Thanks Lyn, Great video

This reminded me of the recent letter (Feb 2007) sent by Pir Shabda from that same location, Hazrat Inayat Khan's dargah is in the same compound. I am including the letter below:

Beloved Ones of God, my dear family,

Greetings from Mother India! The past few weeks have been so full there was no time to write you, so I?ll attempt to tell the story chronologically. Be prepared for a long letter, so find a moment when you have the time to read.

The day before our group of 75 convened Tamam and I had an amazing visit with Khawaja Hassan Sani Nizami. He is one of the local elders, a sufi Pir and teacher, and stems from a long line of Sufis tracing back to Baba Farid. His father, Khwaja Hassan Nizami was a friend of Hazrat Inayat Khan and gave the land on which the Dargah of HIK rests.

When he realized we were followers of Murshid Samuel Lewis, Sufi Ahmed Murad Chisti, he immediately went into ecstasy. He told the story that Murshid Sam came to his home around 1956(7 or 8). He wasn?t home but the attendant answered the door. Murshid said ?I?d like to see Khwaja Hassan Nizami? the attendant replied, ?I so sorry, he passed away a few years back.? Murshid said, ?That?s OK, where is his Dargah, I can meet him there!?

So he was taken to the Dargah of Khawaja Hassan Nizami and went into meditation. The attendant found the son, Khwaja Hassan Sani Nizami, who was in his late 20?s (born 1931) and told him there was some white man meditating at his father?s tomb. They met, became deep friends, traveled together, practiced together and kept up a correspondence. Khwaja Hassan Sani Nizami repeated again and again that Murshid Sam was the first of Hazrat Inayat Khan?s mureeds to come to India with an awakened heart. He showed us several books and periodicals that he had printed with Murshid?s photos. He also told us of a 10 page letter of Murshid?s that he had translated and published on a deep teaching, to long to tell here.

Our group convened 7:0AM of Feb 1st beginning with a Raga Class led by Shanti Sharma, one of the premier women vocalists of Mother India. In no time we were all swept into the beauty of the notes and her lovely way of teaching.

After that Taj and myself lead a class together. Taj beautifully wove the fabric of our experience with the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan, day by day and was a tremendous addition to our group.

After breakfast we went for an outing to Hazrat Inayat Khan?s Dargah, sang, prayed and meditated together. From there we walked to Hazrat Nizamuddin and Hazrat Amir Khusrou?s Dargah, both from the beginning of our Chisti lineage in the 13th cent. The Dargah was packed because it was the end of the moth of Muharam and a festival/mourning day. A highlight for me was, in the midst of the crowd, we started singing our zikrs, Bismaillah Er Rahman Er Raheem, with many amazed faces gathered, and many joining in with us, American Qawalis!

The next day, Feb 2nd, we were graced by a visit from the 12th Tai Situpa Rinpoche. Through laughter, simplicity and the deepest of teachings we all were carried to a love fest of heart and clarity. At that point the trip already felt complete.

Saturday, Feb 3rd began the URS Celebrations. I had planned a very ambitious Music Festival with two days of concerts at 11:00AM, 4:00PM and two more artists at 7:30 PM. along with dinner served at the Dargah. I had thought since there was so much music only a few people would have the stamina to attend all and there would be moderate attendance. Instead every concert was filled to capacity.

Musical highlights for me were Arshad Ali Khan, a 21 year old prodigy who sang with amazing depth and virtuosity. Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan, one of the leading male vocalists was very moving. Krishna Bhatt, a dear friend from many decades wove a dynamic tapestry with his sitar. Shanti Sharma gave a beautiful recital followed by a very deep Rudra veena concert by Bahauddin Dagar to end the music festival! (This was the instrument played by Moula Bakhsh, HIK?s grandather.)

On the URS day Feb 5th, we met at Hazrat Nizamuddin?s Aulia?s Dargah, well over 200 people. First the Qawali?s sang. Then we sang our zikrs! Hazrat Inayat Khan?s prayers were recited. Then we carried the chaddar (new tomb cover for Hazrat Inayat Khan?s tomb) from Nizamuddin?s to HIK?s. I was very pleased to have Tamam, Taj and Zuleikha lead, each holding a front corner of the cloth high as we made our way through the lanes, setting a new precedent.

