211.27.17.92: Removed two further dead websites

2021-07-25T08:42:22Z

Removed two further dead websites

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox recurring event
|name = Phool Walon Ki Sair
|logo =
|image =Panka (fan) over the Idol of Yogmaya in the sanctum.JPG
|caption = A floral Pankha (fan) over the Idol of Yogmaya in the ''sanctum sanctorum'', [[Yogmaya Mandir]]
|location = [[Mehrauli]], [[New Delhi]]
|years_active =
|founded =1812
|dates = September {{citation needed|date=August 2012}}
|genre =
|patron =
|website =
}}

'''Phool Walon Ki Sair''' meaning "procession of the [[florist]]s" is an annual celebration by the flowers sellers of [[Delhi]]. It is a three-day festival, generally held in the month of September, just after the rainy season in the region of [[Mehrauli]]. It is seen as an example of the composite culture of Delhi, which has bolstered an environment of communal harmony in the city, and even today the festival is celebrated by both [[Hindu]]s and [[Muslim]]s alike.<ref name=com/>

This secular festival involves a procession, led by [[shehnai]] players and dancers, and bearing large floral fans, ''pankhas'', to [[Yogmaya Temple]], the shrine of Devi Jog Maya, and winds through Mehrauli bazar, to reach the [[dargah]] of 13th century [[Sufi]] saint, [[Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki]].<ref>''Delhi: a portrait'', by [[Khushwant Singh]], [[Raghu Rai]], Published by [[Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation|Delhi Tourism Development Corp.]], 1983. {{ISBN|0-19-561437-2}}. ''Page 15''.</ref>

Also known as ''Sair-e-Gul Faroshan'' during this three day festival, the flower sellers pray for a better flower season in the coming year by offering big fans, ''pankhas'', embroidered with flowers to both shrines. {{citation needed|date=August 2012}} <ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8aIyc7_Q8JYC&pg=PA129&dq=Phool+Walon+Ki+Sair&as_brr=0 Phool Walon Ki Sair] ''India: A Splendour in Cultural Diversity'', by Paulias Matane. Published by Anmol Publications, 2004. {{ISBN|81-261-1837-7}}. ''Page 129''.</ref><ref>[http://pib.nic.in/archieve/phtgalry/pgyr2001/pg102001/pg05oct2001/05102001.html 5 October 2001] Press Information Bureau, [[Govt. of India]]. "The President Shri [[K.R. Narayanan]] receiving the ' Pankha' of Phool Walon Ki Sair from the members of Anjuman Sair-e-Gul Faroshan in New Delhi on October 5, 2001."</ref>

Just as when it was first conceived, and had the [[Mughal Emperor]] as its patron, these days the festival has the [[Prime Minister of India]] has its main patron; [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] who revived and inaugurated festival in 1962, and all the PMs hence, have equally participated in the festival. Another tradition is to offer a similar floral ''pankha'' to the [[President of India]], [[Chief Minister of Delhi]] and also the Lt. Governor of the city. Recent additions are the cultural troupes from various states of India, which perform songs, dances and drama at the main function which is held at 'Jahaz Mahal' in Mehrauli, located in a corner of 'Hauz Shamsi' and is believed to have been built in [[Lodhi dynasty]] era, takes the festival beyond its vision of communal harmony to that of national integration <ref name=com>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041122064145/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/10/18/stories/2004101800390200.htm Communal harmony, the Delhi way] [[The Hindu]], 18 October 2004.</ref><ref>''President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: 2004-2006'', by S. K. Dhawan. Published by Abhi Books & Distributors, 2007. {{ISBN|81-904675-1-4}}. ''pp 710''."2004 October 6 (Wednesday) PHOOL WALON KI SAIR President Kalam received a pankha of flowers from the members of Anjuman Sair-e-Gul Faroshan"</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041007/nation.htm#17 | title=Kalam presented floral ‘pankha’ | newspaper=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] | location=Chandigarh | date=7 October 2004 | accessdate=25 February 2019 }}</ref>

