Bahauddin Zakariya urs: Local holiday in Multan today

People start leaving as three-day urs celebrations end at sunset tonight.

MULTAN:

The three-day celebrations and observances of the 773rd urs of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya Sahrawardi Multani will end on Friday (today). The government has announced a local holiday to mark the urs. A mehfil-i-naat will mark the closing of the urs today.

Thousands of pilgrims are in the city to attend the urs. Police have been deployed at all routes leading to the shrine, which has been closed for traffic for the three days of urs. Visitors are being frisked and walkthrough gates have been placed at all entrances.

The urs started on Wednesday with bathing of the tomb in rose water and chaddar poshi.

The inaugural ceremony was presided over by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Aukaf Minister Hajji Ehsanuddin Qureshi, Makhdoomzada Zain Qureshi and Peer Shujaat Husnain Qureshi were also present.

The bathing and chaddar poshi was followed by collective prayers at the tomb.

Later, addressing the National Zakariya Conference at the Bahauddin Zakariya University, PTI vice chairman said that Pakistan was blessed to have such saints on its land. He said its people had the blessings of these saints. All they needed was unity, honesty and peace.

He said the country was going through a difficult time, but post 2014 would be even tougher. He said the people should prepare themselves for independence from foreign powers. “We must emerge as a nation that is not afraid of any foreign power,” he said.

He said the people need to arm themselves with faith and knowledge. He said people needed to be patient and considerate for their fellow citizens. He stressed the need for education, saying it was the most powerful weapon.

Earlier at the shrine, Haji Ehsanuddin said that people must benefit from the teachings of its saints.

Member of the Islami Nazaryati Council Peer Khalid Sultan Qadri, Jamaat-i-Ahle-Sunnat Head Allama Syed Mazhar Saeed Shah Kazmi, Jamaat-i-Ulema-e-Pakistan Central vice president Mufti Hidayatullah Pasroori, Allama Farooq Khan Syedi, Khwaja Amir Fareed Koreja, Allama Ghulam Fareed Taugri and Qari Khadim Hussain Syedi also spoke at the event. Aukaf Department Zonal Administrator Mehmoodul Qureshi and Allama Hafizullah Shah were also present.

Dr Muhammad Siddique Khan Qadri handled the directorate’s event.

Khwaja Moinuddin Koreja, the successor at the Khwaja Ghulam Farid shrine in Kot Mithan Sharif was the chief guest on the second day commemorations.

A mehfil-i-sama was organised on the second day. Qawals and poets from across the country participated the event.

Among thousands of visitors, Baba Mangaryu and his group of more than 50 people was specifically prominent throughout the three days. He said they had come all the way from Sindh. He said he has been attending the urs for 70 years and as had his ancestors before him.

“Time and age have not affected my enthusiasm for Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya’s urs,” he told The Express Tribune.

Baba Mangaryu said they set up camps in front of the shrine and spent the entire day inside the shrine. People from his group helped the staff at the shrine clean the place and distribute charity food. He said they also danced to the beat of drums.

Some of the pilgrims started leaving on Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2012.