Hazratbal Dargah / Hazratbal Mosque - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 8 km from Srinagar Bus Station, Hazratbal Dargah is a holy Muslim shrine located at Hazratbal locality of Srinagar city in Jammu & Kashmir. Popularly called Dargah Sharif, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in India, and among the best places to visit as part of the Srinagar tour.

Situated on the banks of the famous Dal Lake, Hazratbal Dargah is considered to be Kashmir's holiest Muslim shrine. The major attraction of this majestic shrine is a unique relic called Moi-e-Muqaddas which is believed to be the holy hair from the beard of Prophet Muhammad. The hair is well-preserved inside the structure and is presented before the devotees only on special Islamic occasions like Shab-e-Meraj. The mosque derives its name from two Kashmiri words, 'Hazrat' which means 'holy', and 'bal' which stands for 'place'.

According to legend, the relic was first brought to Kashmir by Syed Abdullah Madani, a descendant of Muhammad who left Medina and settled in Bijapur in 1635. Later, the relic was inherited by Syed Abdullah's son, Syed Hamid, who sold it to a Kashmiri businessman after he was stripped of his family estate and was unable to care for the relic. Aurangzeb captured the businessman, Khwaja Nur-ud-Din Eshai, seized the relic, and sent it to the Ajmer. After nine days, Aurangzeb had a dream in which Muhammad ordered him to send the Moi-e-Muqaddas to Kashmir from Ajmer. Then Aurangzeb returned the holy relic to Eshai. However, Eshai died while imprisoned. The relic finally reached Kashmir in 1700 along with the body of Eshai, and Inayat Begum, the daughter of Eshai, established the shrine for the relic.

According to history, the Hazratbal Shrine, Shah Jahan's Subedar, was built by Sadiq Khan as a unique pleasure house in 1623. However, when Shah Jahan visited the Pleasure House in 1634, he ordered the building to be converted into a prayer house. During Aurangzeb's reign, when Moi-e-Muqaddas, or the holy relic finally arrived in Kashmir in 1699, the relic was placed in the shrine of Naqashbad Sahib, in the heart of the city. The place was consequently found to be inappropriate to house the relic since people thronged the shrine in large numbers to have a look at it. It was then decided to shift the relic to Hazratbal, which was known as Sadiqabad at that time. The marble structure of the Hazratbal Shrine that exists today was constructed by the Muslim Auqaf Trust. The construction began in the year 1968, and the shrine was ready after eleven years in 1979.

Built with a blend of Kashmiri & Mughal architectural styles, this is the only domed mosque in Srinagar. To date, the place offers Friday prayers which attract Muslim residents in large numbers. Besides, it affords a picturesque view of the serene Dal Lake and surrounding mountains. Women are allowed only till the first part of the Hazratbal Shrine.

Timings: 9.30 AM - 5.30 PM

Entry: Free