== Origin ==
[[File:Portrait of Akbar II.jpg|thumb|225px|right|[[Akbar Shah II]]]]
The origin of Phool Waalon Ki Sair goes to 1812, during the reign of the Mughal King [[Akbar Shah II]] (r. 1808 -1837). Akbar Shah-II was not happy with his eldest son [[Siraj Uddin “Zafar”]] ([[Bahadur Shah Zafar II]]) and wanted to nominate his younger son [[Mirza Jahangir]] as the heir Apparent (''Wali-Ahad''). This move was not liked by the then [[British Resident]] in the [[Red Fort]], [[Archibald Seton|Sir Archibald Seton]]. Once Mirza Jahangir who was a reckless youth of 19 insulted Seton in open court and called him Loolu. The British Resident somehow did not react to this insult as probably he did not understand the meaning of Loolu. After a few days, when Mirza Jahangir was merrymaking on the roof of [[Naubat Khana (Red Fort)|Naubat Khana in Red Fort]], Archibald Seton was coming from the [[Durbar (court)|Darbar]] after an audience with Resident. Mirza Jahangir fired a shot at the Resident from the roof of Naubat Khana. Seton escaped but his orderly was killed. For this act of his, Mirza Jahangir was exiled to [[Allahabad]] under orders of the British Resident.<ref name=tim>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121022023922/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-11-02/edit-page/27821049_1_flower-dargah-ancient-temple Say it with Flowers: Phoolwalon-ki-sair] ''[[Times of India]]'', 2 November 2006.</ref><ref>[http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1243379,prtpage-1.cms Phool Walon Ki Sair begins] ''[[Times of India]]'', 26 September 2005.</ref>

[[File:Tomb of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, Mehrauli.jpg|left|200px|thumb|[[Dargah]] of [[Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki]], [[Mehrauli]]]]
The mother of Mirza Jahangir Queen Mumtaz Mahal Begum, was distraught and took a vow that if her son was released from Allahabad she would offer a chadar of flowers at the [[dargah]] of [[Khwaja Bakhtiar ‘Kaki’]] at [[Mehrauli]]. After a couple of years Mirza Jahangir was released and like a devout lady Mumtaz Mahal Begum went to Mehrauli to redeem her vow. With her the Imperial Court also shifted to Mehrauli and so did the entire population of Delhi. For 7 days all sorts of merrymaking continued at Mehrauli with Jhoolas (swings) in the mango groves, [[cock fighting]] and bull baiting, kites flying, wrestling and swimming bouts. Amidst all this merrymaking with great pomp and show, a chadar made of flowers was offered at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki. The Mughal king was secular minded and under his orders floral offering in the shape of a floral pankha was offered at the famous [[Yogmaya Temple]] which is also in Mehrauli.

Seeing the response of the people and sensing the enthusiasm generated, it was decided that the festival will be held annually after the rains and people of all communities will offer pankha and chadar at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki and ''pankha'' and floral offering at Yogmayaji temple. The Darbar was also shifted to Mehrauli for the 7 days of the Festival. The Festival reached its pinnacle during the reign of Siraj-U-ddin "Zafar", the last Mughal emperor also known as [[Bahadur Shah “Zafar”]]. Bahadur Shah "Zafar" went to celebrate "Phool Waalon Ki Sair" even in 1857 when Delhi was under siege of the British. This was the last "Phool Waalon Ki Sair" under the Mughals.<ref>[http://indianmuslims.in/mehrauli-bomb-blast-phool-walon-ki-sair/ Phool Walon Ki Sair] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120709034225/http://indianmuslims.in/mehrauli-bomb-blast-phool-walon-ki-sair/ |date=2012-07-09 }}</ref><ref>[https://mailman.rice.edu/pipermail/sasialit/2003-October/020210.html Phool Walon Ki Sair]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ajourneytoindia.com/delhi-tourism/fairs-and-festivals-of-delhi/phool-walon-ki-sair.html |title=Phool Walon Ki Sair |access-date=23 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218104532/http://www.ajourneytoindia.com/delhi-tourism/fairs-and-festivals-of-delhi/phool-walon-ki-sair.html |archive-date=18 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Celebration ==
The people of Delhi carry flowers from the [[Chandni Chowk]] to Mehrauli- to shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Qutubuddin Kaki and the Devi Jogmaya Mandir. The total distance of the Sair (walk) is about 32 km. One can read Delhi's soul in this journey of 32 km from Chandni Chowk to [[Mehrauli]]. Along the highway were scattered life giving [[baoli]]s and [[caravanserai|sarai]]s to quench the thirst of travellers, built by kings and commoners. Arab ki sarai.. Qutub ki sarai... Parsi temple ki sarai..Yogi ki sarai..Sheikh ki sarai..Badli-ki-Sarai..[[Katwaria Sarai]] etc.<ref>[https://mailman.rice.edu/pipermail/sasialit/2003-October/020210.html Phool waalon ki Sair]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> There used to be all-pervading ambience of fun and merriment what with [[qawwali]]s, and [[kathak]] being performed on the streets. Fire dancers also performed on the streets during the procession and added a mystic allure to the proceedings.

