On March 7th, 2024 our Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the magnificent Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar after this holy shrine got a facelift. This was under the projects of Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme. This mosque is a popular Muslim pilgrimage site and this development project is to boost tourism in this region. Did you know why this stunning mosque in Srinagar holds tremendous importance among the Islamic community? Let us discover it.
Srinagar’s Hazratbal Shrine Is Near The Banks Of Popular Dal Lake
Srinagar’s Hazratbal Shrine ! #IncredibleIndia 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/7O0ZY3d5IE
— Nusrat Fatima (@knusrata) June 19, 2023
The Hazratbal Shrine was built in 1979 just on the banks of pristine Dal Lake in Srinagar. The entire shrine is made of white marble and has intricate carvings. The calligraphy on the marble talks about the names of gods, the Prophet and other major Islamic figures.
Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar, located on the banks of Dal lake, is Kashmir’s holiest shrine for the followers of Islam. #incredibleindia pic.twitter.com/LL46OeWwDN
— Incredible!ndia (@incredibleindia) July 7, 2017
This shrine in Srinagar is also known by multiple names such as Assar-e-Sharief, Dargah Sharif and Madinat-us-Sani. This mosque exudes the love and devotion of the Muslims towards Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
Also Read: Why Did Emperor Aurangzeb’s Daughter Name Daryaganj’s 18th-Century Mosque After Her?
The views and vibes are immaculate, especially during the winter season. Imagine walking up to this beautiful mosque while it is snowing! The mosque is white and so is the snow and the majestic snow-capped mountains behind the glistening Dal Lake, oh so pretty!
The Significance Of This Shrine Among Islamic Community
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The Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar is to Kashmir’s Muslims what the Golden Temple in Amritsar is to the Sikhs. It’s said to house Moi-e-Muqqadas, a strand off Prophet Muhammad’s beard. A super important relic if believed, making the structure pretty much inviolable. pic.twitter.com/0cuVEbvUpz— Amit Schandillia (@Schandillia) August 31, 2020
- Hazratbal Shrine has such high reverence among the followers of Islam because it is related to the Prophet Muhammad.
- The sacred hair of the Prophet’s beard, known as ‘Moi-e-Muqqadas’ is preserved at this mosque in Srinagar.
- The term ‘Hazratbal’ translates to holy which is hazrat and place which is bal in the Kashmiri language. Hence, it means a holy place. But if we look at it from the Hindi translation, bal means hair and this shrine houses Prophet’s Moi-e-Muqqadas.
A huge number of people are gathering for every prayer of the day at #Srinagar‘s Hazratbal Shrine. People say they are happy to be praying in the mosques again. pic.twitter.com/4JJO9EedrT
— Mahar Naaz (@naaz_mahar) April 16, 2022
- The holy relic of the Prophet is displayed in a silver and glass container that is attached to a green coloured tapestry and some ornaments at this holy shrine.
- Back in 1700, this relic was transported to Srinagar and Inayat Begum became the holder.
- Inayat was the daughter of a Kashmiri businessman, Khwaja Nur-ud-Din-Eshai, who owned it before Emperor Aurangzeb seized it from him. Under the protection of Inayat Begum, this relic has been in his shrine.
Also Read: This Ramadan, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Anticipates 600,000 Global Visitors
Next time, when you visit Srinagar and plan to go on a boating session near Dal Lake, do not skip the holy Hazratbal Shrine.
Where: Dargah Hazratbal Mosque, University Main Road, Hazaratbal, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
Timings: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Cover Image Credits: Canva
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