A Sea of People

By Raja Noor Ilahi Atif, *Annual Urs celebrations conclude* - The Nation - Pakistan; Thursday, July 14, 2011

Noorpur Thal (Lahore): The message and teachings of Sufism are universal and timeless. With the message of love, unity, tolerance and brotherhood, Sufism unifies people irrespective of their caste, culture and creed. It gets humanity together in a cohesive bond of love and purity of thoughts. Pakistan is a land of saints and Sufis.

Two days annual Urs celebrations of a man well known as Baba Sakhi Syedan Shah in Thal, addressed lovingly as Baba Sakhi Shah have concluded.

The Urs of the great saint is held from July 12 to 13 every year with great devotion. It is an important religious occasion in Thal.

There were thousands of people present at the shrine of Baba Syedan Shah during the Urs ceremonies.

They remembered the spiritual glory of Baba Jee. They often wept when they felt the spiritual greatness of the saint.

There was a sea of people all around the shrine of Baba Jee. It was very difficult for many to reach the shrine.

There were different kinds of shops of sweets, fruits and flowers outside the Baba’s shrine. Everyone was buying things from these shops to offer their homage at the shrine. Quite a few rich people were distributing food, clothes and money among the poor.

The Auqaf Department had also made some special arrangements to provide food to the poor at very cheap rates or free of cost.

The devotees celebrated the Urs with great pomp and show. The shrine of Baba Jee was illuminated during the Urs days. On July 12 after Fajr prayers, the Urs was inaugurated with “Chadar Poshi” of shrine.

Mutwali of Darbar Baba Syedan Shah, Maulana Muhammad Ismail Sialvi, Assistant Commissioner Mehboob Ahmad, TMO Raja Zahoor Ahmad, TOR Haji Atta Ullah Tiwana, TOI Haji Ehsan Ahmad, TOF Hamid Jaleel, SDPO Mehr Khadim Hussain Malooka and several other prominent persons from every walk of life were also present on the occasion.

At night Mehfil-i-Samaa and Qawali was also held.

On the second day of the Urs a seminar was held regarding the personality and teachings of Baba Syedan Shah in which Ulema-i-Karam including Maulana Mohammad Hameedud Din Sialvi, Maulana Mohammad Shamsur Reman, Allama Sher Mohammad Sialvi, Allama Arshad Naveed Haidri, Maulana Mohammad Ramzan, Maulana Qari Asad Ullah Khan and other speakers highlighted the life and teachings of Baba Sakhi Syedan Shah.