Sufi Yatra
Khanqahs and dargahs that have taken visitors of every faith for six hundred years
What it is
Bihar Sharif is named for its viharas and became one of eastern India's great Sufi centres. Maner holds two tombs of the Maneri family, and the Chhoti Dargah of 1616 is among the finest Mughal tombs in the east. Around them sit khanqahs still teaching, and a tomb at Sasaram that is one of the great buildings of the subcontinent.
Why it matters
These are working shrines, not monuments, and they have always taken Hindu visitors as readily as Muslim ones. An urs is a public festival with qawwali, and anybody may come.
You will understand
- What a khanqah is, and how it differs from a mosque
- Why a dargah draws people who are not Muslim
- What an urs is, and when to come for one
- Best season
- Oct - Mar
- Days for the whole yatra
- 2
The stops
- Maner Sharif: The Chhoti Dargah of 1616, carved stone on the water, thirty kilometres west of Patna.
- Bari Dargah: Bihar Sharif, the tomb of Makhdum Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri. The urs here fills the town.
- Maqbara of Malik Ibrahim Baya: Bihar Sharif, a tomb of 1353 and the oldest dated Muslim monument in the state.
- Chhoti Dargah, Biharsharif: The second Bihar Sharif dargah, quieter than the first.
- Khanqah Mujibia, Phulwari Sharif: A working khanqah at Phulwari Sharif with a red-stone mosque behind it.
- Tomb of Sher Shah Suri: Sasaram. A tomb in the middle of a lake, and one of the finest buildings in India.
- Sher Shah Suri Masjid: Patna, the mosque he built above the river.
- Goraul Sharif: Vaishali district, a khanqah with a following across north Bihar.
- Bitho Sharif Dargah: A quieter shrine, and a reminder that this circuit is longer than its famous stops.
- Pir Shah Nafah Shrine: Inside Munger fort, where a saint's tomb and a Mughal wall share a hill.
- Makhdum Kund: Rajgir, a hot spring named for a saint, used by everybody.
Experiences on this yatra
- An urs, and the qawwali after it: The night a saint's death is kept as a wedding, with singing until dawn
Know before you go
- Heads covered, shoes off, modest dress
- Thursday evenings are the liveliest at most dargahs
- Sher Shah's tomb at Sasaram is ticketed and is a monument, not a shrine
Questions pilgrims ask
How many days does the Sufi Yatra take?
2 days is right for most families. It can be done in 1, or stretched to 4.
When is the best time for the Sufi Yatra?
Oct - Mar.
Which places are on the Sufi Yatra?
Maner Sharif, Bari Dargah, Maqbara of Malik Ibrahim Baya, Chhoti Dargah, Khanqah Mujibia, Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, Sher Shah Suri Masjid, Goraul Sharif, Bitho Sharif Dargah, Pir Shah Nafah Shrine, Makhdum Kund.
What should I know before the Sufi Yatra?
Heads covered, shoes off, modest dress. Thursday evenings are the liveliest at most dargahs. Sher Shah's tomb at Sasaram is ticketed and is a monument, not a shrine.
Plan my Yatra. Rather talk to someone? Call or WhatsApp +91 87893 56605, or contact us.