16 December,2024 08:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mumbai Police officials pay obeisance at the Mahim dargah. Pic/Sameer Abedi
The Mumbai Police presented the first "chadar" or "sandal" at the Hazrat Makhdoom Ali Mahimi Dargah in Mahim, as the annual 10-day fair began on Monday amid tight security deployment.
On the first day, the police offer the first "sandal" to Makhdoom Shah Baba. The event, which has been gazetted since 1910, is marked by the first offering made by Mumbai Police to the 14th-century Sufi saint Makhdoom Fakih Ali Mahimi whose grave is inside the Mahim dargah.
Mumbai Police officials donned colourful traditional attire and took part in a "sandal" (procession) from the police station compound to the dargah, an official said.
Talking to PTI, senior inspector Vinayak Vetal said, "We did 'salami' at Mahim dargah this morning as we do every year and offered the first 'chadar' at the shrine.
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People, irrespective of their religion and caste, celebrate the 10-day Urs.
The practice has been in place since the British era. We started preparing for the Urs three months ago, the official said.
Constable Pravin Chipkar said he has participated in "sandals" for 45 years.
"Wherever we are, at the time of Urs, we reach Mahim. My colleague and I never miss the Mahim sandal," Chipkar said.
Sohail Khandwani, managing trustee of the Mahim Dargah, said, "Today is the 611th death anniversary of Saint Hazrat Makhdoom Ali Mahimi. We have a gazette dating back to 1901 for the Urs. Around 400 to 450 'sandals' are expected at Mahim in the next 10 days, and more than seven lakh people will visit," according to the PTI.
The fair is being organised with the help of the local police, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Port Trust, he said.
During the annual fair, people from different religious backgrounds visit Mahim Dargah and pay their tributes and devotees in large numbers throng Mahim dargah during the 10-day fair.
Mahim Ddrgah witnesses offerings of hundreds of "sandals" during the annual Mahim fair. The sandal is usually an assortment of sandalwood paste, flowers and a shawl.
The annual fair is held in honour of Makhdoom Shah Baba. It is usually held every year in December.
(with PTI inputs)
