Pakistani diplomats attend urs in Delhi

Lay chaddars at shrines of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Amir Khusro

The first secretary at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, Shoaib Sarwar, and other diplomats on Friday laid the traditional chaddar at the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya (RA) whose 722nd urs is being celebrated these days.

According to an official statement, the diplomats were welcomed by custodian of the shrine Dewan Syed Tahir Nizami. After laying the traditional chaddar, the participants offered dua and prayed for Pakistan's progress and prosperity. The diplomats also paid respect at the shrine of Hazrat Amir Khusro (RA), located within the same compound.

The custodian of the shrine also performed dastarbandi of the diplomat. Dastarbandi is a ceremonial turban-tying ritual for dignitaries.

Paying glowing tribute to the role of Sufi saints in the Indian Subcontinent, Sarwar said shrines of Sufis serve as centres of learning peace, devotion and spirituality.

"They promoted love for humanity, encouraged interfaith dialogue, fostered unity and bridged divides in the society. Universal teachings of the Sufis remain as relevant today as they were centuries ago," he added.