Ehsan Fazili/Srinagar

The Hazratbal Shrine, one of the most revered Islamic shrines in the world, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, was thrown open to the public in its grandiose and exquisite form on the eve of Eid-Milad un Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, whose relic is housed inside.

As Dr. Darakshan Andrabi, the first and only woman chairperson of a waqf board in India, inaugurated the refurbished shrine, the onlookers were stunned to see its staid walls turned into a repository of local crafts, Islamic inscriptions, and interiors brightened up with light filtering from the digitally-operated shimmering chandeliers.

The brand new shrine is also fitted with digital systems to keep up with the changing times.

The Hazratbal Shrine

A whole new digital electric system has been installed with complete air conditioning of the interiors and replacing the old sound system with a new digital system.

“Pure gold carvings, khatamband, papier-mâché, pinjrakari, calligraphy, and glass-art have been used in synchronized professionally designed frames to give the interiors a new look.

“Magnificent chandeliers with Quranic Verses engraved on them add to the glory of the shrine. The Noor-Khana of the shrine has been given a magical look”. The statement from the Waqf Board, thus, described the works accomplished under the prestigious project. 

Islamic inscriptions on the interior walls of the shrine

According to the Waqf Board insiders, Dr Andrabi closely supervised the year-long construction and beautification works.

The inauguration was held amid Naat-Khwani and Darood-Khwani, leading to a divine ambiance.

The J&K Waqf Board launched this mega project last year with rebuilding and plastering of the inside walls using local heritage crafts and arts.

Andrabi was in tears while inaugurating the project. She was accompanied by Waqf Board members Dr Ghulam Nabi Haleem and Syed Mohammed Hussain Haqqani, along with prominent religious scholars Maulana Ghulam Rasool Hami, Maulana Mohammad Ashraf, and others.

The Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, who had earlier visited the shrine, congratulated Dr Darakhshan Andrabi on inaugurating the project of the revered shrine. He also shared the short film on Harzatbal on the X:

“Congratulations to Dr Darakhshan Andrabi & J&K Waqf Board for leading the historic renovation of Hazratbal Dargah. After 1968, this is the first major interior transformation of the shrine. The new design blends modernity with the traditional artistry of Kashmir. A proud cultural milestone for J&K’s spiritual heritage……..”    

جموں و کشمیر کے لوگوں کو مبارک ہو۔

Congratulations to Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi & J&K Waqf Board for leading the historic renovation of Hazratbal Dargah.
After 1968, this is the first major interior transformation of the shrine.
The new design blends modernity with the traditional… pic.twitter.com/mRbxKoOyIS

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 3, 2025

The shrine is thronged by devotees from across the Valley on special occasions like Eid, when the Moia Mukadas or the holy relic – a strand of the Prophet’s hair – encased in a glass casket is shown to the public from the first floor of the building.  

The shrine holds its annual week-long festival, which begins on Saturday and will end on Friday.

An elderly person blessing J&K Waqf Board Chairperson Dr Darakshan Andrabi inside the shrine

"It is a blessing to inaugurate this project ahead of the Milad celebrations. State-of-the-art construction project has made Dargah the most beautiful shrine of the country and the region”, Dr Darakhshan Andrabi said.

She said that it was her dream project, and its completion has filled her heart with gratitude to God who helped us in making this possible. She said that from her first day in office, she and her team worked hard to create better and beautiful infrastructure at the shrine to facilitate the devotees.

She announced that Waqf Board’s infrastructural and development projects would continue. A documentary film on the Mega Project was screened on the occasion.

Interiors of the Hazrartbal Shrine

The Hazratbal shrine, overlooking Dal Lake and Zabarwan Hills, is the most revered in Kashmir.

Nearly one lakh devotees converge at the Dargah on the occasion of Milad annually. Thousands of pilgrims, drawn from the capital Srinagar and distant areas of the valley, pay their obeisance and have “Deedar” of the relic on different occasions.

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It’s a must-visit place for the dignitaries and leaders visiting the Valley. Before the onset of militancy in Kashmir, the shrine was the center of J&K's major political party - the National Conference.