Dargah of Hazrat Shah Kaleem-ullah Jahanabadi

(D. 1142/1729)

Hazrat Shah Kaleem-ullah Jahanabadi was grandson of Ustad Ahmed Lahori, the architect of Taj Mahal, and lived in shah jahan’s newly founded capital, Shahjahanabad or simply Jahanabad. Hence Jahanabadi, where he commanded much respect as a sufi. The span of his long lif coincided with Aurangzeb’ compaigning career in the Deccan and he died after crossing the age of eighty in the reign of Muhammad Shah.

Hazrat Shah Kaleem-ullah Jahanabadi established a madrasa there which attracted a large number of students from far and wide who enjoyed free board and lodging. Aurangzeb later ordered the construction of a Khanqah for him.

According to the same author the emperor Muhammad Muazzam Bahadur shah I(q.v.) became his disciple in his fourth regnal year(1123/1711)

Shah Kaleem ullah followed the Chisti convention of inclusiveness and had disciples of all faiths.

He died on 24th Rabi ul awwal , 1142/17th oct. 1720 at an advanced age .

After the mutiny of 1857, the entire quarter wherein stood his khankah was pulled down by the british but his grave was spared. It had remained in a state of neglect and disrepair for some decades when Khwadia Ghulam Farid, spiritual guide of the ruler of Bahawalpur, contributed a large sum for its reconstruction.

The dargah is between the Red Fort and the Jami Masjid. An Urs is held every year at his tomb on the occasion of the aniversary of his death. It was regularly attended by the last Mughal Emperor of Delhi Bahadur Shah Zafar and other princes of the royal family.

His leading Khalifa was Nizamuddin Aurangabadi to whom he addressed a number of letters on the problems of tasawwuf. He left three sons and three daughters. His sons, however, all minors at the time of his death.