Gujarat Assorted

Sidi men catching-up with each-other after the afternoon prayers at their village mosque

Loban or Frankincense, an aromatic resin with medicinal qualities burned during the Sidi ritual ceremonies. The ash is later collected and distributed to the devotees.

Seen here are the Sidi caretakers and people serving in the Nagarchi scared complex at Jambur, Gujarat

Devotees walking to attend the afternoon rituals at the shrine for Bava Habasah after observing the rituals to the central shrine of Bava Gor at Ratanpur in Gujarat

The decorated interiors of the Sidi Sultan dargah at Ahmedabad

“Sidi Jhujhar” as he is remembered in the present, was a statesman and a general who served the last Sultan Shamsud-Din Muzaffar Shah III of the Gujarat Sultanate.

Most of the Sidi women living in interior Gujarat earn their livelihood by collecting firewood from the forest and selling them in local markets.

Devotees visiting the shrine of Bava Gor can in the restrooms adjacent to the shrines. People suffering from afflictions stay at these restrooms till they are cured.

The small grocery store in the remote sidi village of Shirvan, Gujarat.

The central shrine dedicated to Bava Gor currently under restoration.

Sidi shopkeeper busy selling flowers, incense sticks, and frankincense to devotees during the jumeraat on Thursday, an auspicious day

The entrance of the shrine dedicated to Bava Habash, younger brother of Bava Gor that is located on a neighboring hill.

Sidi women walking to the river in Shrivan to wash their clothes. The river is the main source of water for the entire village situated in the Gir National Forest.

The entrance of the Bava Gor Shrine. On either sides near the entrance are shops selling flowers and other ritual items

Most of the Sidi communities in the villages of Gujarat are muslims and followers of Bava Gor. They also attend the local mosques to offer rehular prayers

These Sidi women are part of the Gujarat Sidi welfare organization and they preside as the heads of the local district.

Sidi Baba’s dargah at the Qutub Shah’s Mosque or Qutbuddin Masjid or the Patharwali Masjid.

The arched entrance of the mosque. Seen here in the rear of the mosque is the carved window panels and the mihrab.

The only standing remnants of this beautiful mosque built in the mid-15th century are the two exquisitely carved minarets. The structure of the mosque was destroyed in 18th century during the Maratha raid. While it is not clear whether Sidi Bashir was the patron of the mosque, what can be argued is that he played a major role in the commissioning and construction of the mosque as his tomb is seen right outside the mosque.

Seen here are sidi homes in the village of Shirvan, which is inside the Gir National Forest.

A sidi woman in front of her stainless steel utensils display in her home kitchen.

The shrine for Nagarchi Pir in the Jambur village is managed by the sidi community and the large shrine complex also has a chilla for Mai Misra.

Jambur is one of the biggest sidi village in Gujarat and has around four hundred sidi households.

Most sidi men in Gir are employed as chakda riders. A chakda is a hybrid vehicle and the only mode of transportation for most of the villagers living in interior Gujarat

The locality adjoining the Shrine for Bava Gor in Jamnagar has been in the past home to several sidi families.

A Sidi women cooking the Indian bread or roti on wood burning stove for lunch

Most of the Sidis in the villages of Gujarat live in small mud row houses. Most of these houses do not have toilets or running water.