Time to Visit: Open on all days
Preferred Timings: sunrise to sunset
Admission Fee: Free and open to all
Photography charges: nil
How to Reach: Tourists can either take local buses from various points within the city to reach this monument, which is located in south Delhi, or they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis or take the metro rail.
Nearest Railway Station: Nizamuddin Railway Station
Nearest Metro Station: Central Secretariat
Functional Metro Station: Central Secretariat
Nearest International Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport
Time required for sightseeing: about 30 minutes
Located near Gandak ki Baoli in the Mehrauli village, about 400 meters from Adham Khan's tomb lies the Dargah of Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, popularly known as Qutb Sahib. Surnamed as Kaki, Qutb Sahib is held in high esteem and has been highly regarded for centuries, as he was the disciple and spiritual successor of Khwaja Mu'inu'd Din Chishti of Ajmer. Born at Ush in Persia, he came to India in the late 12th century and lived here during the reign of Emperor Iltutmish (1211-1236), the founder of the Slave dynasty. The Dargah is considered to be a very sacred place by pilgrims of different religions. It is said that if a pilgrim who truly believes in the saint, makes a wish and ties a thread near the grave, his wishes will be fulfilled. After the fulfillment of the wish, the pilgrim should return to thank the thread and untie the thread. One can see many colorful threads tied in the marble screens.
Qutb Sahib died in 1236 and his grave is the main shrine of the dargah, which was decorated by many later rulers. At present the grave lies in the middle of a rectangular enclosure, which is beautifully embellished and surmounted by a dome built about 60 years ago. The western wall is quite attractive as it is decorated with colored floral tiles added on Aurangzeb's orders. The dargah has many other structures like the assembly house, robe chamber, mosque, drum house tanks and several imposing gates. The northern gate of the Dargah bears an inscription that declares that Shaikh Khalil, a descendent of saint Faridu'd-Din Shakarganj, the successor of Qutb Sahib built it in 1542. Close to the Dargah's Ajmeri Gate, to its left, is Moti Masjid. Aurangzeb's son, Bahadur Shah I, built it in 1709. With three arched openings and double minars, the mosque is an imitation of Aurangzeb's Moti Masjid at Red Fort.
Just as in the Nizamuddin shrine, there are many graves within the premises of this dargah for there were many who wanted to be buried close to the saint. Among the those buried here are the Mughal emperors Bahadur Shah I (1707-12), Shah Alam II (1759-1806), Akbar II (1806-37) and many persons of royal blood. The last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah II too wanted to be buried here as he prepared his own grave but after the 1857 war the British deported him to Rangoon where he died and was buried.
Special Attraction/ Annual Event: The best time to visit the dargah is during the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. However, Fridays and Thursdays are also good days to visit and experience the qawwalis and celebration in the dargah.
Nearby Tourist Attractions: Hathi Gate & Zafar, Jamali Kamali Mosque, Adham Khan's tomb, Qutab Minar, Gandhak ki Baoli and Rajon-ki-Bain & mosque.
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, r.a
Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki r.a. was born in 569 A.H. [1173 C.E.] in a town called ”Aush” or Awash in Mawar-un-Nahar (Transoxania). Khwaja Qutbuddin’s r.a. original name was ”Bakhtiyar” but his title was ”Qutbuddin”. The name ”Kaki” to his name was attributed to him by virtue of a miracle that emanated from him at a later stage of his life in Delhi. He also belonged to the direct lineage of the Holy Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s., descending from Hazrat Imam Hussain r.a.. Hazrat Khwaja Bakhtiyar Khaki r.a. was one and half years old when his father passed away. His mother arranged for him very good education and training.
When Hazrat Khwaja Mu’inuddin Chishti r.a. went to Isfahan, 40 days before his demise, he took oath of allegiance at his hands and received the Khilafat andKhirqah (Sufi cloak) from him. Thus, he was the first spiritual successor of Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, Khwaja Mu’inuddin Chishti r.a. Thereafter, his spiritual master asked him to go to India and stay there.
