Hyderabad: Dargahs in the state, especially some which are under direct control of the Wakf Board, are ringing with cash. Spurt in the number of people, of all faiths, turning up to pray for the saints and seeking blessings, has resulted in the income of some of these dargahs shooting up from a couple of lakhs to about Rs 2 crore, in the past two decades.
For Hyderabadis and others, Dargah Jahangir Peeran, about 40-km from the city, is among the most popular where people of all faiths, politicos, rich and commoners visit. From an annual income of Rs 30.45 lakh in 1996-1997, the dargah fetched Rs 1.6 crore in 2015-2016. “But for local politics, the dargah income could have gone up to Rs 2 crore,” say Wakf officials.
“Income of five dargahs in the state which are under direct control of the Wakf Board has steadily increased over the years. Some have touched Rs 2 crore. Next auction will be held shortly for the financial year 2016-2017. We expect a 20 per cent increase from the present income,” said Mohd. Asadullah, CEO, Telangana State Wakf Board.
The Wakf Board auctions the rights to the “ghalla” every year and the highest bidder gets to keep the contents of the donation box. Dargahs hold immense importance for followers of Sufi saints, irrespective of caste and creed. The followers of the saint believe that offering prayers to the Almighty while being physically close to the patron saint of the dargah improves the chances of the prayers being answered. Besides, the visitors also pray for the patron saint himself, and for others buried in the precincts of the dargah. Many believe that their ‘Mannat’ (wishes) are fulfilled with the intercession of the patron saint and when they are, they make offerings.
Among the famed dargah is the one of Hazrat Syed Saadullah Hussaini, popularly known as Badapahad dargah or Peddagutta in Nizamabad. The income of this dargah grew from Rs 24.75 lakh in 1996-1997 to Rs 2 crore. The dargah is located atop a hillock in Paidimal village of Varni mandal.
Similarly, the income of Dargah Hazrat Yakoob Shaheed, Annaram Shareef, Warangal district, shot up from Rs 19.60 lakh to Rs 2 crore and of Dargah Hazrath Jaan Pak Shaheed, Nalgonda district from Rs 18 lakh to Rs 80 lakh.
In Hyderabad city, Dargah Hazrat Baba Sharfuddin or Pahadi Shareef in Ranga Reddy is very popular. From Rs 2.82 lakh in 1996-97, this dargah’s income rose to Rs 80 lakh and is expected to touch Rs 1 crore next year. The money collected is used for maintenance of the dargah including power, water, sanitation, staff salaries etc.
Deputy Chief Minister Mohd. Mahmood Ali told DC that the TS government will protect all Wakf institutions, including dargahs in the state and improve amenities.
