Phool Waalon Ki Sair - Delhi Heritage City

Phool Waalon Ki Sair: A Living Tradition
by Usha Kumar
‘Khalk Khuda kaa, mulk Badshah kaa, hukm Company Bahadur kaa…..’ While making important
public announcements the drum beaters used this prelude to give the factual political
situation in a few words. ‘Company Bahadur’ was an epitaph coined by the local populace
for East India Company. We all know that the world belongs to the Almighty God, the
Country belonged to the King, but the rule was of the East India Company.
The origin of most of the Indian festivals is shrouded in the mystery of myth and legend, whereas
Phool Waalon Ki Sair originated from a historical episode. It was the year 1812 A.D., on
the so called throne of Delhi sat the Mughal king Akbar Shah II. The British ruled the country
through a functionary called the British Resident the royalty was still there as a facade. Even for this
show of monarchy there was in-fighting within the Mughal royalty. To this tottering apology of a
kingdom, one of the Princes had to be declared ‘Wali-Ahad’ (heir ppparent). There was the
eldest son Abdul Muzaffar Sirajuddin Bahadur Shah (Bahadur Shah) from the first wife of
Akbar Shah II and there was Mirza Jahangir from the second wife Begum Mumtaaz
Mahal. The King and the Queen favoured Mirza Jahangir while the British Resident Mr.
Archibald Seton was not in favour of appointing Mirza Jahangir as the ‘heir apparent’ but
was leaning towards the more mature Bahadur Shah, for this declaration.
Mirza Jahangir thought that the British Resident was conspiring with Bahadur Shah against him and in
a fit of anger he called the British Resident ‘Loo loo hai bey!’in full view of the King in open
darbar (‘Loo loo hai bay’ is a mild abuse which is hard to explain in English, could mean
‘You are stupid/mad/impotent’) Of course, the British Resident did not understand what
was meant by this utterance hurled at him in an abusive manner, he looked here and
there in the shocked audience for some explanation of what had been said to him. Some
one tried to pacify the British Resident by saying, ‘Sir he has called you a real pearl’ while
another said, ‘Sir this means a ghost’, but the real meaning no one was able to convey to
him. The whole episode was forgotten with the lapse of time.
One day, as was his wont, Mirza Jahangir was making merry on the roof of the naqqaar khana
in the Red Fort when his attendants noticed Sir Archibald Seton coming from the darbar in
diwan-e-aam and walking towards the naqqaar khana to go out. Mirza Jahangir, in a fit of
rage took the pistol from his bodyguard and shot at the British Resident. The shot killed
the orderly of the British Resident while he himself escaped with only his hat falling off.
The British Resident left the Red Fort, but returned with his soldiers from the cantonment and
surrounded the palaces in the Fort. Mirza Jahangir went and hid in his mother’s chambers, thinking
that the soldiers would not enter zenana (ladies’ chambers) but, the soldiers did not care and
entered the zenana and pulled Mirza Jahangir from behind a large bolster and took him
away. He was ordered to be banished from Delhi and was sent to Allahabad.
This brought gloom to the city of Delhi for Dilliwallas always loved their royalty and forgave
the errant prince his misdemeanour. Mirza Jahangir’s mother was distraught with grief
due to separation from her dearest son. She vowed before the Shrine of
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki in Mehrauli that if with the grace of the Khwaja her son is
allowed to return to Delhi, she would offer a chaadar made of flowers at the Shrine.
There were efforts for reconciliation, the King and the Queen swore affidavits to the effect that they
would not question the authority of the British Resident and would submit to the declaration of

Phool Waalon Ki Sair: A Living Tradition
by Usha Kumar
Bahadur Shah as the ‘heir apparent’. The orders of banishment were lifted and Mirza
Jangir was allowed to return to Delhi.
The news brought relief to all around, Mirza Jahangir was given a hero’s welcome. Beautiful gates
were put up on the route from which the Prince was to enter Delhi. Gulabjal (rosewater) was
sprinkled on the roads, women stood with aartis to welcome him; people sang songs of
welcome to greet the Prince.
