Finding hope at Kotla

People come with letters listing their problems and leave them in the numerous alcoves in the fort; once their wishes are granted they return with biryani to be distributed among the people visiting the site

Rameez an engineering graduate from Meerut was on a day-long visit to the city. He spent his day distributing his curriculum vitae at various offices hoping for a change in fortune as the company he worked for back home had shut down, leaving him jobless. Though, he had a bus to catch at the ISBT in the evening, he stopped at the Feroz Sha Kotla ruins hoping for a divine intervention, or just a little help to push his resume through the reams of applications that land on various desks everyday.

Every Thursday, hundreds of people like Rameez visit the ruins at Feroz Sha Kotla seeking the help of djinns that are believed to be present there and watch over those who seek their help.

People come with letters listing their problems, job applications, photos of missing people and just about anything else to leave in the numerous alcoves at the fort that are now covered with soot as a result of people lighting candles, diyas and incense sticks to pay obeisance to the djinns.

Believers, try to stick a coin on the soot-covered wall and believe that if the coin sticks, chances of their wish coming true increases. They pray, attach their letter, shower petals and leave with hope.

The gardens that surround the fort are also buzzing with activity every Thursday as people whose wishes have been granted return with cauldrons of biryani, sheermal and other treats to distribute as a ‘thank you’ gesture. Shabnam who was distributing biryani at the fort says she was doing so after her letter seeking a match for her daughter was answered and the marriage date has been fixed.

Mohd. Alam who was visiting the fort with his son says he has never asked for anything but visits often as he finds it a peaceful place that is open for people from all faiths who believe in a larger power. “Walking here you find two types of people. Some struggling in life and looking for a ray of hope and others who are celebrating after finding that ray.”

Another believer, Mohd. Zulfikar Ali says he has been visiting the fort since he was a kid and has seen scores of people visiting to vent their problems. But what he says makes people believe in the djinns is the fact that every Thursday at least 50 people show up with food to distribute which shows that there is some truth in the belief.

The Feroz Sha Kotla ruins are located on Bahadur Sha Zafar Marg and the gates are open to the public without a ticket every Thursday.