Bahrisons, Good Earth, K.K. Lee, Fab Foto, Khan Chacha, Faqir Chand… these long-time icons of Delhi’s legendary Khan Market have evolved into necessary pilgrimage points for Khan Market anthropologists. Not many are aware that the same commercial space also harbours actual pilgrimage points from five religions. One is within the market, while others lie within a very short walk of a minute or two, at most.
Posh people are flitting about the market this evening. At quarter past seven, the front lane’s west side is startled by a sudden tinkling of what appears to be temple bells. The sound is indeed floating out from this corner of the market lane. This is Shri Gopal Mandir’s aarti time, heralding the sunset with prayers dedicated to Ganesh ji, Jagdish ji, Shankar ji, Durga ji, Hanuman ji and Sai Baba ji. The temple has three priests—Vipul, Anil, and Sunit, who are siblings. Each evening, a different brother performs the aarti. Meanwhile, a few shoppers passing by the temple momentarily stop on hearing the aarti. Some keep their hand on the heart, others bow their head. The ceremony lasts 15 minutes.
Mother Mary is identified with white robes. This evening, she is in saffron-coloured Kanjeevaram silk. The sari-clad icon stands in the courtyard of Shrine of Vailankanni, on Prithviraj Lane. Vailankanni is the title given by church-goers to Mary in Tamil Nadu, where “Our Lady of Good Health” is believed to have appeared twice in a town of that name. Ensconced inside a glass case, the blue-eyed Mary is holding her infant Christ. Now, a citizen in red salwar-suit walks up to the icon, her praying palm reaching out to the glass case (see left photo).
This evening, Shahi Masjid’s prayer chamber on Pandara Road is submerged in darkness. The glass chandelier, though, is glowing faintly. Four or five men are lying on the matted floor, probably asleep. Outside in the marble courtyard, a flight of staircase goes up to the mosque’s roof, ascending alongside a jacaranda tree in blossom. The roof is crowned with three domes.
The prayer hall at the serene Sujan Singh Park Gurdwara is sanctified with the divine presence of Guru Granth Sahib. The holy scripture is currently covered with a blue velvety fabric. The adjacent wall is adorned with an illuminated portrait of Amritsar’s Golden Temple. This evening, Manpreet Kaur is the only devotee present for the moment. Accompanied by a harmonium (see other photo), she is softly singing the following kirtan:
“Mere hearey ratan naam har basiya
Guru haath dhariyon mere matha”
This hall on Humayun Road is densely decked with sacred symbols, including the Star of David. Judah Hyam is the Indian capital’s only synagogue.