Makhdoom Ali Mahimi - Greater Bombay Police

Greater Bombay Police

Bombay Police Officers and the constables are personally attached to Hazrat Makhdum Shah Mahaimi. But every year, apart from that, the Police Department, on the occasion of his death anniversary (Urs) shows their devotion to such a manner that it has set an example of its own not to match it by any other in the whole of India. In this way they express their attachment to such a great scholar and spiritual person. For that expression of their attachment to Makhdum Shah Mahaimi, the Mahim Police Station Staff represents the whole Bombay Police Department In Mahim Police Station, there is a special room which is called Makhdum Baba Room. It was got built and constructed by an English Senior Inspector of Police at Mahim PoliceStation in the time of British Rule in India. In this particular room, are stored the relics of Makhdum Shah era, such as Goods to be used for Sandal, flat dishes, bed sheets, shawls and some other things and articles. The roon is highlyadorned and given respect by the police men. They do not enter it with their shoes on. The Urs of Hazrat Makhdum Shah Mahaimi is held, generally, in the month of December. It lasts. for ten days. For that purpose the Police Department forms a. Urs Committee and, generally, the Senior Inspector of the Mahim Police Station is the Chairman of it. The whole arrangement of the Urs for ten days is in the hands of the Mahim Police Department. The Thirty Six Thousand or so police officers and the constables give their contribution willingly for the Sandal and other celebrations as regards the Dargah, the Shrine of Hazrat Makhdum Shah Baba.

The Qutb-e-Kokan (The Polar Star of Kokan) Hazrat Makhdum Shah Mahaimi’s Urs is celebrated for ten days. Every year, it is deemed inevitable the Greater Bombay Police is to present its Sandal before all others. The preparations go on before the Urs starts. The Mahim Police gets a new look with its cleaning and new painting of the Police Station. Adequate arrangement of lighting is done to befit this occasion. Mahim Police Station is the only one and the only police station all over India where, on behalf Bombay Police, such celebrations as recitation of the Qura’n. Milad (Ode to the birth of Muhammad), Gatherings for Salat and Salam and so on are held.

On the first day of the Urs, after the early morning prayers, the recitation of the Quran is held in th room of the Senior Inspector of the Mahim Police Station. After it is over, the gathering of recitation of poetry in the praise of Muhammad, conveying of best wishes to him and his nativity (Milad Khwani) are celebrated in the courtyard of the Police Station of Mahim. After the Noon-time (Zohar) prayers are over, the procession of the police on behalf of the Police Station, starts. Even the Police Commissioner, the inspectors, with the flat-dishes (thals) of Sandal on their hands, walk on foot in the procession.

In this ceremony of the procession of Sandal, all the police stations of the Grater Bombay are represented by their presence through their police officers, constables and their family members. After it is over, then and then only, the other Sandals can be presented on the Shrine. It is said that in the first Sandal ceremony, the majority is of the police and their relatives. After the sandals are presented the offerings and the sweets are distributed and sent to all the Crime Branches and other departments of all the seventy two Police Stations all over Bombay . In all the ten days of the celebrations of the Urs, the musical programmes and singing are held in the courtyard of the Police Station of Mahim.