A symbol of amity: Sri Shivaraya Swamiji (left) of Veerashaiva Mutt at Madyal in Gulbarga district along with the Mutavvali of the dargah of Sultan Ahmed Shah Wali Bahmani.

BIDAR: The dargah of Sultan Ahmed Shah Wali Bahmani at Ashtur in Bidar taluk is a centre of communal harmony. Its uniqueness is that while Muslims revere it as the tomb of Sultan Ahmed Shah Bahamani who ruled Bidar centuries ago, Hindus regard it as a symbol of Allama Prabhu, a saint poet and contemporary of Basaveshwara.

Every year, Muslims celebrate "Sandal Sharieff," the birth anniversary of the king for a week in March or April. On the occasion, hundreds of Hindus arrive from Maharashtra, Andhra and from various parts of the State to celebrate the annual fair of Allama Prabhu.

Sri Shivaraya Swamiji of Veerashaiva Mutt at Madyal in Gulbarga district takes out a padayatra to Ashtur to take part in "Sandal Sharieff. The Dargah Mutavvali and the descendant of the Bahamani kings, Khalil Shah Bahamani, participate in the Allama Prabhu fair. While the swamiji performs aarati, blows the conch shell and breaks a coconut, the Mutavvali covers the tomb with the "Chaddar,'' lights incense sticks and sprinkles holy rose water on devotees. Both take place at the same place and same time.

Seetha Lakshmi, who came from Nizamabad to participate in the fair, says she has been visiting the dargah ever since she was a child. "Now I am married and have brought my husband and in-laws along. They were not aware of it till I told them. Now they are delighted to visit this shrine,'' she adds.

The swamiji has been undertaking padayatra to Asthur for the past three decades. "My guruji and all the heads of our mutt have been visiting Asthur to inaugurate the annual fair of Allama Prabhu. It is my most important assignment of the year," he says.

"Faith is the strongest force on the earth. Muslims find the place holy as they believe that the body of Sultan Shah lies here. We believe that the Sultan's virtues made him a Sharana and he became one with the God after death. That he was born a Muslim is irrelevant. Allama Prabhu is one of the many names of the Almighty and we worship this tomb by that name. It is very much in tune with the Kayaka philosophy of Basaveshwara,'' the swamiji says.

The Government should take steps to promote Asthur, which reflects the spirit of secularism, as a tourist destination. The village, which is just two km from Bidar and five km from the Andhra Pradesh border, needs water supply, toilets, rest rooms and the services of guides to become a tourist destination.

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