Malang Gad lies about 20 km from Kalyan suburban railway station in Thane district and roughly 62 km from south Mumbai. The site holds deep religious significance and is revered by multiple faith groups. While it houses a dargah of the 12th-century Sufi saint Hazrat Haji Abdul Rahman, popularly known as Haji Malang Baba, several right-wing Hindu groups regard the site as the temple of Shree Machindranath, considered an incarnation of Navanath of the Nath Panth.
The Malang Gad complex has three distinct levels. The lowest is a broad plateau—around 1,000 feet wide and 2,500 feet long—where the dargah of Haji Malang stands. At the far end of this plateau lies the Panch Pir, situated near the edge of the rock face and named after the five Pir or Sufi spiritual guides who are believed to have accompanied Haji Malang Baba. The shrine is located at an elevation of approximately 2,590–3,200 feet (around 790–975 metres) above sea level.
Traditionally, pilgrims had to climb nearly 2,500 steps to reach the shrine, a journey that could take several hours depending on physical ability. With the new ropeway, the ascent can now be completed in about 10 minutes. Each trip can carry up to 120 passengers, offering a safer and more accessible option for devotees, especially the elderly.
The project has been championed for years by six-time MLA Kisan Kathore, who has represented Ambarnath once and Murbad five times. Kathore inaugurated the ropeway in the presence of Sulbha Gaikwad, the BJP MLA from Kalyan East. Both leaders belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The proposal for the ropeway was first submitted by Kathore when he was a member of the Nationalist Congress Party. Work on the project began in 2012 but faced several technical challenges, leading to prolonged delays before finally becoming operational.
In January–February 2024, Haji Malang returned to the political spotlight following remarks by Eknath Shinde, who spoke about the “liberation” of Malang Gad during an event at the Malang Gad Harinam Mahotsav. His comments were made against the backdrop of the pran-pratistha ceremony of Ram Lalla at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, attended by Narendra Modi.
The demand for the “liberation” of Haji Malang dates back to the 1980s and is associated with the late ‘Dharmaveer’ Anand Dighe and the Shiv Sena unit of Thane.
Every year during February and March, the annual urs is held at the dargah, drawing large crowds from across India who visit the shrine to offer prayers. With the ropeway now operational, authorities expect a further increase in footfall and improved safety and convenience for pilgrims.
