Phool Walon Ki Sair
Encyclopedia
Phool Walon Ki Sair meaning "procession of the florists" is an annual celebration by the flowers sellers of Delhi
. It is a three-day festival, generally held in the month of September, just after the rainy season in the region of Mehrauli
, Delhi
. A festival is seen as an example of the composite culture of Delhi, which has bolstered an environment of communal harmony in the city, and even today the festival is celebrated by both Hindu
s and Muslim
s alike.
This secular festival involves a procession, led by shehnai
players and dancers, and bearing large floral fans, pankha, to Yogmaya Temple
, the shrine of Devi Jog Maya, and winds though Mehrauli bazar
, to reach the dargah
of 13th century Sufi saint, Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki.
Also known as Sair-e-Gul Faroshan (Hindi: सैर-ए-गुल फ़रोशां, Urdu: ), during this three festival, the flower sellers pray for a better flower season in the coming year by offering big fans, pankha, embroidered with flowers to both shrines.
Just as when it was first conceived, and had the Mughal Emperor as its patron, these days the festival has the Prime Minister of India
has its main patron; Jawaharlal Nehru
who revived and inaugurated festival in 1962, and all the PMs hence, have equally participated in the festival. Another tradition is to offer a similar floral pankha to the President of India
, Chief Minister of Delhi
and also the Lt. Governor of the city. The recent addition are the cultural troupes from various states of India, which perform songs, dances and drama at the main function which is held at 'Jahaz Mahal' in also in Mehrauli, located in a corner of 'Hauz Shamsi' and is believed to built in Lodhi dynasty
era, takes the festival beyond its vision of communal harmony to that of national integration
The origin of Phool Waalon Ki Sair goes to 1812, during the reign of the Mughal King Akbar Shah II
(r. 1808 -1837). Akbar Shah-II was not happy with his eldest son Siraj Uddin “Zafar” (Bahadur Shah Zafar II) and wanted to nominate his younger son Mirza Jahangir as the heir Apparent (Wali-Ahad). This move was not liked by the then British Resident in the Red Fort, Sir Archibald Seton
. Once Mirza Jahangir who was a reckless youth of 19 insulted Seton in open court and called him Loolu. The British Resident somehow did not react to this insult as probably he did not understand the meaning of Loolu. After a few days, when Mirza Jahangir was merrymaking on the roof of Naubat Khana in Red Fort, Archibald Seton was coming from the Darbar
after an audience with Resident. Mirza Jahangir fired a shot at the Resident from the roof of Naubat Khana. Seton escaped but his orderly was killed. For this act of his, Mirza Jahangir was exiled to Allahabad
under orders of the British Resident.
The mother of Mirza Jahangir Queen Mumtaz Mahal Begum, was distraught and took a vow that if her son was released from Allahabad she would offer a chadar of flowers at the dargah
of Khwaja Bakhtiar ‘Kaki’ at Mehrauli
. After a couple of years Mirza Jahangir was released and like a devout lady Mumtaz Mahal Begum went to Mehrauli to redeem her vow. With her the Imperial Court also shifted to Mehrauli and so did the entire population of Delhi. For 7 days all sorts of merrymaking continued at Mehrauli with Jhoolas (swings) in the mango groves, cock fighting and bull bailin, kites flying, wrestling and swimming bouts. Amidst all this merrymaking with great pomp and show, a chadar made of flowers was offered at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki. The Mughal king was secular minded and under his orders floral offering in the shape of a floral pankha was offered at the famous Yogmaya Temple
which is also in Mehrauli.
Seeing the response of the people and sensing the enthusiasm generated, it was decided that the festival will be held annually after the rains and people of all communities will offer pankha and chadar at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki and pankha and floral offering at Yogmayaji temple. The Darbar was also shifted to Mehrauli for the 7 days of the Festival. The Festival reached its pinnacle during the reign of Siraj-U-ddin “Zafar”, the last Mughal emperor also known as Bahadur Shah “Zafar”. Bahadur Shah “Zafar” went to celebrate “Phool Waalon Ki Sair” even in 1857 when Delhi was under siege of the British. This was the last “Phool Waalon Ki Sair” under the Mughals.
to Mehrauli- to shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Qutubuddin Kaki and the Devi Jogmaya Mandir. The total distance of the Sair (walk) is about 32 km. One can read Delhi’s soul in this journey of 32 km from Chandni Chowk to Mehrauli
. Along the highway were scattered, life giving baolis and sarai
s to quench the thirst of travellers, built by kings and commoners. Arab ki sarai.. Qutub ki sarai... Parsi temple ki sarai..Yogi ki sarai..Sheikh ki sarai..Badli-ki-Sarai..Katwaria Sarai etc. There used to be all-pervading ambience of fun and merriment what with qawwali
s, and kathak
being performed on the streets. Fire dancers also performed on the streets during the procession and added a mystic allure to the proceedings.
