After crossing the Buland Darwaza two huge
cauldrons, one on the right and the other on
the left are seen. The bigger one fixed on
the platform was presented by Emperor Akbar
in 1567 A.D. and small one was the present
of Emperor Jahangir in 1613 A.D. for the
purpose of cooking food for the poor. The
bigger one takes 2.5 Tons of rice and other
staff in their proportion, the smaller one
third of that quantity in each cooking. The
cost of cooking is met by rich pilgrims
visiting the Rowza Sharif of the Great
Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty R.A.A.
(peace to his soul).
Throughout the years, food is cooked in
these two big degs by the pilgrims of the
Great Khawaja Gharib Nawaz R.A.A. (Peace to
his soul). The other contents of the rich
food are sugar, ghee, dry fruits, very
expensive spices, saffron, etc. At the rates
prevailing in India in 1979, each cooking
requires Rs. 20,000/- in the big deg and
half the amount in the small deg. Hence both
these degs are occasionally used. However,
the expenditure varies in accordance with
the fluctuating prices.
The looting of the degs by the residents of
Anderkote is very interesting. The residents
by right entitled to loot the food after
cooking. After looting the degs they make
money by selling the looted food and earn
their livelihood. This right was conferred
by the Emperors when these degs were donated
to the Dargah Endowment. The prescribed
rental fee for getting food cooked in the
small deg is six hundred seventy one rupees
and paise sixty (671.60) and one thousand
three hundred ninety five rupees and paise
sixty (1396.60) for the bigger one, which is
to be deposited in the Dargah Office,
without which cooking does not take place.
Likewise, the donor must be represented by a
Vakil also called a Khadim, without whose
representation cooking does not take place.
A portion of the fee (Zar-e-Chaharrum) is
paid to the Vakil by the Dargah Committee.
This is a very old tradition originally
established after due regard to several
considerations. The violation of this is
said to amount to non-fulfillment of the vow
of the donor.
The smaller deg underwent major repairs in
1978 under the supervision of the Dargah
authorities, and it is said that it was
thoroughly reconstructed, its size being
reduced considerably.
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