As it passed through streets of Mehrauli, where the Mughal courts used to shift after the rainy season, Mughal Emperor, [[Akbar Shah II]], used to enjoy the procession from the balcony of [[Zafar Mahal (Mehrauli)|Zafar Mahal in Mehrauli]], and watched it move towards the shrine of Sufi Saint Qutbuddin Kaki and later to Yogmaya Temple<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=f70gjLC5chgC&pg=PA15&dq=Yogmaya+Temple&lr=&as_brr=0#PPA15,M1 Akabr Shah] ''The Delhi that no-one knows'', by Ronald Vivian Smith. Published by Orient Blackswan, 2005. {{ISBN|81-8028-020-9}}. ''Page 15''.</ref>

==During British Raj==
The Festival continued to be celebrated even after [[1857 revolt]] by the British Deputy commissioner who was the highest government functionary in Delhi with the help of some prominent citizens. The Festival was stopped by the British during the [[Quit India Movement]] of Mahatma Gandhi in 1942 as part of their suppression of the movement.{{fact|date=June 2021}}

==Revival of the festival==
In about 1961, the then Prime Minister of India [[Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru]] thought of reviving the Festival and asked Mr. Noor Uddin Ahmed, the Mayor Of Delhi, Taimur Jahan Begum, scion of the Mughal Dynasty and Shri Yogeshwar Dayal, scion of a prominent family of Delhi to revive the Festival. "Phool Waalon Ki Sair" was revived in 1961-62, when Nehru joined the festivities on 6 September 1962 <ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=hjdsUXoAqAwC&pg=PA193&dq=Phool+Walon+Ki+Sair&as_brr=0#PPA193,M1 PM's engagements:6-9-1962- 6.00 pm] ''Outside the Archives'', by Y D Gundevia. University of Nevada Press, 1965. {{ISBN|0-86131-723-8}}. ''Page 193''.</ref>

Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru took great interest and came to Mehrauli on every "Phool Waalon Ki Sair" as long as he lived. The Festival has grown since then. During the period of [[Indira Gandhi]] as the Prime Minister, all the States of India were requested to participate in the Festival and the Festival known for communal harmony also took a step towards national integration by weaving the States of India into the garland of flowers of "Phool Waalon Ki Sair".

After its revival in 1962, the Festival is organized every year by the ''Anjuman Sair-e-Gul Faroshan'', a society registered under the [[Societies Registration Act]].

==See also==
*[[Religious harmony in India]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.ajourneytoindia.com/delhi-tourism/delhi-fairs-and-festivals/phoolwalon-ki-sair.html Phool Walon Ki Sair]
* [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Delhi/Hindu-Muslim_flower_fest_strengthens_religious_bonds/rssarticleshow/3629926.cms Hindu-Muslim Flower Fest] at ''[[The Times of India]]''.

{{Delhi|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Flower festivals in India]]
[[Category:Festivals in Delhi]]
[[Category:Religion in Delhi]]
[[Category:Mehrauli]]
[[Category:Festivals established in 1812]]
[[Category:1812 establishments in British India]]

Phool Walon Ki Sair - Revision history

211.27.17.92: Removed two further dead websites