As it passed through streets of Mehrauli, where the Mughal courts used to shift after the rainy season, Mughal Emperor, Akbar Shah II
, used to enjoy the procession from the balcony of Zafar Mahal in Mehrauli, and watched it move towards the shrine of Sufi Saint Qutbuddin Kaki and later to Yogmaya Temple
of Mahatma Gandhi in 1942 in pursuance of their “Divide and Rule
” policy.
Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru took great interest and came to Mehrauli on every “Phool Waalon Ki Sair” as long as he lived. The Festival has grown since then. During the period of Indira Gandhi
as the Prime Minister, all the States of India were requested to participate in the Festival and the Festival known for communal harmony also took a step towards national integration by weaving the States of India into the garland of flowers of “Phool Waalon Ki Sair”.
After its revival in 1962, the Festival is organized every by Anjuman Sair-e-Gul Faroshan, a society registered under the Societies Registration Act.
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. It is a three-day festival, generally held in the month of September, just after the rainy season in the region of Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. A festival is seen as an example of the composite culture of Delhi, which has bolstered an environment of communal harmony in the city, and even today the festival is celebrated by both Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s alike.
This secular festival involves a procession, led by shehnai
Shehnai
The shehnai, shahnai, shenai or mangal vadya, is an aerophonic instrument, a double reed conical oboe, common in North India, West India and Pakistan, made out of wood, with a metal flare bell at the end...
players and dancers, and bearing large floral fans, pankha, to Yogmaya Temple
Yogmaya Temple
Yogmaya Temple also known as Jogmaya temple, is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Yogmaya, the sister of Krishna, and situated in Mehrauli, New Delhi, close to the Qutb complex. It is widely believed to be one of the five surviving temples from the Mahabharata period in Delhi.Yogmaya or...
, the shrine of Devi Jog Maya, and winds though Mehrauli bazar
Bazar
Bazar may refer to:* Bazar, Afghanistan* Bazar, Azerbaijan* Bazar, Łódź Voivodeship * Bazar, Lublin Voivodeship * Bazar, Masovian Voivodeship * Bazar, Ukraine...
, to reach the dargah
Dargah
A Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
of 13th century Sufi saint, Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki.
Also known as Sair-e-Gul Faroshan (Hindi: सैर-ए-गुल फ़रोशां, Urdu: ), during this three festival, the flower sellers pray for a better flower season in the coming year by offering big fans, pankha, embroidered with flowers to both shrines.
Just as when it was first conceived, and had the Mughal Emperor as its patron, these days the festival has the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
has its main patron; Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
who revived and inaugurated festival in 1962, and all the PMs hence, have equally participated in the festival. Another tradition is to offer a similar floral pankha to the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, Chief Minister of Delhi
Chief Minister of Delhi
The Chief Minister of Delhi ) is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in Delhi assembly. The Chief Minister leads the executive branch of the Government of Delhi....
and also the Lt. Governor of the city. The recent addition are the cultural troupes from various states of India, which perform songs, dances and drama at the main function which is held at 'Jahaz Mahal' in also in Mehrauli, located in a corner of 'Hauz Shamsi' and is believed to built in Lodhi dynasty
Lodhi dynasty
Lodi Dynasty was a Pashtun dynasty that was the last dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate. The dynasty founded by Bahlul Lodi ruled from 1451 to 1526...
era, takes the festival beyond its vision of communal harmony to that of national integration
Origin
Akbar Shah II
Akbar Shah II , also known as Mirza Akbar, was the second-to-last of the Mughal emperors of India. He held the title from 1806 to 1837. He was the second son of Shah Alam II and the father of Bahadur Shah Zafar II....
(r. 1808 -1837). Akbar Shah-II was not happy with his eldest son Siraj Uddin “Zafar” (Bahadur Shah Zafar II) and wanted to nominate his younger son Mirza Jahangir as the heir Apparent (Wali-Ahad). This move was not liked by the then British Resident in the Red Fort, Sir Archibald Seton
Archibald Seton
Archibald Seton, Esq. was member of the Supreme Council at Fort William, Bengal, Lieutenant-Governor of the Prince of Wales' Island , President at the court of his Majesty Shah Allum at Delhi, among the many other roles he played during his long civil service with the British East India...
. Once Mirza Jahangir who was a reckless youth of 19 insulted Seton in open court and called him Loolu. The British Resident somehow did not react to this insult as probably he did not understand the meaning of Loolu. After a few days, when Mirza Jahangir was merrymaking on the roof of Naubat Khana in Red Fort, Archibald Seton was coming from the Darbar
Darbar
Darbar may refer to:* A term for a court in Urdu from the Persian - Durbar * A surname used in the Indian Subcontinent, it originated during Mughal rule...
after an audience with Resident. Mirza Jahangir fired a shot at the Resident from the roof of Naubat Khana. Seton escaped but his orderly was killed. For this act of his, Mirza Jahangir was exiled to Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
under orders of the British Resident.
