At Data Darbar: Top officials, devotees attend ‘ghusal’ ceremony

Traffic police chalk out plan to ensure smooth traffic flow on Sufi Saint’s Urs

LAHORE: The ritual washing (ghusal) of the shrine of Hazrat Ali Bin Usman Al-Jajveri, popularly known as Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh, was held on Saturday ahead of his 974th annual urs.

Data Darbar Religious Affairs Committee Chairman and Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, provincial ministers Bilal Yasin, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Religious Affairs Director General Dr Tahir Raza Bukhari and several devotees jointly performed the ritual washing of the shrine.

The shrine washing ceremony got underway with a recitation from the Holy Quran. Data Darbar Khateeb Ramzan Sialvi led special prayers for peace and prosperity of the country. Later, the shrine was washed with over five mounds of rosewater.

Special pakwans and sabeels were distributed among devotees in and around Data’s shrine. Mehfal sana and naat khawani was also organised in which renowned naat khawans from all across the country participated.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Aslam Gujjar, a devotee, said he came from Kasur to attend the ceremony because he has strong faith in Data Sahib. “Despite all internal and external threats and challenges, Pakistan is becoming stronger and growing only because of the miracles of these Sufi saints. Otherwise, politicians, media and globalisation have shattered the entire social fabric of the country,” he underlined.

District administration and city police had made tight security arrangements in and around Data’s shrine, which is held on the ninth of Muharam-ul-Haram every year ahead of the three-day annual urs celebrations from Safar 18 to 20.

Police closed roads leading to the shrine for all kinds of traffic as Data Darbar is located very close the main Imambargah of the provincial capital, Karbala Gamay Shah. Walkthrough gates and metal detectors were used to screen devotees before allowing them to enter the shrine premises.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2017.