Kunde Ki Niyaz

Koonday, or Kunde ki Niyaz, is Sufi festival commemorating Imam Jafar al Sadiq, who is regarded as the 6th Imam of Ahlul Baith. It is celebrated on the 22nd of Rajab annually, characterized by the preparation of Kheer Puri on this occasion.

 

Etymology

This festival derives its name from Koonday which means earthen pots in Hindi-Urdu languages. Usually, the kheer and puri that are cooked for this occasion are placed in these earthen pots named Koonday.

Celebrations

The concept behind the celebration is to offer Isal-e-Sawab to Imam Jafar al Sadiq, similar to Gyarvi Sharif to Shaykh Jilani. 22nd Rajab is actually the day of the Wisal of Imam Jafar, so on this day his Urs is celebrated. The celebration is characterized by Fatiha and distribution of tabarruk. It is celebrated by both Sunnis and Shias of the Indian subcontinent. Some people believe that the earthen pots, or Kunde, should not be displaced from the place of Fatiha Khwani. Although this is not supported by some modern scholars, earlier scholars supported this belief on the basis of the adab of Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq and his Nazr.

See Also

 * Ibn Arabi

* Khwaja Banda Nawaz

* Bedam Shah Warsi

* Khwaja Ikram Nizami

Reference

• Raj, Sheela (1987). Medievalism to Modernism: Socio-economic and Cultural History of Hyderabad, 1869-1911. Popular Prakashan. p.89. ISBN 978-0-86132-143-8.
• Lecture by Sayyed Aminul Qadri.