Dargah
A Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
of Khwaja Bakhtiar ‘Kaki’ at Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
. After a couple of years Mirza Jahangir was released and like a devout lady Mumtaz Mahal Begum went to Mehrauli to redeem her vow. With her the Imperial Court also shifted to Mehrauli and so did the entire population of Delhi. For 7 days all sorts of merrymaking continued at Mehrauli with Jhoolas (swings) in the mango groves, cock fighting and bull bailin, kites flying, wrestling and swimming bouts. Amidst all this merrymaking with great pomp and show, a chadar made of flowers was offered at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki. The Mughal king was secular minded and under his orders floral offering in the shape of a floral pankha was offered at the famous Yogmaya Temple
Yogmaya Temple
Yogmaya Temple also known as Jogmaya temple, is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Yogmaya, the sister of Krishna, and situated in Mehrauli, New Delhi, close to the Qutb complex. It is widely believed to be one of the five surviving temples from the Mahabharata period in Delhi.Yogmaya or...
which is also in Mehrauli.
Seeing the response of the people and sensing the enthusiasm generated, it was decided that the festival will be held annually after the rains and people of all communities will offer pankha and chadar at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki and pankha and floral offering at Yogmayaji temple. The Darbar was also shifted to Mehrauli for the 7 days of the Festival. The Festival reached its pinnacle during the reign of Siraj-U-ddin “Zafar”, the last Mughal emperor also known as Bahadur Shah “Zafar”. Bahadur Shah “Zafar” went to celebrate “Phool Waalon Ki Sair” even in 1857 when Delhi was under siege of the British. This was the last “Phool Waalon Ki Sair” under the Mughals.
Celebration
The people of Delhi carry flowers from the Chandni ChowkChandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk , originally meaning moonlit square or market, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, now in central north Delhi, India...
to Mehrauli- to shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Qutubuddin Kaki and the Devi Jogmaya Mandir. The total distance of the Sair (walk) is about 32 km. One can read Delhi’s soul in this journey of 32 km from Chandni Chowk to Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
. Along the highway were scattered, life giving baolis and sarai
Sarai
-Places:*Saraj , an historic estate in Resen built by Ahmed Niyazi Bey*Bal-Sarai, a village in Amritsar District of Punjab, India*Sarai , the capital city of the Golden Horde*Saraj municipality, a municipality in Greater Skopje, Republic of Macedonia...
s to quench the thirst of travellers, built by kings and commoners. Arab ki sarai.. Qutub ki sarai... Parsi temple ki sarai..Yogi ki sarai..Sheikh ki sarai..Badli-ki-Sarai..Katwaria Sarai etc. There used to be all-pervading ambience of fun and merriment what with qawwali
Qawwali
Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular in South Asia, particularly in the Punjab and Sindh regions of Pakistan, Hyderabad, Delhi, and other parts of northern India...
s, and kathak
Kathak
Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers...
being performed on the streets. Fire dancers also performed on the streets during the procession and added a mystic allure to the proceedings.
As it passed through streets of Mehrauli, where the Mughal courts used to shift after the rainy season, Mughal Emperor, Akbar Shah II
Akbar Shah II
Akbar Shah II , also known as Mirza Akbar, was the second-to-last of the Mughal emperors of India. He held the title from 1806 to 1837. He was the second son of Shah Alam II and the father of Bahadur Shah Zafar II....
, used to enjoy the procession from the balcony of Zafar Mahal in Mehrauli, and watched it move towards the shrine of Sufi Saint Qutbuddin Kaki and later to Yogmaya Temple
During British Raj
The Festival continued to be celebrated even after 1857 revolt by the British Deputy commissioner who was the highest government functionary in Delhi with the help of some prominent citizens. The Festival was stopped by the British during Quit India MovementQuit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
of Mahatma Gandhi in 1942 in pursuance of their “Divide and Rule
Divide and rule
In politics and sociology, divide and rule is a combination of political, military and economic strategy of gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy...
” policy.
Revival of the festival
In about 1961, the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru thought of reviving the Festival and asked Mr. Noor Uddin Ahmed, the Mayor Of Delhi and Shri Yogeshwar Dayal, a scion of a prominent family of Delhi to revive the Festival. “Phool Waalon Ki Sair” was revived in 1961-62, when Nehru joined the festivities on September 6, 1962Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru took great interest and came to Mehrauli on every “Phool Waalon Ki Sair” as long as he lived. The Festival has grown since then. During the period of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
as the Prime Minister, all the States of India were requested to participate in the Festival and the Festival known for communal harmony also took a step towards national integration by weaving the States of India into the garland of flowers of “Phool Waalon Ki Sair”.
After its revival in 1962, the Festival is organized every by Anjuman Sair-e-Gul Faroshan, a society registered under the Societies Registration Act.
External links
- Phool Walon Ki Sair, Official website
- Phool Walon Ki Sair
- Info and discussion Phool Walon Ki Sair
- Hindu-Muslim Flower Fest at The Times of IndiaThe Times of IndiaThe Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
.