Khuldabad’s timeless legacy: Sufi shrines, Mughal tombs, and the ongoing debate
Aurangzeb, who died in 1707 in Ahmednagar, was buried in Khuldabad as per his wishes, near the dargah of his spiritual guide, Shaikh Zainuddin Shirazi
Deep rooted in Sufi traditions, the history, heritage, and identity of nondescript town of Khuldabad is overshadowed by the demand made by right-wing groups to remove the 17th-century tomb of Mughal emperor Muhi-al-din-Muhammad Aurangzeb, among many, located at the place.
Situated 25 km from Aurangabad, renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2022, Khuldabad, often called the “Valley of Saints” and the “Garden of Tombs”, houses the final resting places of several Sufi saints, including Shaikh Zainuddin Shirazi and Burhanuddin Garib. It is this spiritual legacy, rather than Aurangzeb’s tomb, that locals associate with their town.
Historian Gani Patel, a retired professor from Chishtiya College, explains, “Before the 15th century, Khuldabad was known as ‘Rauza’ (shrine) as over 1,200 Sufi saints were associated with the area. It was an international centre for Sufi studies, attracting scholars and spiritual figures from across the Islamic world.”
Aurangzeb, who died in 1707 in Ahmednagar, was buried in Khuldabad as per his wishes, near the dargah of his spiritual guide, Shaikh Zainuddin Shirazi. Unlike the grand mausoleums of other Mughal emperors, his tomb is a simple, unadorned structure, in line with his request to be buried with humility. Yet, his legacy remains a polarising subject.
Shaikh Abu Mohamed Khaja Mohamed, former president of committee Khuddamin Dargahjat Hadd E Kalan, which oversees the town’s historical sites, said, “Khuldabad’s religious significance extends beyond Aurangzeb’s tomb. The robe of Prophet Muhammad, kept at Shaikh Shirazi’s dargah, is displayed annually, drawing thousands of devotees. The town has been a centre of Sufi heritage for centuries.”
Apart from Aurangzeb, Khuldabad is home to the tombs of his son Azam Shah, Malik Amber (the Ahmednagar Sultanate’s prime minister), Nizam-ul-Mulk (Asaf Jah I), and early Ahmednagar rulers. While right-wing groups insist that Aurangzeb’s presence in the town taints Maharashtra’s history with BJP leaders echoing these sentiments, historians caution against erasing historical sites based on present-day politics.
Dulari Qureshi, historian and former professor at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, said, “The demand for removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb ignores the town’s broader history and its role as a centre for spiritual learning.”
The town, with a population of little over 22,000, remains calm. Residents, including shopkeepers and daily wage earners, are going about their work as usual. According to the 2011 Census, around 58% of the population here is Muslim, 41% Hindu. The social fabric remains largely unaffected despite political debates elsewhere.
Sarfaraj Nisar, a flower vendor in Khuldabad, claimed that the ongoing tensions have hurt his business. “We are the last ones to face the consequences of unnecessary communal speeches by politicians. They cannot digest the communal harmony that exists here.”
Santosh Jadhav, who operates an earthmovers business in town, recalls how Chhatrapati Shivaji Jayanti and Ganesh festival processions have always passed by Aurangzeb’s tomb without incident. “In fact, Muslims have offered water and sharbat to our Hindu brothers and even garlanded devotees. There is no tension here,” he said.