Once arriving at HIK?s Dargah, the Invocation was recited in many languages, followed by Pir Zia and Pir Rasheed each leading a prayer. Again Qawali?s sang. Now was the moment I had felt of great importance. I wanted to make everyone feel welcome and share what we could of Hazrat Inayat?s being and legacy. I spoke a few words. I shared with everyone (with a sound system) that since HIK?s first senior mureed was a woman, Murshida Rabia Martin, and that all his later senior disciples were Murshidas, I invited Taj Inayat to speak, to give the Message through the voice of womankind, I felt it was important to consciously open that door.

A few sentences after Taj began, the sound system failed. She spoke beautifully, but naturally could only be heard by those inside the Dargah itself, the other 100 or more people likely couldn?t hear a thing.

Just after she finished we quickly put the tambouras in place, the tabla player and sarangi player, my accompanists took their place and I was about to being to offer a Raga, and the sound system was fixed! I offer several compositions of praise, ?Oh my Beloved, please take my boat across, Ya Hazrat Inayat. You know my condition? in Rag Todi. Then in a Rag Poorvi, invented by Hazrat Amir Khusrou, ?Ya Maboob, Hazrat Sultan, Pir Chisti, Pir Nizamuddin, and I added Pir Inayat? I closed with Rag Bhairavi improvisation to which all 200 strong joined and sang Hazrat Inayat Khan?s melodic zikr.

At the end I once again noted to the group that it would take work to overcome causes and conditions of the past to give women a voice and therefore once again asked Taj to speak, and she read a beautiful poem by Hazrat Inayat Khan.

Lunch was served, and then after some time off we gathered for Universal Worship, led by Khadija and Khabir. The stage and altar held beautiful flowers, with orchids wrapped around the candles. Cherags from each of the different Inayati streams, read from each of the religious traditions, and Khadija closed with a lovely talk.

Dinner was served, all meals being prepared by the women of the Hope Project. Then somehow we managed to lead over 200 people in the Dances of Universal Peace right in front of the Dargah. Luckily I had a lavalier microphone so the directions could be heard. And it wasn?t just westerners, but many local people as well, all very moved by this gift of holding hands and chanting and moving together brought by the spirit of Murshid Sam!

The morning began with word by Pir Rasheed, grandson of Syed Abu Hashim Madani?s Pir, then a powerful talk by Pir Zia on the state of the world, followed by flowing stories by Khwaja Hassan Sani Nizami. After that, the children of the Basti, from the Hope Project and Memorial Trust School performed songs and plays. At they end I gave them all sufi symbol stickers sent from our Murshida Fatima. We also managed to raise $1100 for them right there in front of the Dargah!

The afternoon began with Murshid Nawab, then Saraswati Barbara Framm gave a beautiful performance of Odissi dance with several traditional Odissi musicians, followed by Pir Sherif Baba giving teachings and telling Nasruddin stories. Someone commented to me that hearing Baba teach with his translator, Cem (pronounced Jem) was like hearing Joe Miller with two bodies!

The evening began with a our dear friend and sister Zuleikha giving a performance with several of us accompanying her musically, followed by Zikr in the shrine and ending with dissolving the mandala of the URS in the Dargah with more Zikr and song and prayer.

As we walked out of the shrine, a few drops of rain fell gently, sealing the events, a sign of blessing on this celebration.

There were more days of journeying to Fatapur Sikri and Agra (the Taj Mahal), a visit to the tomb of Rabia Hazrat BiBi Fatima, the Khankah and Chilla of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, and the tomb of Humayan, but this is enough for now.

It was after this that the cold rain and stormy weather arrived, so that the last breakfast and dinner at La Sagrita were a challenge for both the hotel and the guests. The cloth tent that held the gathering room and dining area was soggy. But our hearts were warm and full, the celebration, complete.