Situated
at the end of a 500m causeway protruding into the Arabian Sea is
the whitewashed Haji Ali Mosque, containing the tomb of a Muslim
saint Haji Ali who is believed to have meditated on these very shores.
It is said that Haji Ali was a wealthy Muslim merchant who renounced
all his worldly belongings before embarking on a pilgrimage to Mecca.
He died in Mecca and the casket miraculously drifted and came to
the spot where the mosque and tomb were built by his devotes in
the early 19th century. The Mosque lies opposite to the famous Mahalakshmi
temple and can be approached from Lala Rajpatrai Marg.
Haji
Ali is a handsome example of Islamic architecture standing on an
island. In fact, this holy place is visited by many devotees as
well as visitors who are attracted by the beauty of the site. The
widespread belief is that whoever prays to the deity here is never
disappointed. A number of pilgrims come here for thanksgiving. Haji
Ali's sister also followed her
brother's
footsteps and became his companion in ascetic suffering. There is
a mausoleum built for her a little distance away on Worli Bay.
The
mosque has a narrow concrete pathway about a kilometer built over
water to reach the shrine and can only be reached at low tide. The
walkway is lined with pitiful wailing beggars. A short flight of
marble steps leads into the dargah where the body of the saint is
enclosed in a semi-circled tomb,in an exquisite silver frame engraved
with all the ninety-nine names of Allah. The top of the tomb is
covered with a zari cloth and flowers and other offerings by devotees
lie scattered around the tomb. The devotees pray and touch their
heads and lips to the cloth. Ladies, as is the case in all mosques,
have a separate room for prayers. All visitors need to remove their
shoes before entering the shrine.
» How
to reach Haji Ali
By
Air : Bombay's International Terminal is at Sahar, 30 kms and Domestic
Terminal at Santacruz, 26 km respectively from downtown Mumbai.
By Rail : Mumbai has trains connecting it to all
the major cities of the country. Bombay is the headquarters for
both western & Central Railways. Central Railways handles
services to the east and south, plus a few trains to the north.
By Road: Mumbai is connected by good motorable
road to Pune 163 km, Nasik 185 km, Mahabaleshwar 239 km, Shirdi
307 km, Aurangabad 392 km, Vadodara 432 km, Ahmedabad 545 kms,
Panaji 597 kms, Hyderabad 711 kms, Bangalore 998 kms. Intra city
bus services are also very good.
Haji-Ali-Mosque,Religious Places in India Reservation Form