Torchbearer Of The 'Uvasiya'

By TNN, *A temple and a mosque in this Ajmer shrine* - The Times Of India - India
Friday, October 1, 2010

Somalpur (Ajmer): While the entire country was glued on to television watching the Allahabad High Court verdict on Ayodhya, Ram Mishra 'Uvasiya' — a Brahmin and Gaddi Nashin (successor) of a seven-decade-old holy shrine of a Muslim Sufi saint Hazrat Sayed Baba Badam Shah — was busy reciting Qur'anic verses (fatiah) at the shrine in Ajmer's Somalpur village.

The shrine houses a Hindu as well a Muslim place of worship. Every day, the aarti takes place in the Shiv temple here, followed by the Azan at the adjoining mosque.

The Sufi saint never discriminated amongst his followers who were from different faiths. He built the temple and the mosque for his followers besides his prayer seat by inviting donations from people of all faiths. The Sufi was also known as Sat Guru 108 Shri Hazrat Sayed Baba Badam Shah Uvasiya.

The shrine's present Gaddi Nashin, Ram Mishra has been taking care of the sanctum sanctorum [Holy of Holies] ever since his father Hari Prasad 'Uvasiya' passed away in 2008.

Late Hari Prasad was a follower of the Sufi saint and received the title of 'Kalandar' from his guru. The Sufi had come to Ajmer from village Galib in UP's Mainpuri district at the age of 14 in search of a guru. He spent a year at the Shrine of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz before settling down at Somalpur after attaining a divine healing touch. The Mishra family, which now has around 50 members, came in contact with the Sufi saint five years before he died on November 26, 1965.

The saint, during his last days, declared Hari Prasad Mishra his successor. Hari Prasad was so intensely in love with his Guru that he declared that he too should be buried in accordance with the Islamic teachings. His grave, which is in the same village, is equally revered by the devotees visiting the shrine.

The Sufi saint had authorized the Mishra family to perform all ceremonies in the Dargah in accordance with Islamic teachings. The entire family not only reads and recites Quran, but it can even discuss issues like rights of women in Islam. It can narrate the entire story of Hazrat Imam Hussien (the grandson of Prophet Mohammad) during Moharram.

The family today proudly calls itself the torchbearer of the 'Uvasiya' sect.

"Our festivals cannot be completed without seeking blessings of the Baba" said Rajnikant Mishra Uvasiya, the younger brother of late Hari Prasad.

Inside the dargah's main compound, the family has set up a khangah (a place for meditation). The common wall between the sanctorum and khangah has a picture of Lord Ram.

[Picture from Baba Badamshah Saheb Website]