Nurpur Shahan: Annual Urs of Barri Imam Begins

Associated Press of Pakistan -Islamabad, Pakistan

Saturday, May 26, 2007

The scenic Nurpur Shahan at the foothills of Margalla in the federal capital bears the nonpareil honour of being the resting place of an eminent and great Sufi saint Syed Abdul Latif Kazmi, popularly known as Barri Imam.

During the five-day annual Urs of great Sufi Saint - commencing from Sunday, May 27- the devotees from across the country will not only offer obeisance but will also invoke Allah's blessing to get their wishes answered.

With traditional beat of drum, folk dances and multi-coloured flags, the devotees -including some of them bare-footed- have started pouring in the town to express their devotion and reverence to the great Sufi saint.

Brisk arrangements have been put in place by the Islamabad Territory Administration, Capital Development Authority, Islamabad Police and Auqaf Department to welcome devotees, coming for this bustling event.

Renovation of the shrine of Barri Imam is in full swing amidst future plans to re-build a befitting shrine with revised estimated cost which may exceed Rs 600 million [USD 9,910,361.--].

All possible arrangements are underway to facilitate the devotees and the roads leading to the shrine of Barri Imam have been widened to ensure smooth flow of traffic during the Urs.

Vehicles, carrying special permission will ply between Nurpur Shahan and its adjoining areas from key points in Rawalpindi-Islamabad, along with private buses, wagons and Suzuki pickups, to facilitate the devotees to the shrine.

Dancing, gambling and use of loud speakers will remain banned during the `Urs'.

A local holiday is a usual feature to be announced by the administration every year to commemorate the Urs and to facilitate the devotees. Auqaf Department plans to distribute free food among the devotees daily throughout the `Urs'.

A tent village of devotees, emerged on the eve of Urs can be seen around the dried-up stream along with burning candles. The adjoining hills of the shrine will bustle with life as arrangements for illumination have also been finalised.

Brisk shopping in a narrow but colourful bazaar adjoining the shrine adds beauty to the event. Most of shopkeepers are seen selling `Nokuls (white sugar coated sweets), dry dates, bangles and bracelets with sacred words engraved on them.
Sweets, traditional halwa-puri, flowers and garlands remain cardinal feature of festive ambience on the occasion. These are also taken by the devotees as sacred gifts for nears and dears.

The real festivities of Urs take a boost with the arrival of the traditional Daali from Peshawar, which was started by Hazrat Shah Muhammad Ghous (buried in Lahore).
The crowds (Daali) keep growing as an annual recurrence with the accompanied rituals becoming more colourful and fascinating. Participants of the "Daali" (offering) proceed on foot, covering over 100 miles journey in a week. The devotees march towards the shrine of the Great saint through specific routes.

The long awaited procession swells as more and more devotees join it on way. They
carry the Daali, called `Takht-e-Rawan' (Floating Throne), entailing eighteen bottles of rose scent and Henna (Mehndi).

It presents a memorable sight when devotees reach the shrine Hazrat Shah Nazar Diwan amid slogans of Barri Barri-Sarkar Barri and Ya Ali, Ya Ali, enroute Saddar Garhi, Tarru Jabba, Nowshera, Akora Khattak and Khariabad.

The devotees start their toughest and non-stop journey to shrine of Hazrat Barri Imam through Hattain and ultimately, the Daali reaches the capital via Burhan, Golra Sharif, Margalla hills and Pir Sohawa, where it is accorded warm welcome by masses and officials of the Auqaf Department.

Born in 1026 Hijra (1617 AD) in village Karsaal (Chakwal), Barri Imam attracted both Muslims and non-Muslims. His piety, revolutionary ideas and simple way of life earned respect and honour for him among his people. He adopted those rejected by the society as outcasts.

His father, Syed Mahmood Badshah (whose mazar is visited daily by hundreds of people near Aabpara), shifted his family from Karsaal to village Bagh-e-Kalan (now Islamabad) when Barri Imam was 10 year old. He was the eldest son. He had only one sister, who died soon after her marriage. His father taught him at home.

Later, he was sent to Ghour Ghashi (Attock) where he studied "Fiqah" "Hadith" and Mathematics. He travelled extensively including Kashmir, Badkhshan, Mashhed, Najaf-i-Ashraf, Karbala, Baghdad, Hijaz, Egypt, Damascus, Madina Munawara and Mekka Mukarama to bag knowledge and wisdom.

His ancestral tree is traced to Great Imam Hazart Moosa Kazim (AS). He had uncanny knack for picking and retaining things since childhood. Barri had full command over Holy Quran, Hadith, Fiqah, Logic and Arithmetic.
He adopted four caliphs--Inayat Shah, Shah Hussain, Mithay Shah and Deen or Dang Shah. Three of them are buried in Nurpur Shahan while Inayat Shah is buried in Sindh.

Several non-Muslims embraced Islam due to Barri Imam' spiritual preaching and exemplary character.

He passed away in 1117 Hijra (1708 AD) at the age of 91 years after having spread the light of truth and simplicity which transformed the village Churpur into Nurpur.

The best way to pay befitting homage to Hazrat Barri Imam is that his message and teachings may be followed in letter and spirit. A public Trust, comprising the sincere, honest and educated devotees, may be set up to monitor and regulate the income and expenses of the Barri Imam's shrine in a transparent manner.

[picture from http://www.tourism.gov.pk/index.html]