Holy place #15 - "Shah Makhdum Dargah, Rajshahi"

Hello Ladies & Gentlemen. Welcome to steem-atlas. Today I came to participate in this wonderful Contest! 1001 Holy Places on the Steem Atlas Map #15 contest organized by the admin of this community @miftahulrizky.

One of the oldest and most historical monuments of Bangladesh is the Shah Makhdum (Rahmatullah Alaihi) Dargah. It is located in the heart of Rajshahi city and is considered to be an important institution in the history of the propagation of Islam. This Dargah occupies a special place in the hearts of the people of Rajshahi and the whole of Bangladesh from a historical, cultural and social point of view.

^{Thumbnail Image - Main Entrance And Exit Gate}

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To get here, you first have to come to Rajshahi if you are outside the Rajshahi division. Then you can easily reach the dargah by rickshaw or CNG from any place in Rajshahi city. If you don't know the way, just ask the locals, Where is Dargah Sharif? and they will show you.

You will see a gate after you reach this place. You have to enter through the gate or you can enter through the road on the upper site where there is a signpost Mazar Sharif is here ➤.

^{Entrance sign to Mazar-e-Sharif}

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History ♻️

You need to know about the history of this holy place. Shah Makhdum Ruposh (RA) was an Islamic preacher and a saint. It is believed that he came to Rajshahi region from the northern part of India to preach Islam. Many historians believe that he came to Rajshahi in the late 13th century or early 14th century. At that time, Rajshahi region was inhabited by Hindus and Buddhists. Shah Makhdum (RA) started preaching Islam in this region very peacefully, based on humanity and generosity.

The word Ruposh is associated with his name because of his beauty and spiritual brilliance. Seeing the miraculous powers, good conduct and piety of Shah Makhdum (RA), many people were attracted to him and converted to Islam. He laid the foundation of Islamic civilization in the Rajshahi region and created many students and followers who later engaged in spreading Islam in different regions. Entering inside, I saw a pond that completely maintains the beauty of the holy place.

^{The only holy pond in the Mazar Sharif area}

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I went a little further inside where a huge structure was being built. History says that after the death of Shah Makhdum (RA), this Dargah Sharif was built around his grave. Later, the Muslim rulers made this Dargah more beautiful and advanced.

The Dargah is built on a high paved square and has a well-organized wall and entrance on all sides. Next to it is one of the oldest graveyards in Rajshahi where there are graves of many scholars and saints.

^{Establishment regarding this shrine}

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Current Popularity 📛

Currently, Shah Makhdoom Dargah is also considered a cultural center. Hundreds of devotees, devout Muslims, tourists and researchers visit this Dargah every day. Especially on Fridays, Eid, Shab-e-Barat, Shab-e-Qadr and Urs, thousands of people flock here. If you look closely at the interior, you can see that construction work is going on inside. We have come to know from the people there that this entire holy place is being renovated. It is being rebuilt and enlarged and for this, a gate has been installed outside so that no one can enter the constructed place.

^{Pictures of the future structure are shown.}

^{Mosque and Shrine Office}

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A spiritual atmosphere prevails throughout the dargah premises. People come here to pray, offer prayers and sit for a while for their peace of mind. There are some shops in front of the dargah, where Tasbeeh, perfume, books, food and religious materials are sold.

Many times, poor people are seen coming here to get food, some people make a vow and distribute food, which further enhances the human aspect of the dargah. However, there is a huge box where donations are given for the development of this shrine. People donate according to their needs. The donation box is written on the donation box, Donate with free hands.

^{donation box}

With the development of Rajshahi city, the infrastructure of the shrine has also changed. New paved roads, electric lights, flower gardens and an information center have made the shrine area more attractive. The shrine is easily accessible from educational institutions, government offices and important departments of the city, which makes it convenient from a tourist point of view. If you move north from there, you will see a large building where the greatest people of this place sit.

^{Sacred room for the people inside}

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However, on the right side, you will notice a small room that is not well understood from the outside, but if you go near it, you will be able to uncover its mystery. The room on the right side has only ancient stories associated with it. History shows that in ancient times, this room was used to punish people who did not listen to the people of this holy place or did bad things. See what actually happened in this room.

^{Death penalty cell}

Originally, this room was a punishment room. All illegal people were taken to this room to be punished. Those who were taken here were probably involved in various illegal activities. This room is enough to execute them. Here, two stone objects are seen with two locks in between them.

I have heard from the people here about the story of this place a few hundred years ago. Illegal forms were punished between these two stones, especially when they were sacrificed. People who were worthy of heinous punishment as sacrifices were executed here by cutting their throats.

^{Punishment equipment}

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The floor is made of cement below so that the blood can flow out through one side after the throat is cut. For this, a small pipe has been placed in front. Anyway, after seeing this place, I was able to understand the story of punishment from the ancient era. So from there I went to a pond next to it, which is a holy pond. Currently, Shah Makhdum Dargah is a bright symbol of the heritage of Rajshahi city. It is a matter of pride for the locals. And an interesting place to visit for outsiders. Many tourists come here and are interested in learning about the history, culture and religious heritage of Rajshahi.

^{wonderful Holy pond}

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It is an important place for those who believe in history and are interested in learning about the architecture of ancient times. This dargah is a living history for students, writers, researchers and historians. The mosque, ancient graveyard and the aesthetic architecture of the dargah here show the history of Rajshahi and the ancient trend of spreading Islam.

Shah Makhdum Dargah It is a unique testimony to the history, religion, culture and humanity of Rajshahi. For hundreds of years, this dargah has been conveying the message of religious inspiration, peace and humanity to the hearts of thousands of people. It is everyone's expectation that this dargah will maintain its tradition in the future and spread the light of Islamic history among the new generation.

Place Name	Shah Makhdum Dargah, Rajshahi
Google Maps	Location

SteemAtlas code : [//]:# (!steematlas 24.363437 lat 88.594437 long Shah Makhdum Dargah, Rajshahi d3scr)

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