After some time Queen Mumtaaz Mahal prepared to fulfil her vow to the Shrine of Khwaja Qutbuddin
Bakhtiar Kaaki in Mehrauli. The royalty started their preparation for going to Mehrauli, the populace
of Delhi was not to lag behind in participation. Every one moved with the royal procession. The
retinue stopped on way at Safdarjung Tomb, originally known as ‘Mansur Ka Madarsa,’ to rest and
then continued on its way to reach Mehrauli by sunset. The royalty stayed at the Jungli Mahal, now
known as Zafar Mahal adjacent to the dargah while the others accommodated themselves
in the various dharmshaalaas (Hindu charitable institutions), khaankaahs (institutions
where Sufi saints lived along with their disciples) and serais (inns) in Mehrauli.
The next day with pomp and show befitting the Mughal royalty a delicately woven floral chaadar
was offered at the Shrine of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki. Several flower sellers
from Delhi had woven beautiful chaadars to be offered at the Shrine, one enthusiastic flower
seller had added a beautiful large floral fan in the masehri (some what like a mosquito
net). In those days there was no electricity and large fans made of cloth, straw. wood, cane, khus
rushes, silk embroidered with gold, etc were hung in the ceiling. There were many Hindus
in the congregation, it was suggested that the Hindu subjects must also participate in the
celebrations, and it was decided to offer the large fan in the masehri at
the Yog Maya Temple nearby. All the people present in the congregation went to
the Yog Maya Temple with the pankha (fan) which was then offered at the Temple.
The royalty and the people of Delhi stayed in Mehrauli for seven days, while the men flew kites, swam
in the baolis and in Shamsi Taalaab, played games like cock fighting and wrestling, the
ladies enjoyed the seasonal showers in mango orchards in Mehrauli swinging on the
swings tied to the branches of mango trees, enjoying mangoes and singing.
The royalty felt itself much closer to its subjects. It was an extended picnic for every body. The
Mughal King Akbar Shah II was enthralled with the experience and decided to make it an annual
feature. It was announced that the event will be called ‘Phool Walon Ki Sair’ and will be held
every year and the darbar will also shift to Mehrauli for those seven days.
The most common question asked about Phool Waalon Ki Sair is, “Why is it called ‘sair’, do the
flower sellers go on a walk!” In Dilli dialect which is a language spoken in the original
Dilli families; ‘sair’ is not a walk, but it means an event, a scene, an activity taking place,
an activity worth seeing.
Then, the ‘sair’ became an annual festival every one looked forward to, like Eid and Diwali.
When Bahadur Shah ascended the throne, in 1837 A.D., he expanded the festival added
events and improved the manner of celebrations. It was at its pinnacle during his reign.
Janab Mirza Farahtulla Beg in his book ‘Bahadur Shah Aur Phool Waalon Ki Sair’ (in Urdu)
has given a beautiful account of the sair during Bahadur Shah’s days.

Phool Waalon Ki Sair: A Living Tradition
by Usha Kumar
Pankhaas were taken out in a procession with a lot of fanfare, starting from a once
beautiful monument in Mehrauli known as the Jharna (waterfall) the procession used to
go through the Mehrauli Bazaar. There used to be many akhaaras (groups) some
demonstrating martial arts, some showing their expertise in games and sports. Each
group had its band of musicians and attendants carrying large chandeliers for light. There
were large moving stages on which dancing girls used to demonstrate their art of
classical singing and dancing while people watched from the balconies of the houses
above the shops and showered silver coins in appreciation of their art and skills.
This became an annual feature and with the passage of time a tradition. In the year 1857 A.D., there
was an uprising against the British rule which was termed as ‘mutiny’ by the British and the ‘war of
Independence’ by Indians, Mughal King Bahadur Shah Zafar was punished for
participating in this uprising and was sent to Rangoon in exile where he composed a
number of heart rending poems and ultimately was buried there. He never got the ‘Do
gaz zamin’ in his ‘Ku-e-yaar’ which he yearned for.
(Two yards of land in his beloved country where he could be buried)
After the war of Independence in 1857, the Mughal dynasty came to an end with Bahadur Shah.
Realising that the aura of Ganga –Jamuni tahzeeb (the art of living in communal harmony) was
very strong in Delhi, the British continued Phool Waalon Ki Sair and started organising this
event with a few prominent (loyal) citizens of Delhi.
In 1942 A.D. Mahatma Gandhi gave the call ‘Angrezon Bharat chhoro!’ (Britishers! Quit India)
this call of Mahatma Gandhi is known as the famous ‘Quit India movement’ the impact of
this call was felt through out the country and the British rulers, reacted strongly and
adopted ‘Divide and rule’ policy in a desperate attempt to divide the people of Delhi
according to their religion. The first casualty of this policy was Phool Waalon Ki Sair and they
stopped organising it as this festival gave the message of unity and they wanted to divide
Hindus and Muslims.
