This is the 22nd article in a special series by Ally Adnan that brings to life memorable incidents from the rich and fascinating life of Hazrat Amir Khusrau, whose timeless legacy continues to inspire the world.
During the reign of Ghayasuddin Tughlaq, Delhi was struck by a devastating drought.
Nizamuddin Auliya was deeply moved by the suffering of the city’s inhabitants and decided to build a baoli (public stepwell) to bring them relief.
The compassionate initiative, however, clashed with the Sultan’s grand ambition to build the massive Tughlaqabad Fort. He did not want the city’s laborers working on any project other than the fort and forbade them from building the baoli. The workers were extremely loyal to the Sufi saint and,undeterred, began building the baoli secretly at night, after finishing their work on Tughlaqabad, lighting the site with oil lamps. The Sultan was furious to learn of the defiance and responded by banning the sale of oil to Nizamuddin’s khanqah so that the workers could not light lamps to work at night.
Nizamuddin Auliya responded by performing a miracle. He blessed the water of the half-built baoliand instructed his disciple, Khwaja Nasiruddin Mahmud, to fill the lamps with it instead of oil. Miraculously, the lamps burned brightly with water from the baoli, allowing construction to continue through the night. Nasiruddin earned the honorific Roshan Chiragh-e-Delhi (Bright Lamp of Delhi) after the incident and went on to succeed Nizamuddin Auliya as leader of the Chishti order after the saint’s death in 1325. The baoli was completed despite royal opposition and brought immense relief to the people of Delhi. Enraged, Ghayasuddin threatened to punish Nizamuddin after returning from a campaign in Bengal. The saint responded calmly, declaring that Delhi was still far away for the Sultan. He then placed a curse on Tughlaqabad, saying, “May it remain desolate, may it be inhabited by Gujjars.”
The Sultan never reached Delhi. During his journey, a ceremonial pavilion built for him collapsed, crushing him before he could enter the city. The grand fort of Tughlaqabad was abandoned after his death and has remained in ruins, home only to shepherds and herders, ever since, whereas Nizamuddin’s baoli continues to thrive more than seven hundred years later. Pilgrims from all over the world visit the baoli to drink its sacred water, which is believed to have great healing powers.
Amir Khusrau celebrated the baoli in his poetry, connecting its miraculous water to Nizamuddin’s masti (ecstatic spiritual state) and attributing its power to the saint’s grace.
The writer is based in Dallas, Texas and writes about culture, history and the arts. He tweets @allyadnanjanjua and can be reached at [email protected]