For 700 years, devotees have gathered at the Nizamuddin dargah for a grand langar… Brut experienced one such feast during the holy month of Ramzan.
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00:00When you come here, no one is going to ask your caste, no one is going to ask your religion.
00:15This is the best part.
00:17Thursday and Sunday, there are 5-8,000 people on this day.
00:20Modi ji says, Aditi Devo Baba, I see that here.
00:25This place brings a sense of unity when thousands of people gather around to eat, to socialize
00:32and to seek blessings during the Holi month of Ramzan.
00:36It is also known to organise one of the biggest and one of the oldest Iftar congregations
00:41in Delhi.
00:42Today, Root is here at Nizamuddin Dargah.
00:56The Dargah of the 13th century Sufi saint, Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya serves Langar,
01:03providing food to people every day throughout the year.
01:06The liveliness that you see here, this liveliness has been going on for almost 700 years.
01:12The Langar Khana is of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya, the biggest and the largest Langar Khana.
01:18Langar has been in existence since the time of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
01:24During the time of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, there used to be so much Langar that 70 camels
01:27would go to throw the skins of onions and garlic.
01:29At that time, one Man was called 10 Kilos.
01:34So, 70 Man Namak used to come to your Langar Khana every day.
01:40On the weekends, the Darbar is crowded, there are 5-8,000-10,000 people.
01:46On weekdays, there are 2,000-2,500 people.
01:55Due to a high number of people from non-Muslim communities,
01:58the Dargah specifically serves pure vegetarian food on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
02:05Once when my grandfather was alive, the Langar was going on.
02:09My grandfather saw that some people were standing, but they were not coming.
02:13So, my grandfather offered them to taste the Langar.
02:16They said, we are Jains and we don't even eat onions and garlic and this is a non-vegetarian Langar.
02:21So, my grandfather started pure vegetarian three days a week after that.
02:26The food, however, is not prepared inside the Dargah.
02:30Every day, the Langar is prepared at Hazrat's kitchen in Delhi's Ghiyaspur,
02:35now known as Nizamuddin Basti.
02:37When did you come to Nizamuddin Dargah?
02:39I came here for the first time when I was 13 years old.
02:42And I have been coming here for the next two years.
02:44It feels good to come here.
02:46People come here because we have to go to Ajmer Sharif from here.
02:49Then we have to go back from Ajmer Sharif to come here.
02:51Then we say that your wish is fulfilled.
02:53The wish that you have asked for.
03:02When I go to do something big or when I achieve something big in my life,
03:07I like to salute here.
03:10My elder brother is also a doctor by profession.
03:12So, he used to bring me here whenever he had a big task.
03:15So, from there, it became my routine.
03:17I was abroad, so my flight was also in Delhi.
03:20So, I used to come here before taking the flight.
03:22When you come here, no one is going to ask your caste.
03:25No one will ask you about your religion.
03:28This is the best part.
03:29In the crowded lanes, the Dargahs, Mashaks and Pankhawalas ensure comfort and a cool breeze for all.
03:43This is the Mashak work.
03:45This is for performing ablution.
03:47This is for washing hands.
03:49This is goat skin.
03:51Two years ago, we finished this work.
03:53We took it to our house.
03:55Because there was no Mashak.
03:57So, I asked them to call Mashak people.
03:59I told them that I don't have money.
04:01So, they gave me Rs. 500.
04:03They asked for Mashak.
04:05I told them that I want it.
04:07So, they gave me Rs. 500.
04:09Out of Rs. 500, I got Rs. 5000.
04:21During Ramzan, these Langars transform into Iftar gatherings.
04:25People from all walks of life are invited to join and enjoy the feast for 30 days.
04:31Daily, 3,000 to 5,000 people have Iftar in Dargah Sharif.
04:35On Thursday and Sunday, 5,000 to 8,000 people have Iftar.
04:39Food is not wasted here.
04:41People take whatever is left with them.
04:45When people are distributed, they have a lot of food.
04:47They can't eat everything together.
04:49So, they take it with them.
04:51Each meal includes chips, biscuits, fruits such as melons and bananas, dates, fruit juices, and a samosa.
04:59Apart from these, devotees are also served Biryani with Ruwafza milkshake.
05:17Iftar plates are made in Darbar.
05:19We order Biryani from Old Delhi's famous Hakeem.
05:25We order it and they deliver it to Darbar.
05:27After that, we pack it here and distribute it to everyone.
05:30Sometimes, it weighs more than 100 kgs.
05:33It depends.
05:35On Thursdays, it weighs between 100 and 150 kgs.
05:37And you can see that so many people come that everything is sold out.
05:50These portions, which are funded through donations,
05:54are served in the courtyard outside the mosque
05:57where people sit down in rows to pray and break their fast.
06:00Food boxes are made specially.
06:03Today, we are distributing Iftari packets.
06:06It includes chicken grilled sandwich, Tikka, and spring rolls.
06:12Apart from this, there is a 200 litre milk drink.
06:16For 5000 people, there is Iftari, chicken Biryani, and veg Biryani.
06:21According to Anees, the Dargah is not funded by the government and doesn't have an official trust.
06:27The workers at Hazrat Nizamuddin are daily wage labourers who are paid through donations.
06:33Has Iftar started?
06:35No, it is almost half an hour before Iftar starts.
06:37After Asr prayer, we start distributing the food.
06:45As the number of people increases, we distribute accordingly.
06:48It is a separate arrangement for the ladies.
06:53So that the ladies don't have to worry.
06:55There are a lot of ladies who do purdah.
06:57So, keeping all that in mind, it is a separate arrangement for the ladies.
06:59Tell me, how do you feel after breaking your fast for the first time?
07:02I feel very good.
07:04Do you feel hungry or thirsty?
07:07I feel hungry and thirsty.
07:34Everybody is welcome.
07:36I have come here for Iftar.
07:38I have come for Urus.
07:40So, over the years, I have been again blessed to be part of many special celebrations and functions.
07:49When it was time to break the evening fast, a loud siren was played.
07:54After Iftar, the shrine brims with people from different communities who sit together and enjoy the Qawwali.
08:24At Nizamuddin Dargah, there is no religion.
08:48You are coming here on a spiritual basis and that too to connect with pure love.
08:54Ameen.