When Khwaja Qutbuddin r.a. intended to kiss the feet of his Pir-o-Murshid and seek his permission to depart, Hazrat Khwaja Sahib understood it and asked him to be nearer, and when Khwaja Bakhtiyar r.a. stepped up and fell at his Pir’s feet, Khwaja Mu’inuddin r.a. raised him up and embraced him affectionately. AFateha was then recited and Khwaja Mu’inuddin r.a. advised his Murid: “Never turn your face from the right path of Sufism and Truth. Prove yourself to be a brave man in this Divine Mission.” When he again fell at the feet of Khwaja Mu’inuddin r.a. overwhelmed with love and grief at this tragic hour of parting, he was again raised and embraced affectionately by his Pir-o-Murshid. Following this order, he went to Delhi and stayed there. It was the period of Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish.
Hardly twenty days had passed when news was brought by a messenger that Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaaz r.a. disappeared into the eternal Divine bliss of the Almighty Allah.
Hazrat Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki r.a. used to offer 95 Rakats of Salah [sections of prayer] during the 24 hours of day and night, along with 3000 Durud Sharifs [a part of prayer] every night upon the soul of the Holy Prophet s.a.w.s. During the first 3 nights of his first marriage, he could not maintain the Durud Sharif. The Holy Prophet s.a.w.s. sent a visionary message to a pious person named Rais Ahmed, asking Hazrat Bakhtiyar Kaki r.a. the reasons for his not reciting the Durud Sharif. Hazrat Bakhtiyar Kaki r.a. divorced his wife forthwith as a mark of repentance and thereafter broke off all worldly ties and devoted his full time to the devotion of Almighty Allah and the Holy Prophet s.a.w.s.
It is narrated that in the early stages of his life, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin r.a. would take a nap, but in the last part of his life he kept awake all the time. He had also committed the Quran to memory and used to recite and finish it twice daily. Whenever anything came to his Khanqah, he quickly distributed these to the poor and needy. If there were nothing, he would request his attendants and mureeds to distribute plain water as a humble token of his hospitality.
Sheikh Nur Bux has written in his book entitled”Silsila tuz’zah”: “Bakhtiyar Aushi was a great devotee, mystic and friend of Allah. In private and public he was indulged in the remembrance of Allah. He was habituated to eat little, sleep little and speak little. He was a towering personality in the world of mysticism.”
He had no parallel in abandoning the world and suffering poverty and hunger. He kept himself engrossed in the remembrance of Allah. Whenever someone came to him he would come back to his senses after a while and was then able to talk with him. After a very brief exchange he would show his inability to continue any longer and slipped into the same state of absorption once again.
Once Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin r.a. was coming back with his relatives and disciples after offering Eid Salah [Eid prayers] that he, all on a sudden, halted at a place in silence. After a while his relatives submitted: “Today is the Eid day. Many people would be awaiting his arrival.” Having heard this Hazrat Khwaja r.a. came out of his lost state and uttered, “From this piece of land I have the smell of the perfect men.”
Thereafter, he came home and after the meal was over, he asked the people to call the owner of the land to him. When the owner came to him, he purchased that piece of land from him. Later, Hazrat Bakhtiyar r.a. was buried in the same soil.
Death also came to him in an unusual manner. It is stated that once in an assembly of Sama [religious music] he happened to hear a verse of Hazrat Ahmad Jam with the meaning: ”Those who are killed with the dagger of surrender and pleasure get a new life from the Unseen.”
Hazrat Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki r.a. was so much absorbed in and inspired with this verse that from that day on he kept on reciting it in a state of unconsciousness and gave his life in the same state. He remained in this state of Wajd for 3 consecutive days and expired on the 4th day. He passed away on the 14th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 633 A.H. On account of his extraordinary death, Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kak ir.a. is known as ”Shahid-e-Mohabbat” or Martyr of Allah’s Love.
The Mazaar Sharif [noble tomb] of Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhityar Kaki r.a. lies near Qutb Minar at old Delhi, India.
He also enjoys the following titles in the Sufi world: Qutub-ul-Aqtaab, Malik-ul-Mashaa’ikh, Rais-us-Saalikin, Siraj-ul-Auliya, etc.
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