Spiritual connection: 85 injured in stampede at Khwaja Farid’s urs
They were all trying to pass through the bahishti darwaza (door to paradise).
Devotees wait as the shrine caretaker opens the bahishti darwaza on the night of the 6th of Muharram. PHOTO: EXPRESS
MULTAN:
At least 85 people were injured on Tuesday in a stampede at the bahishti darwaza (door to paradise) during Baba Farid Ganj Shakar’s 771st death anniversary in Pakpattan.
The injured were taken to the district headquarters hospital, where 10 of them were said to be in critical condition. The rest were discharged in a few hours.
Devotees from across the country swarmed at the sufi poet’s mausoleum.
The death anniversary commemoration begins on the 1st of Muharram, with a special observance on the 7th, when the bahishti darwaza is opened at midnight.
The small elevation door remains open till Fajr prayers everyday till the 10th of Muharram for devotees to pass through it. It is then closed for another year. The stampede occurred shortly after the door was opened at midnight.
Earlier, orange thread strings were distributed by the successors to the saints among devotees to tie around their wrists. The string is then to be touched with the lock in the centre of the doorway. This tradition is called pecha.
It is believed that those walking through the door get themselves a place in the paradise. Some also believe that touching the string to the door binds people to the Chistia and Faridia sufi elders. The string is also expected to protect the wearer from disease throughout the year.
Masood Chishti, the rising successor to Baba Farid, told The Express Tribune that an estimated one million people pass through the door every year. He said over two million people attended the urs to pay homage to the saint. He thanked the government for its support.
Auqaf Department officials said special security measures had been taken to provide comfort to the visitor. They said there had been some administrative lapses due to overwhelming attendance, but the situation was under control.
District Police Officer Shahnawaz Sandhela told The Express Tribune that strict security measures had been taken near the bahishti darwaza, where the risk of stampede was the highest since every visitor wanted to pass through the door. He said, “We cannot stop them, because they can get aggressive, disturbing the entire situation there.”
Also known as Baba Fareeduddin, Baba Ganj Shakkar’s given name was Masood. It is believed that he had prayed for a nomad’s group passing through the area and the salt they had been carrying had turned into sugar, hence the name Ganj Shakkar (meaning sugar maker in Urdu).
The urs observances will continue till 12th of Muharram.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2013.
At least 85 people were injured on Tuesday in a stampede at the bahishti darwaza (door to paradise) during Baba Farid Ganj Shakar’s 771st death anniversary in Pakpattan.
The injured were taken to the district headquarters hospital, where 10 of them were said to be in critical condition. The rest were discharged in a few hours.
Devotees from across the country swarmed at the sufi poet’s mausoleum.
The death anniversary commemoration begins on the 1st of Muharram, with a special observance on the 7th, when the bahishti darwaza is opened at midnight.
The small elevation door remains open till Fajr prayers everyday till the 10th of Muharram for devotees to pass through it. It is then closed for another year. The stampede occurred shortly after the door was opened at midnight.
Earlier, orange thread strings were distributed by the successors to the saints among devotees to tie around their wrists. The string is then to be touched with the lock in the centre of the doorway. This tradition is called pecha.
It is believed that those walking through the door get themselves a place in the paradise. Some also believe that touching the string to the door binds people to the Chistia and Faridia sufi elders. The string is also expected to protect the wearer from disease throughout the year.
Masood Chishti, the rising successor to Baba Farid, told The Express Tribune that an estimated one million people pass through the door every year. He said over two million people attended the urs to pay homage to the saint. He thanked the government for its support.
Auqaf Department officials said special security measures had been taken to provide comfort to the visitor. They said there had been some administrative lapses due to overwhelming attendance, but the situation was under control.
District Police Officer Shahnawaz Sandhela told The Express Tribune that strict security measures had been taken near the bahishti darwaza, where the risk of stampede was the highest since every visitor wanted to pass through the door. He said, “We cannot stop them, because they can get aggressive, disturbing the entire situation there.”
Also known as Baba Fareeduddin, Baba Ganj Shakkar’s given name was Masood. It is believed that he had prayed for a nomad’s group passing through the area and the salt they had been carrying had turned into sugar, hence the name Ganj Shakkar (meaning sugar maker in Urdu).
The urs observances will continue till 12th of Muharram.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2013.