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Djinn Worship in Delhi

83 images Created 10 Feb 2015

The ruins of the 13th century fortress-city of Firoz Shah Kotla in New Delhi is thronged weekly with thousands of supplicants seeking favour from supernatural beings of smokeless fire, djinns. These magical entities also known as jinn, jann or genies spring from Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. Believers, mostly Muslim but from other faiths too, circumnavigate the ruins clutching dozens of photocopied requests, flower petals, incense, and candles. They visit the numerous niches and alcoves in the catacombs said to be occupied by different djinns and greet and salute the invisible occupants with offerings. A copy of their requests, often with detailed contact information, photographs and even police reports to bolster the case is left with the ‘Baba’ before moving on to the next where the procedure is repeated - like making applications at different departments of a bureaucracy. Anand Vivek Taneja in his book “Jinnealogy” makes a compelling case for linking the historical and ongoing effects of Partition and the later Emergency with the current traditions at Firoz Shah Kotla. Partition, he argues, ‘was not just a singular event in 1947 but rather the inauguration of a structure of dispossession, displacement, and amnesia. The “Long Partition” (Vazira Zamindar 2007) continued to affect the Muslims of Delhi long after the events of 1947, being entrenched in the laws and policies of the postcolonial state, systematically eroding Muslim rights of property and citizenship’. Although jinn veneration has been associated with the Firoz Shah Kotla for almost a century, Taneja says: ‘We can think of the dargah of the jinn-saints making possible the reformation of community in the aftermath of violence. It was only in 1977, a few months after the end of the Emergency, that we have the first record of people starting to come to Firoz Shah Kotla in large numbers. This seems significant, given how destructive the Emergency was for the Old City and how many poor and working class people were displaced from the Old City to resettlement colonies across the river’.