In 1947 A.D., the country was divided into Hindustan and Pakistan; the divisive forces not
only divided the country but also Hindus and Muslims. There ensued the biggest exodus in
history from one country to another, driven by political myopia.
There was a mammoth task facing both Pakistan and Hindustan, the task of resettlement of those
who had been uprooted from their land and had lost everything including their dear ones. Apart from
material loss there was immense emotional injury which required a balm to heal.
At such a time Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru the then Prime Minister of India thought of the almost
forgotten festival known as ‘Phool Waalon Ki Sair’. He wanted the festival to be revived, to
unite the two communities, to revive the famous Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of Delhi, the art of
living together while professing different religions, participating in each other’s rituals ceremonies and
festivals. Ganga and Jamuna are the two sacred rivers in India and this has reference to the two
cultures/religions flowing together like the two rivers. He requested Shri Nuruddin Ahmed the then
Mayor of Delhi and Shri Yogeshwar Dayal scion of an aristocratic family of Delhi and a known figure in
cultural circles of Delhi for his contribution to the cultural aspect in Delhi, to revive Phool Waalon Ki
Sair. A society was formed with prominent citizens of Delhi which was called, ‘Anjuman Sair
–E-Gul Faroshan’.

Phool Waalon Ki Sair: A Living Tradition
by Usha Kumar
The festival had almost become history as it had not been celebrated for almost twenty
years! In the political upheaval much damage had been done as many of the Muslims
associated with the festival had gone to Pakistan and with the long gap many were not
traceable. Efforts were made to find about the festival about the manner of celebration and
tracing out some of the families of old flower sellers who used to participate in the
festival. Not much literature was available so the old people of Delhi were approached, some had
seen the festival as celebrated by the British, while some had heard from their elders
accounts of the festival during the Mughal days.
Though the Phool Waalon Ki Sair had almost been forgotten the Ganga and the Jamuna still
flowed side by side and the spirit of unity pervaded. Slowly and steadily the festival was
revived and again Hindus and Muslims offer the floral chaadar and pankha at the shrine of
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki and floral chhatra and pankha at Shri Yogmaya Temple in
Mehrauli.
A pankha of Phool Walon Ki Sair was originally made of bamboo sticks covered with
coloured silk on which two pictures were placed in golden frames, one picture depicting a
Hindu God/goddess and the other showing Kaba or verses from the Quran. The Mughal
kings got pankhas made in gold and silver in such a way that perfume used to emanate
from them.
Mehrauli is the place which saw the earliest recorded civilization which was known as the first Delhi.
Historically Delhi is compared to Rome which was built and destroyed seven times. The
earliest Delhi was the rocky area in the Shivalik range of mountains under the Tomar king Anang Pal,
who built the Lal Kot (1060 A.D.), this was later developed by the Chauhan king Prithvi Raj Chauhan
as Qila Raipithora (1180 A.D.), of which a major portion of walls and bastions can be seen near Saket
in South Delhi. According to legend, Yog Maya Temple in Mehrauli was built by Pandav king
Yudhishtar of the Maha Bharat era and Bhagwan Krishna came to visit this temple with the Pandavs
during the Mahabharat war. The presiding deity in this temple, Devi Yogmaya was the sister of Shri
Krishna.
Mehrauli abounds in historical monuments, the Qutb Minar a world Heritage site is situated
in Mehrauli. It also has Hindu temples, Sufi dargahs, dharmshaalaas and khaankaahs. It
has several water bodies like baolis (step wells) lakes etc. The Hauz Shamsi or Shamsi
Talaab was made by Shamsuddin Iltutmish in 1229-30, in red sandstone and extended to
a hundred acres. The Jahaaz Mahal, where the main event of Phool Waalon Ki Sair is held
was constructed during the Lodhi period. The dargah of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki
(1236 A.D.) is of a Sufi saint who was a disciple of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Garib
Nawaaz ofAjmer and is second in importance to the dargah in Ajmer.
