Finally, women enter Mumbai’s Haji Ali Dargah inner sanctum

Mumbai: The Haji Ali Dargah Trust on Tuesday allowed women access to the iconic mausoleum’s sanctum sanctorum, but new rules bar everyone from touching the shrine of saint Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari.

For the first time since 2012, the trust allowed women to enter the shrine, following orders from the Supreme Court. The move is considered a ‘massive victory for equality’ by Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) who moved the court in August 2014 petitioning against the ban that was brought in place in 2012. “Till 2012, women were allowed to enter the dargah, but suddenly access was restricted, citing religious laws. But, we decided to raise our voice and moved court,” said Zakia Soman, the co-founder of the BMMA. Ms Soman is one of the 200 women from BMMA who walked the ramp leading to the dargah around 2 pm and entered the shrine.  Till 2012, women were allowed entry till the sanctum sanctorum including the grave of the saint, but then access was discontinued.

Many women were surprised to see the doors that earlier barred their entry were open. “I thought it must be a mistake or that they were cleaning the area, but then I saw a woman entering and looking around and no one stopped her so I too entered the shrine,” said Munaira Shaikh. Her daughter, 19, said this was the first time she was entering the shrine. “My mother used to tell me that earlier we were allowed to enter, but since I came here as a child, we have never been inside. It feels different,” she said.