The shrine of Dastgeer Sahib in Khanyar is one of Srinagar's most important Sufi sites, dedicated to Abdul Qadir Gilani, the 12th-century Sufi scholar of Baghdad who founded the Qadiri order. The shrine is a destination for both Sufi Muslims and pilgrims from across South Asia. The current structure, with its copper-covered turrets and carved woodwork, was built over several centuries, though the building that stood here was largely destroyed in a 2012 fire and subsequently reconstructed.
The fire in June 2012 was one of the most significant cultural losses in recent Kashmiri history — the original wooden structure had stood for centuries and contained irreplaceable carved panels and historic artefacts. The reconstruction that replaced it is newer and less atmospheric, but the shrine remains an active place of worship and the religious life around it — the qawwali sessions held on Thursday evenings, the pilgrims, the vendors selling flower garlands and incense — gives it genuine character. Located in the Khanyar neighbourhood, within walking distance of Roza Bal and the Habba Kadal bridge.