Rajshahi
The shrine of Hazrat Shah Makhdum Rupos, near the bank of the Padma.
The dargah holds an annual urs in the saint’s memory, when devotees come from across the region for prayers, recitation and shared food. Outside the urs, Thursday evenings bring a gathering of devotees.
Hazrat Shah Makhdum Rupos is the Sufi saint most closely linked with Rajshahi. By tradition he came to the region in the medieval period and is remembered for spreading Islam across the Varendra country; local accounts trace his family to the line of the great saint Abdul Qadir Jilani.
His dargah stands in Dargah Para, close to the Padma, and has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. The city’s airport is named after him, and for many people in the region a visit to Rajshahi is not complete without stopping here.
The shrine is a living place of prayer rather than a monument: expect devotees, quiet recitation and a steady flow of visitors, busiest on Thursday evenings and Fridays.
Start with the region’s ancient sculpture in the city centre.
Visit the dargah in Dargah Para, dressed modestly, in the late afternoon.
Walk down to the river and along the embankment as the sun sets.
Morning or late afternoon, October to March; Thursday evenings and Fridays are busiest
In Dargah Para near the river, close to the centre: walk or take a rickshaw.
