The Other One – Now Restored

Conservation architect Vikas Dilawari carries out a sensitive restoration of the Ma Hajiani Dargah which sits atop a hilly outcrop meeting the Arabian Sea at Worli, Mumbai. After more than 100 years of being subjected to the ravages of the sea, battering winds and lashings of rain, much of it needed to be handled with kid gloves, to bring back its former appearance as well as strengthen its structure. Devyani Jayakar talks to Dilawari about his skilful negotiation of a precarious exercise.

You could miss it. Most don’t even know of its existence – unlike the famous Haji Ali Dargah which sits in the middle of the bay on the western coast of Mumbai. This low profile mausoleum is built in honour of Ma Hajiani, a saint believed to be the sister of Saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. The better-known Haji Ali Dargah, houses the tomb of the latter. According to legend, they died at sea and their bodies were washed ashore, a small distance from each other. They were then buried at the places where they were found. Subsequently, two tombs were built – Haji Ali for the brother and Ma Hajiani for the sister.

A Grade II heritage structure, the Ma Hajiani Dargah is in the custodianship of the Ismail Yusuf Trust, which commissioned Dilawari to restore it in 2017. The Dargah has been in use from the time of its construction in 1908 and had undergone a few repairs and interventions in the span of more than 100 years, to either address structural concerns or maintenance related issues. Dilawari came with impeccable credentials – his work has won 15 UNESCO awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. He espouses restoration over beautification and conservation over redevelopment with an evangelical zeal, in a field in which there are no easy answers.

Since all dargahs have to be connected to the earth and this one sits 80 feet above the sea, Dilawari believes it may have the highest plinth in Mumbai. ‘Western and Indo Saracenic influences come together with consummate ease in its architectural style and details – unfortunately, the name of the original architect is unknown,’ he says.