A famous Pir of the 16th century, who has traditionally stood as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity, has suddenly fallen victim to a controversy surrounding his very identity.
Five centuries after the death of Pir Imamshah Bawa, his Hindu followers have rechristened the Sufi saint as Sadguru Hanstej Mahara, which has spurred reaction from the Muslim followers. Ironically, Bawa’s shrine at Pirana village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad has been a symbol of Hindu-Muslim communal harmony for centuries.
Now his renaming has not gone down well, especially with his descendants, who belong to the local Saiyed community. They said this was “yet another effort to saffronise the shrine”. In protest, they have planned an indefinite fast at the shrine precinct. Three Muslim trustees of the Imamshah Bawa Roza Sansthan have also sought the immediate intervention of the authorities.
The renaming is being seen by Muslim groups as an effort to turn the shrine into a Hindu religious place.
They said “some antisocial elements” had pasted posters of deities on and around the mausoleum on August 13, and put up a 25-foot hoarding outside the shrine on August 15. It displayed the words ‘Om Shree Sadguru Hanstejji Maharaj Akhand Divyajyoti Mandir’, signifying the shrine was actually a temple.
However, Hindu groups said the name of Hanstej Maharaj was in the scriptures for more than 4,000 years. Imamshah Bawa has been mentioned as Hanstej Maharaj in various books. Posters and hoardings using this name have been put up only two days ago, they say.
The Muslim groups further say that the renaming is a part of a deeper motive as attempts at assertion of Hindu identity to the shrine have been going on for some decades, with litigation in the past.
Last year, a Muslim outfit called Sunni Awami Forum filed a PIL opposing the construction of a new temple within the shrine premises
The Pirana shrine has been a symbol of communal harmony, with the majority of the saint’s followers being Hindus, who have been known as satsangis or satpanthis.
