Amir Khusro Urs 2027

Hazrat Amir Khusro (around 1253–1325) was a poet, scholar, and musician born at Patiyali, in present-day Uttar Pradesh. His father, of Central Asian Turkic descent, settled in India, while his mother's family was of the Delhi region — a mixed heritage Khusro himself took pride in. He wrote chiefly in Persian and in early Hindavi, the everyday speech that later grew into Urdu and Hindi, and he was known as Tuti-e-Hind, the "Parrot of India," for the sweetness of his verse.

He was the closest disciple of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, the Chishti saint of Delhi, and this bond between master and murid is among the most famous in Sufi history. Khusro also served the courts of several Delhi sultans — from Balban's household through the Khalji and early Tughlaq rulers — yet his devotion stayed with his teacher's khanqah.

His writing was vast. It includes the five long masnavis known together as the Khamsa, historical poems such as Qiran-us-Sadain and Nuh Sipihr, and several collected diwans. He is also remembered for playful riddles and dohe in the common tongue, and for verses like Zihal-e-miskin that weave Persian and Braj together. Tradition credits him with shaping qawwali and with several ragas; some accounts also link him to the sitar and tabla, though historians treat these attributions with caution. He passed away in 725 AH, a few months after his master, and by his own wish was buried close to him. His legacy endures in language, music, and the qawwali still sung at the dargah.

Amir Khusro's tomb stands within the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah complex in the Nizamuddin Basti of Delhi, only a short walk from the grave of his teacher. The complex grew over centuries around the saint's resting place, drawing patronage from sultans and later Mughal rulers, and it remains one of the most visited Sufi sites in northern India.

Entering through the narrow lanes of the basti, a visitor reaches an open marble courtyard shared by several graves. The present tomb of Khusro, faced in white marble with fine jali lattice screens and a small dome, is traditionally said to have been built in the early seventeenth century by a devotee, and rebuilt in later years. Around the same courtyard stand the tomb of Nizamuddin Auliya, the grave of the Mughal princess Jahanara, and the old Jamaat Khana mosque of red sandstone. A stepped baoli (water tank) lies nearby. On Thursday evenings the courtyard fills for qawwali — the very tradition Khusro helped shape — and the space becomes busy, musical, and crowded.

The Amir Khusro urs is observed from around 17 Shawwal and usually spread over about four to five days (roughly 17–20 Shawwal). Because the Hijri calendar is lunar, the matching Gregorian date shifts about 11 days earlier each year, so the English-calendar date changes annually. The live date and countdown for this year are shown above.

People mark the days with a set sequence of observances. Early on, a parcham (flag) is raised over the complex to announce the urs. Devotees then perform chadar-poshi, laying a ceremonial cloth and flowers on the tomb. Qawwali is especially central here — more so than at many shrines — and qawwals sing Khusro's own compositions through long evening and night sessions. Langar, a free community meal, is served through the basti, and the observance draws to a close with the Qul ceremony on the final day.

• Devotees raise the parcham and perform chadar-poshi at the tomb.
• Qawwals perform Khusro's compositions across several nights.
• Many visitors also pay respects at the nearby grave of Nizamuddin Auliya.
• Langar is served and the urs closes with the Qul gathering.

Crowds swell well beyond an ordinary day, and the lanes stay packed from evening into the night.

The dargah lies in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi and is well connected across the city. The nearest railway station is Hazrat Nizamuddin, roughly 1–2 km away on the main line, while New Delhi station is a few kilometres further. On the Delhi Metro, the closest stops are JLN Stadium and Jangpura on the Violet Line, each a short auto ride from the basti. Indira Gandhi International Airport is the nearest airport, around 15 km away.

By road the area sits close to the Mathura Road corridor, and city buses stop along the main road. Autos and taxis drop visitors at the edge of the market, and from there you continue on foot through the narrow lanes, past shops selling flowers, chadar, and offerings, until you reach the courtyard.

Thursday evenings and the days of the urs are the busiest, with large crowds and full qawwali sessions, so a quieter weekday morning is easier if you want space to sit. Delhi summers are hot and the lanes stay humid when packed, so carry water and pick cooler hours where you can. Wear footwear you can slip off easily, since shoes are removed before entering, and it helps to leave heavy bags behind and keep valuables close in the crush. Dress modestly, and women may wish to carry a scarf to cover the head. The shrine welcomes visitors of all backgrounds; keep phones quiet during qawwali and follow the caretakers' guidance. You can also see the urs calendar for other dargah dates through the year.