Haji Ali Dargah

Haji Ali Dargah is a mosque and tomb standing on a small islet about 500 metres off the coast at Worli in Mumbai, reached along a narrow causeway through the sea. Haji Ali Dargah was built in 1431 in memory of Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, a Sufi saint and wealthy merchant from Bukhara, and its white domes and minaret are one of the best-known sights on the Mumbai shoreline.

Legend says the saint gave up his worldly goods and asked that his body be cast into the sea on his death; the coffin came to rest on this rock, and the shrine was built over it. Haji Ali Dargah is visited by people of all faiths, who come to pray, tie threads and make wishes. In 2016 the Bombay High Court ruled that women must be allowed into the inner sanctum again, a landmark case for access to religious sites. The causeway is only fully walkable at low tide, when it fills with pilgrims and stalls; at high tide the sea laps at its edges and the dargah seems to float on the water.

What to see

• The white Indo-Islamic facade and minaret, seen from the causeway
• The saint's tomb, covered in red and green chadars and garlands inside the inner sanctum
• Mirror work and marble inside the main hall
• Qawwali devotional singing, often in the evenings, especially Thursdays and Fridays
• Sunset views back to the Mumbai skyline from the rocks at low tide

What to wear

Dress conservatively at Haji Ali Dargah: long sleeves or at least covered shoulders, and long trousers or skirts. Women should cover their heads, and men are also encouraged to; a scarf is useful to carry. Shoes are removed before entering the shrine. The causeway can be wet and slippery, so wear sandals that are easy to take off. Many women visiting wear a salwar kameez with a dupatta, and some men a white kurta pyjama with a skullcap.

Local food to try

Haji Ali Juice Centre, at the start of the causeway, is a Mumbai landmark for fresh juices, milkshakes, falooda and fruit cream. Nearby Muslim neighbourhoods have halal kebab, biryani and nihari restaurants, and in Ramadan the evening food stalls are lively. Stalls on the causeway sell sweets, dates and offerings of flowers and chadars. Mahalaxmi, next door, has Maharashtrian vegetarian snacks such as vada pav and sabudana vada.

Good to know

• Best time: check tide tables and go at low tide; evenings are busiest and most atmospheric
• Open daily from early morning to late evening
• Free entry; donations and offerings are optional
• Allow 45 minutes to an hour
• On Lala Lajpatrai Road at Haji Ali junction, Worli, about 8 km north of Churchgate
• Photography of the exterior is fine; be discreet inside and during prayers

Nearby places

Haji Ali Dargah is next to Dhobi Ghat at Mahalaxmi, and a short drive north of Marine Drive. On the way to or from the international airport, the dargah is easy to glimpse from the road.