Hazarath Syedna Baba Fakhruddin Suharwardy is a great Sufi saint of 12th century. His Mausoleum is located in a place called Penukonda, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh. This place is located on NH 7 i.e. Bangalore - Hyderabad highway and is around 120 Kilometers from Bangalore and 90 Kilometers from Anantapur.
Before coming to Penukonda, he was a king of Sistan and Shahpur in Iran[1]. He renounced the world for the sake of Allah and was, his disciples say, a true follower of Islam who then found his Murshid (Spiritual Guide) — that is, Hazarath Tabr-e-Aalam Baadshah Nathar Vali, who himself was a king who also had renounced the world for the Almighty's cause in a place called Tiruchirapalli(Tamil Nadu). After serving Hazarath for several years on the latter's command he left for Penukonda in order to preach.
Legend says that he was searching for a place to settle and his Guru gave him a dry twig and said to him wherever this twig will bloom to a big plant stay there. He planted the twig and slept under atree only to awake and saw it become a beautiful plant and he stayed there.
He is called Babaiah by the local people and thousands of man have taken his name over centuries with love and respect to this great saint. We can find lots of Babaiahs if we move around the surrounding villages or for that matter Anantapur district in AP India.
One day Baba was preaching a king on how one can live even after his/her death and advocated, person who hardened the body by subjecting to intense religious zeal attains unity with Almighty and the body won’t decay and will be alive till Qayamat (Dooms day).
To bring clarity, Baba quoted an example, which is as follows:
Likewise, when a human burns himself by truthfully following Allah and his Prophets preaching’s he/she shall be alive even in the grave and the body won’t get touched by mud or any insects.
As the king was still doubtful, Baba stated that the king could check for himself, by opening Baba’s grave, for the body being untouched by the mud even after 40 years of Baba leaving the world. The king replied that he is already old and may die even before 40 years. Baba smiled and offered his 40 years of life to the king to verify after 40 years by opening the burial. He also said if he couldn’t wait for 40 years, he could open after 40 days of his burial. [3]
Baba died after few days. On 40th day, king and others dug the burial place of Baba and observed that the body is fresh with a smile on the face.[4]
The king was convinced. However, to substantiate, after 40 years they did it again and found that the Baba's body is still fresh and with full of flowers.
As commanded by Baba, three flowers were taken which were on His chest.
'Hazarath Syedna Baba Hyder Vali of Mulbagal,'is from his spiritual order.