Though the age and gender of the supplicants varies there’s a marked prevalence of women, especially younger women as they usually have the most difficult time coping within the rigid social structure of many Indian families. Some of these women subconsciously believe themselves to be possessed by spirits.
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  • 15th January 2015, New Delhi, India. A woman lights an incense stick as part of her devotion as she asks for wishes to be granted by Djinns in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 15th January 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns 150115_012.JPG
  • 29th January 2015, New Delhi, India. A woman prays to Djinns in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 29th January 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns 290115_007.JPG
  • 29th January 2015, New Delhi, India. Incense left by believers smokes in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 29th January 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns 290115_009.JPG
  • 29th January 2015, New Delhi, India. View of the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla as believers move through them praying, making offerings and asking for their wishes to be granted by Djinns in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 29th January 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns 290115_014.JPG
  • 29th January 2015, New Delhi, India. View of the grounds of Feroz Shah Kotla as believers move through them praying, making offerings and asking for their wishes to be granted by Djinns in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 29th January 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns 290115_023.JPG
  • 29th January 2015, New Delhi, India. A woman sticks a coin to a wall as an offering and ask for wishes to be granted by Djinns in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 29th January 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns 290115_038.JPG
  • 5th February 2015, New Delhi, India. Black kites soar overhead as believers move through the ruins  to pray, make offerings and ask for wishes to be granted by Djinns in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 5th February 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns050215046.JPG
  • 5th February 2015, New Delhi, India. View of the three-tiered arcaded pavilion with an Ashokan Pillar atop it in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla on the 5th February 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns050215050.JPG
  • 5th February 2015, New Delhi, India. View of the three-tiered arcaded pavilion with an Ashokan Pillar atop it in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla on the 5th February 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns050215060.JPG
  • 5th February 2015, New Delhi, India. A man adjusts his scarf in an arched doorway in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla on the 5th February 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns050215081.JPG
  • 5th February 2015, New Delhi, India. View of the three-tiered arcaded pavilion with an Ashokan Pillar atop it in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla on the 5th February 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns050215110.JPG
  • 5th February 2015, New Delhi, India. Worshippers ascend and descend steps in Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 5th February 2015 <br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns050215122.JPG
  • 5th February 2015, New Delhi, India. A man who watches over peoples shoes while they pray sits in the catacombs of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 5th February 2015 <br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns050215129.JPG
  • 5th February 2015, New Delhi, India. A man who watches over peoples shoes while they pray sits in the catacombs of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 5th February 2015 <br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi. + 91 98103 99809. Email:simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns050215140.JPG
  • 19th March 2015, New Delhi, India. A group of women chant and sing in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 19th March 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
The13th century fortress-city of Firoz Shah Kotla in Delhi is thronged weekly with thousands of supplicants seeking favour from supernatural beings of smokeless fire, - Djinns. These magical entities also known as Jinn, Jann or Genies spring from Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. Believers, mostly Muslim but from other faiths too, circumnavigate the ruins clutching dozens of photocopied requests, flower petals, incense, and candles. They visit the numerous niches and alcoves in the catacombs said to be occupied by different djinns and greet and salute the invisible occupants with offerings.  A copy of their requests, often with detailed contact information, photographs and even police reports to bolster the case is left with the ‘Baba’ before moving on to the next where the procedure is repeated - like making applications at different departments of a bureaucracy.
    Djinns190315008.JPG
  • 19th March 2015, New Delhi, India. A Sufi 'pir' (master) performs a cleansing rite on a female supplicant in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 19th March 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
The13th century fortress-city of Firoz Shah Kotla in Delhi is thronged weekly with thousands of supplicants seeking favour from supernatural beings of smokeless fire, - Djinns. These magical entities also known as Jinn, Jann or Genies spring from Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. Believers, mostly Muslim but from other faiths too, circumnavigate the ruins clutching dozens of photocopied requests, flower petals, incense, and candles. They visit the numerous niches and alcoves in the catacombs said to be occupied by different djinns and greet and salute the invisible occupants with offerings.  A copy of their requests, often with detailed contact information, photographs and even police reports to bolster the case is left with the ‘Baba’ before moving on to the next where the procedure is repeated - like making applications at different departments of a bureaucracy.
    Djinns190315040_1.JPG
  • 19th March 2015, New Delhi, India. Believers silhouetted against the light pass through an arched doorway in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 19th March 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblis abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblis was expelled from Paradise and called "Shaytan" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns190315060a.JPG
  • 19th March 2015, New Delhi, India. A woman anoints her child's hair with oil from an oil lamp burnt to honour Djinns in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 19th March 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns190315071.JPG
  • 19th March 2015, New Delhi, India. A woman illuminated by a shaft of sunlight in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 19th March 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns190315076.JPG
  • 19th March 2015, New Delhi, India. A woman prays to Djinns in the hopes of getting her wishes granted in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 19th March 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns190315109.JPG
  • 19th March 2015, New Delhi, India. Dusk view of the three-tiered arcaded pavilion with an Ashokan Pillar atop it in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 19th March 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblīs abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblīs was expelled from Paradise and called "Shayṭān" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns190315127.JPG
  • 2nd April 2015, New Delhi, India. A female worshipper in a trance-like state thrashes around and is saved from self-harm by attendees at a shrine dedicated to Djinn worship in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 2nd April 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblis abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblis was expelled from Paradise and called "Shaytan" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns020415006.JPG
  • 2nd April 2015, New Delhi, India. Believers light candles and incense sticks at a shrine dedicated to Djinn worship in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 2nd April 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblis abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblis was expelled from Paradise and called "Shaytan" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns020415026_1.JPG
  • 2nd April 2015, New Delhi, India. Sunlight streams through an arched doorway as a woman prays at a shrine dedicated to Djinn worship in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 2nd April 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. Jinn, jann or djinn are supernatural creatures in Islamic mythology as well as pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran  and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world called Djinnestan. In Islamic theology jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things. According to the Quran, jinn have free will, and Iblis abused this freedom in front of Allah by refusing to bow to Adam when Allah ordered angels and jinn to do so. For disobeying Allah, Iblis was expelled from Paradise and called "Shaytan" (Satan).They are usually invisible to humans, but humans do appear clearly to jinn, as they can possess them. Like humans, jinn will also be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be sent to Paradise or Hell according to their deeds. Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel.
    Djinns020415031.JPG
  • 2nd April 2015, New Delhi, India. Women pray at a shrine dedicated to Djinn worship in the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, India on the 2nd April 2015<br />
<br />
PHOTOGRAPH BY AND COPYRIGHT OF SIMON DE TREY-WHITE a photographer in delhi<br />
+ 91 98103 99809. Email: simon@simondetreywhite.com<br />
<br />
People have been coming to Firoz Shah Kotla to leave written notes and offerings for Djinns in the hopes of getting wishes granted since the late 1970's. <br />
Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Ferozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla. Kotla literally means fortress or citadel. The pillar, also called obelisk or Lat is an Ashoka Column, attributed to Mauryan ruler Ashoka. The 13.1 metres high column, made of polished sandstone and dating from the 3rd Century BC, was brought from Ambala in 14th century AD under orders of Feroz Shah. It was installed on a three-tiered arcaded pavilion near the congregational mosque, inside the Sultanate's fort. In centuries that followed, much of the structure and buildings near it were destroyed as subsequent rulers dismantled them and reused the spoil as building materials.
    Djinns020415052.JPG
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