Today's post features a picture of a Sufi shrine in Delhi known as ‘Matka Peer’ (literally translated as ‘earthen pot saint’) from 1931. This was taken by the Associated Press, the American news agency.
Matka Peer is the shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Abu Bakr Tusi Haideri Qalandari, a 13th century Sufi saint renowned for his miraculous powers.One of the most famous stories surrounding the saint involves a confrontation between him and the Sultan of Delhi, Balban, who, jealous of the saint’s influence, gave him a metal ball in an earthen pot to test his powers. The saint transformed the ball into jaggery and chickpeas, a miracle that became part of his legacy. Even today devotees flock to his grave with offerings of jaggery, chickpeas and milk in earthen pots. When emptied the pots are planted on the branches of trees by the shrine attendants, continuing a long-standing tradition.
The Matka Peer Shrine is a testament to the importance of Sufi shrines in India’s spiritual landscape. In the subcontinent, these shrines served as vital sites for the propagation of Islam. The belief in the barakat (spiritual blessings) of Sufi saints ensured that their influence endured beyond their lifetimes. Generations of people found solace and spiritual connection at these shrines, reinforcing the significance of Sufism in places like Delhi.
However, the Associated Press’ 1931 caption misinterpreted the cultural significance of offering matkas. The caption suggests that pots were placed “by poor and pious people in memory of their dead, the natives being too poor to buy flowers.” In fact, offerings of flowers or garlanding are not uncommon at shrines in India. Therefore, this was an Orientalist reading that overlooked the deeper, symbolic meaning of the earthen pot in a specific context.
That’s it from me today. See you next Friday.
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