Is the Mazar a Meeting Place forMulti-culture? : A Study of Yakub Shahid Mazar.

Abstract: India is a syncretistic country where several religions coexist. Amystical branch of Islam, ufism, brings Hindus and Muslims togetherwhen the devotees from both religions worship the same saints andmeet at the same sacred places. The purpose of this essay is to researchif, or to what extent, a mazar is a meeting place of cultures, as well asexplore mysticism within religion. A special focus is aimed at YakubShahid Mazar in Banaras where an interview study was conductedduring the autumn of 2009. This essay will also show similarities inreligious views and how Hindus and Muslims interact in themulticultural city of Banaras. Results show that the mazar is a meeting place of multi-culture and thatpeople from varying backgrounds meet there. They come for a varietyof reasons, mostly for wishing or praying,