The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c9.s5.t2.18

c9.s5.t2.18

All this was normal life and all these were normal pleasures. But Sufi Mashaikh, known by many names like Wali, Shah, Qalandar, Murshid, Marabout, Shaikh, Faqir and Darwesh, indulged in all kinds of pleasures and luxuries. The case of Sidi Maula was exceptional. He had ready at hand brand new *tankahs* under every coverlet to spend. So many people dined at his *khanqah* that, if Barani is to be believed, two thousand *man* of flour (*maida*), two to three hundred *man* of sugar and a hundred to two hundred man of vegetables used to be consumed in his kitchen every day.¹⁴⁰ But others were equally non-poor and generous. We know that Shaikh Farid was destitute to the end of his days, but we also know that gifts were received and distributed. It could be said generally of every *khanqah* that even in the bad days a person was sure to get some sort of a meal and, with luck, a share of money in every *khanqah* ideals of austerity fought against satisfaction of physical needs,¹⁴¹ so that there was no dearth of money and parasites because of the well-to-do admirers of the Shaikh.