Higher love

With nearly 150 food stalls set up around shrine, the urs at Data Saheb is a vibrant festival.

LAHORE: Dressed in red with his long hair left loose, wearing dancing bells on his feet and with his arms raised above his head, a malang starts the dhamaal.

For few minutes he keeps his pace slow and then the drum starts beating faster and the malang throws his arms open and starts to twirl so fast that he becomes difficult to see. After a few minutes the drummer shifts again to a slower beat and the malang reflects the change of pace in his dance.

This is one of the common demonstrations of Qalandari Dhamaal at the 967 annual urs of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, popularly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, in Lahore. “Wearing dancing bells is symbolic; it helps you kill your ego and nafs. Dhamaal is a way to show your reverence for the saint of saints; Data Saheb. In Qalandari Dhamaal you can slow down your speed and continue dancing in a rhythm for hours. You move your head back and forward and leave your mind free. The only thoughts that pass through your mind are the thoughts of negation; you negate yourself, you forget who you are and just try to make your pir (spiritual leader) happy. The urs is our feast,” malang Asad Qalandari explains.

Thousands of malangs, their chailas (disciples) and devotees from across the country travel to the shrine of Data Ganj Bakhsh. Many start their journey days before the urs and reach the shrine by foot. Every shrine has its own specialty and the unique thing about this urs is that groups come here holding a chaadar in which devotees throw money and other offerings.

This year is the first urs after a suicide attack at Data Darbar last year and many malangs claim to be on a spiritual duty assigned to them by their murshid. “This is the first urs after the suicide blast. Authorities have enhanced security this year but spiritual forces are also on alert,” said a malang at the shrine.

Malangs hailing from different spiritual groups including silsila (chain) Qadria, Qalandaria, Sabria, Noshahia, Suhrawardia, Mehbobia, Haidria, Naqshbandia and Azemia established their tents outside the shrine. They wore different dresses, rings and anklets and hoisted flags to show their identity but “the one common thing among all these groups is love for humanity and the Almighty,” explained one of the malangs.

While different people use different tactics to attain spirituality, these malangs have a great likeness for booti (a drink made out of shrubs and known for its intoxication effect). “Booti intoxicates you and helps you forget yourself. All our activities are aimed at killing our ego and inner self,” said Nazir, a malang who was busy preparing booti. These malangs don’t charge anyone who wants to drink booti but warn them that if consumed for pleasure they might not achieve the required results.

Other than malangs, a group that makes their presence felt at Data Saheb shrine are the qawals. “Data dey Darbar chiryaa boldien” (Sparrows chant at the shrine of Data Darbar), is one of the most celebrated Sufi kalams that has a special place amongst qawals who recite it passionately.

This year qawalis were held inside the shrine and only those with special passes were allowed entry. Famous qawals like Mehar Ali, Sher Miandad, Asif Santo Khan, Rizwan Moazam and others thrilled the audience with their spell-binding recitations.

The urs at Data Saheb is more like a festival.

Approximately 150 food stalls and temporary shops are established around the shrine and milkmen from across Punjab don’t sell milk during the three days of urs, instead distribute it for free amongst the devotees. “Data saved milkmen from the magic spell of a magician who used to force milkmen to give milk to him. We remember him as a great saint and this is a way to show our gratitude,” Aslam Gujjar, a milkman at the shrine said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2011.