Agar Gaiti Sarasar Bad Girad,
Chiragh-e-Chishtiyan Hargiz Namirad
If the entire universe is devastated by the storm
the lamp of Chishtiyan shall not cease to illuminate
Just as Eid announcement was made in this part of the world, the sad news of bomb blasts in India were splashed all over TV channels. In particular, the blast in Ajmer Shareef – opposite the dargah – was shocking. Despicable and pusillanimous!
How could the enemies of peace target a shrine that is above the Muslim/Hindu and other formal identities. Ajmer is the fulcrum of a Sufi practice and represents the broad spiritual, syncretistic consensus in South Asia.
The reaction of authorities was quite predictable as if an automated, pre-recorded message was ready with the officials:
“Union Home Ministry sources in Delhi said it was a terror strike in which militants had used a low-intensity improvised explosive device.
They said the terror outfits, including Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, were against Sufi Islam and they could be prime suspects behind the blast which came barely 10 days ahead of the meeting of Indo-Pakistan anti-terror mechanism here on October 22…”
However, the latter has some validity as we have a track record whereby the extremist elements always resist any progress towards the much needed peace – Let us not be daunted by this cowardice.
But this is so so sad. Though in the words of the devotees:
Ilahi ta-abd-astana-i-yar-rahe
Yeh-asra-hai-gharibon-ka-barqarar rahe
Oh God, may this Shrine of the beloved exist till the last day
may this refuge of the poor remain forever!
