Data Darbar: Long queues on second day of urs

Contractor at shrine responsible for taking care of visitor’s shoes charging ten times the normal rate.

LAHORE: Long queues were witnessed at the Data Darbar complex on Monday as scores of visitors arrived here for the second day of the 967th annual urs of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, or Data Ganj Bakhsh, as the city’s patron saint is better known.

The contractor at the shrine responsible for taking care of visitor’s shoes was charging ten times the normal rate. Visitors had to pay Rs20 instead of the sanctioned rate of Rs2 for each pair of shoes. The day was filled with preaching sessions, and Samaa and Naat performances participated in by thousands of devotees. The day began after Fajr prayers with recitation from the Holy Quran followed by special prayers for the peace and prosperity of Pakistan.

A series of gatherings began at 8am in Data Darbar mosque. The first began at 8am and continued till Zohr prayers. Peer Syed Muzahir Ashraf, ameer of the Asharfia Pakistan community, presided over the session.

The second gathering, starting after Zohr prayers at 2pm and ending at Asr, was presided over by Pir Sahabzada Mian Abu Bakr, sajjada nasheen of the Hazrat Sher-i-Rabani shrine in Sharqpur. The third gathering between Asr and Maghrib was presided over by Mufti Muneebur Rehman Hazarvi, president of the Tanzeemul Madaris Ahle Sunnat Pakistan.

The final session was held between Maghrib and Isha. It was presided over by Pir Syed Munir Ahmad Shah from Kasur.

Thirteen religious scholars and muftis addressed the first gathering, 10 the second, 13 the third and 12 the fourth. Each scholar was given 15-20 minutes to speak.

The Samaa sessions began at noon at the Samaa Hall. Senator Ishaq Dar and Auqaf Minister Ahsanuddin Qureshi opened the session.

Renowned qawaals Ustad Mehar Ali and Sher Ali presented the Arfana Lalam. Only those with special passes were allowed into the Samaa hall. The session continued until Isha. Twenty qawals participated. A national Mehfil-i-Naat began after Isha and was set to continue till midnight. Renowned naat khwans participated in the session along with thousands of pilgrims. Sahibzada Hamid Raza, the Azad Kashmir minister for Auqaf, also participated in the gathering.

The last gathering on the second day of the urs was a special Khatam Sharif, set to start at midnight and to continue till Fajr prayers. Special prayers were led by Mufti Ramazan Seyalvi.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2011.