at Baba Falooda)
Thank you for your time if you’ve read so far.
You can connect with me via email at nidhi.thehappychapter@gmail.com or on Instagram at @nidhigupta_
(All pictures are taken by me unless mentioned)
