LAHORE – Three-day 428th Urs celebrations of Hazrat Shah Hussain popularly known as Madhu Lal Hussain kicked off yesterday at his shrine in Baghbanpura with traditional fervor and zeal.

The celebrations are also known as Mela Chiraghan, or the festival of lights.

Hazrat Madhu Lal Hussain was a great saint of his time as well as sufi poet who is famous for his ‘Kaafies’.
Punjab Auqaf Department inaugurated the Urs.
As the celebrations started, the devotees from different parts of the country started pouring in to pay homage to the saint.

The roads leading to the shrine had been decorated with posters and banners inscribed with the poetry of the great saint.
Big stalls of food and sweets had also been set up there.
The devotees were seen in long queues; many of them were buying flowers and garlands to put them on his esteemed grave.

Many religious scholars read “kalam” of Hazrat Shah Hussain which attracted many devotees.
Interestingly, many of the faithful were dancing over his Kalam.
Qawali (Traditional sufi music) was being sung at different places.
“Alao” (large fire well) and lit up lamps were the centre of attraction.
Everyone was beaming with smiling face and love for the great saint.

Hazrat Madhu Lal Hussain devoted his whole life for the love with God and humanity.
The main theme of his poetry revolves around love with God and his creature as well as self-identification.
His spiritual affiliation with Hazrat Data Gunj Bakash made him prominent among other saints.
His Urs will conclude by March 29.

On the occasion, high security arrangements have been made.
Traffic of the nearby roads has been diverted to other roads while special parking stands have been set up for the help of the devotees.

Sufi festival starts: A two-day Sufi Festival kicked off yesterday at Lahore Arts Council (Alhamra) featuring panel discussions, thought provoking sessions and Sufi poetry recitation.

Lahore Arts Council (Alhamra) and Atlas East Management arranged the festival jointly at Alhamra.
Begum Zakiya Shahnawaz inaugurated the session.

The panel discussion at Sufi Festival titled Bar-e-Saghir Ke Aman Mein Sufiyan Ka Kirdar with panelists Asghar Nadeem Syed and Dr Sughra Saddaf.
In another conversation tilted Daur-e-Hazir Mein Tasawwuf Ki Ahmiyat (importance of Sufism in contemporary era) with panelists Haseena Moen and Sohaib Ahmed shed light on the Sufi teaching for prevailing of peace in the society.

While scholars and panelists included Moeen Nizami, Iqbal Shahid, Kamran Lashari, Muneeza Hashmi, Mushtaq Sufi were also spoke in various sessions.
Lahore Arts Council executive director Capt (Retd) Atta Muhammad Khan also spoke on various topics relating to Sufism.

An art exhibition has been also exhibited for the people, who visited the Alharma Art Gallery on the commencing day of the festival.
Azad Theatre also presented their play titled shah Hussain (The Weaver) based on the life of Sufi saint Shah Hussain aka Madhu Lal Hussain.
In the end of the, dance performances at the of Nighat Chaudhary, Wahab Shah, music, drama, Qawali and Heer recitation also part of the Sufi festival.
Singers Arif Lohar, Krishan Lal Bheel, Bushra Marvi, Sundas, Asad Kishor and Shahid Lohar enthralled the audiences.

Published in The Nation newspaper on 27-Mar-2016

Source: Mela Chiraghan begins