Presently, Minara Masjid stands atop the tombs of several Sufi saints. Within its premises, there are 21 visible tombs, with 9 located in the basement, 4 positioned near the dargah, one adjacent to the Burj, and 6 situated behind the mosque
Minara masjid in Mumbai is one of Islam's oldest places of worship in India. Come Ramadan, numerous devotees flock to the mosque for iftar and prayers. Image courtesy/Manjeet Singh Thakur
How does one narrate the story of a shrine that has been the confluence of life and death? One way to do so is to enter the premises of Minara Masjid, a quarter-hour before sunset.
Upon entering, massive round dishes resting on the floor catch the attention of this writer. Since the afternoon, mosque volunteers or ‘khadims’ have been decking these dishes with 'iftar' meals for those fasting. On the edges of the mazaar stand two-centuries-old arches and domes on ‘sutoon’ or pillars, adorned in the signature shades of green and golden.
At one of the minarets, this writer spotted a muezzin (mosque official) gargling his throat; in a bid to give Azaan and summon worshippers for Maghrib. It being a typical Sunday evening, approximately 1800 Muslims have gathered at the historic mosque just in time to break their fast.
The answers to their sputtering sweat beads and nagging hunger pangs seemed to rise from the cool marble floors – beneath which lay the shrines of some of the most important Islamic figures in India.
Tombs of Sufi saints
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