Khuldabad's timeless legacy: Sufi shrines, tombs & ongoing debate

Deep rooted in Sufi traditions, the history, heritage, and identity of nondescript town of Khuldabad is overshadowed by the demand made by right-wing groups to remove the 17th-century tomb of Mughal emperor Muhi-al-din-Muhammad Aurangzeb, among many, located at the place.

- Shrinivas Deshpande

Situated 25 km from Aurangabad, renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2022, Khuldabad, often called the "Valley of Saints" and the "Garden of Tombs", houses the final resting places of several Sufi saints, including Shaikh Zainuddin Shirazi and Burhanuddin Garib.

It is this spiritual legacy, rather than Aurangzeb's tomb, that locals associate with their town.

Historian Gani Patel, a retired professor from Chishtiya College, explains, "Before the 15th century, Khuldabad was known as 'Rauza' (shrine) as over 1,200 Sufi saints were associated with the area. It was an international centre for Sufi studies, attracting scholars and spiritual figures from across the Islamic world."