Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Vows To ‘Liberate’ Haji Malang Sufi Shrine, Revives Hindutva Movement After Decades

Controversial statements have become a tradition as the Urs or celebration at the Haji Malang Dargah on a hill in Kalyan draws close. This year, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde triggered a dispute about the centuries-old Haji Malang Dargah in Kalyan announcing that he was committed to the liberation of the structure. According to claims, this dargah is an old Hindu shrine belonging to the Nath Panth — an order of the yogis. The oldest historical evidence of the tomb dates back to 1774, the period of the Anglo-Maratha War. 

The dargah named after the sufi saint Haji Abdul Rahman, popularly known as Haji Malang Baba, is worshipped by people of all faiths, communities, and strata of society. Shinde shouted “Jai Malang, Shree Malang” during his public address here while announcing that the place would be restored to the Nath Panth order. He was speaking at the Malang Gad Harinam Mahotsav.

The Malang Gad movement for the liberation of the shrine was started by the Shiv Sena under the leadership of the late Anand Dighe. He was not only a powerful leader in Thane but was also the mentor of Shinde. This movement started in 1986 with the Malang Gad Mukti Morcha focusing on getting the dargah and its precincts back to the Nath Panth worshippers.    

Baba Malang, a Sufi saint, had taken up residence in the hills which came to be known as the Malang Gad Hills. Every year, the Baba Malang fair has been held on this hill, mentions the Thane District Gazetteer, 1882. The maintenance and worship of the dargah rests with the Ketkar family, who have looked after it for centuries. The Ketkars are Marathi-speaking Brahmins who have the sole custody of this dargah.  

The Ketkar family claim that they have been associated with the dargah for over 360 years.  They have historical records dating back to 1718 to back their claims. There are numerous shrines that line the streets from the foothills to the Baba Malang Dargah and oral narratives passed down over centuries associate the missionary to Medina. The local chieftain of the area, Raja Nal, and the Baba struck up a mutual friendship and the latter stayed back on the hills. The chieftain’s daughter became a disciple of the Baba, according to the oral narrative.     

Wealthy English-speaking Parsis and Sindhis have been associated with this dargah for several centuries and have been involved in creating drinking water facilities and other infrastructure such as dharamshalas or resting places for devotees. They, along with people from all strata of society, communities, and religions are regular visitors to this dargah. Women from the marginalised communities with health issues such as infertility, physical ailments, and mental issues frequent this dargah.  

The Shiv Sena was the first political party to start a campaign over the shrine, stating that the structure was located in the place of an old Hindu shrine that belonged to the Nath Panth yogis. Shinde had not visited this dargah for over a decade after his mentor Dighe had succumbed to injuries in an accident. Shinde’s triggering of this fresh wave of controversy is being linked by many to the forthcoming opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. It is also seen as muscle-flexing by the chief minister. Interestingly, he is now being referred to as the Hindu Hriday Samrat, a monicker associated with the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. 

There is also talk of Shinde being the ‘chosen one’ by top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Since he brought about a vertical split in the Sena, with the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray —former CM of Maharashtra and chief of the formerly unified Sena—  fighting a battle for political survival, Shinde has become Shah’s go-to man in Maharashtra. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, has been eclipsed by Shinde’s growing closeness to Shah.

The call for “liberation” of this shrine by the chief minister looks to be an attempt to consolidate the Hindutva votes for the faction led by him. Like every year, the liberation call is forgotten once the Urs ends, says a source.