Today is the urs of Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masood Ganjshakar or Baba Farid as he was called.
He was born in 1179 or 1188 AD (584 Hijri) at Kothewal village, 10 km from Multan in the Punjab region of what is now Pakistan, to Jamāl-ud-dīn Suleimān and Maryam Bībī . He was one of the founding fathers of the Chishti Sufi order. He moved to Delhi, once his education was over ,where he learned the Islamic doctrine from his master, Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki.
In Mehrauli he did many chillahs or spiritual retreats.
One chillahgaah of Baba Farid is a cave near the Dargah of Aashiq Allah in Mehrauli.
People come from far and wide to ask for their desires and fulfill it by lighting diyas ( lamps) of oil. These are sold outside.
Nearby is also a well where Baba Farid did another chillah by hanging upside down in it. This is one of the most difficult chillahs.
There were many different types of asceticism practiced by the Chisti saints, including habs e dam (holding back breath) and chillah e makus or 40 days continuous vigil. Its the latter that Baba Farid did in this shillelagh.
Farida galliye chikkad,door ghar, naal pyarey neho,
Challan taan bhijjey kambli,rahan taan tuttey neho.
Bhijo sijjou kambli,allah varsey meho,
Jaaye milla tinna saajna, tuttey nahi neho. (1379)
Translation:
Farid says, the lanes are full of mud, and my destination is
far away,but my love for my Supreme Lord remains unshaken.
If I go to meet Him,my cloak will get wet.
If I don’t go,then my bond of love with Him will be broken.
Let my cloak get wet and drenched;
Let Allah cause a heavy
down pour of rain.I will definitely go to meet my Lord and
keep up my promise and ensure that my bond of love
remains unbroken.
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