Though Hindus and Muslims have battled, sometimes murderously, for control of religious sites, the two religions mingle easily here. Hindus believe that Ramdev, who died around 1459, was the incarnation of Lord Krishna, and that his birth to a sonless king was an answer to his father's prayers.
Another legend, though, holds that five Muslim holy men skeptical of Ramdev's miraculous power came from Mecca to see him and left convinced. Thus Muslims, following Sufi tradition, worship him too, under the name Ramdevpir, Ramapir or Ramshahpir.
On busy days, the wait to pay homage inside the temple can be five hours. In the shrine, the tombs of Ramdev's parents, sons and relatives -- family members still live in the area -- are cloaked in Islamic green. Behind glass, there are life-size statues, made from cloth and in one case silver, representing his horse. There is tinsel, the noise of a clanging bell, the shriek of a whistle, songs, and the press of crowds. A man falls to his knees and crawls to the image of Ramdev.
In town, which has the festive and commercial feel of a fair, vendors sell bangles and roasted rice for offering in worship, as well as T-shirts and necklaces with Ramdev's picture. He is depicted as a man of deep, dark eyes and lively facial hair, with a mustache twirling up at both ends. A pair of feet, the crescent moon of Islam and the horse, replicated in miniature for sale in colorful paper and tinsel, are representations of his worship.
The real horses are long gone. Nearby, men and bicycles are being piled on top of buses. This is the sweet coda to sacrifice: After their days of walking or bicycling here, the pilgrims get to ride home.
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