Another beautiful monument is the Jharna (water fall) constructed in the Mughal style of
gardens (1700A.D.), it is on a lower level from the road and the roof of one of the
pavilions had holes made in such a way that the water used to fall from those holes like a
water fall, in the wall there were niches in which lighted lamps were placed, the water
falling over the lighted lamps gave the impression of melted gold flowing down. During the
Mughal days the procession of pankhas used to begin from the Jharna. Even after the revival
of Phool Waalon Ki Sair for some years the pankha procession assembled at Jharna.
Now a days the programme of Phool Waalon Ki Sair starts from the house of the Lieutenant
Governor of Delhi where shehnai is played to announce the advent of Phool Waalon Ki Sair

Phool Waalon Ki Sair: A Living Tradition
by Usha Kumar
and the festivities connected with it and a floral pankha, an emblem of communal
harmony, is presented to the dignitary by Hindus and Muslims together. After that
shehnai is played in Delhi Sachivalaya to greet the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary
of Delhi, and floral pankhas are presented.
After 1857 A.D. when the Festival was being organised by the British, the Deputy Commissioner used
to be the highest government functionary in Delhi and the first notes of shehnai announcing the
advent of the festival used to emanate from his office. Keeping the tradition alive, shehnai
is played at the office of the Deputy Commissioner (now Divisional Commissioner) and a
floral pankha is presented to the Divisional Commissioner.
Chandni Chowk, the beautiful historical bazaar in Delhi could not be ignored for such an event and
shehnai is played in the Town Hall and a pankha is presented to the Mayor of Delhi and there
after shehnai is played in the lanes and by lanes of Shahjahanabad to announce the
advent of Phool Waalon Ki Sair.
It is a programme extending to almost ten days. A floral pankha is presented to the President
of India at Rashtrapati Bhawan and to the Vice President of India at his residence.
The Hindu and Muslim citizens of Delhi led by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi offer a chaadar and
a pankha both made of flowers at the mazaar of Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki in
Mehrauli with fanfare accompanied by shehnai and dhol-tashe, qawwaals go along, singing
qawwaali in praise of the Almighty. The chaadar is offered at the Shrine. There after, a
qawwaali mehfil (musicale) is held in the compound of the dargah.
The next day in the morning traditional sports like kabaddi and kushti (wrestling), kho-kho and
kite flying competitions are held. In the evening floral chhatra and floral pankha is
offered at the ancient temple of Shri Yogmaya ji in Mehrauli by Muslims and Hindus lead by a
Muslim dignitary. The chhatra (canopy) made of flowers along with a floral pankha is taken
in a procession from the compound of the Temple with dhol-tashe and shehnai to the
sanctum sanctorum, the priest applies tilak on the foreheads of all present including
Muslims and gives them prasad of halwa and boiled Bengal gram, and a chunri (veil) of
the goddess. The there is a cultural programme after this ritual in the compound of the temple.
The final day the programme shifts to Jahaz Mahal a historical monument near Shamsi Talab in
Mehrauli. Some States of India participate by sending two pankhas each and their traditional
cultural troupes. The pankhas are made in the traditional styles of the respective States.
The cultural troupes perform in the typical styles of the different States the atmosphere
depicts unity in diversity. After the programme of the States, the cultural troupes and the
pankhas form into a procession and go through the Mehrauli Bazaar with shehnai and
dhol tashe, one pankha from each State is offered at the dargah and the other pankha
from each State is taken to the Yog Maya Temple. The President of India sends two floral
pankhas which are also sent with the procession of pankhas to be offered at the dargah
and at the temple.
After the procession of pankhas the most popular item i.e. Qawwaali is held for which three
famous qawwaal parties take the stage and give the message of National Integration and
Communal Harmony. It is in Delhi only that one hears Muslim qawwaals starting the
qawwaali programme with a Hindu hymn ‘Jai Ganesh jai Ganesh jai Ganesh Deva, mata
thari Parvati pita Mahadeva’ (Hail the god Ganesha your mother is Parvati and father is

Phool Waalon Ki Sair: A Living Tradition
by Usha Kumar
Mahadeva ) while a Hindu qawwaal sings ‘Ya Ali, mere Maula….’ the aura of brother hood,
the art of living together is all pervading.
Recognising the success of Phool Waalon Ki Sair in achieving its goal of communal amity and
national integration the Government of India awarded the National Communal Harmony
award to Anjuman Sair –E- Gul Faroshan for organising Phool Waalon Ki Sair in 2009
which was presented by the President of India.