KASUR: Three-day celebrations of 259th Urs of great mystic poet of Punjab Baba Bulleh Shah will start from Thursday (today).

On Wednesday, representatives of the district government, including District Coordination Officer Amara Khan, DPO Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, MPA Naeem Safdar, Religious Affairs Committee chairman Muhammad Latif Qadri and others participated in ceremonial bathing of the shrine and offered fateha.

Provincial Auqaf Minister Atta Muhammad Manika is expected to inaugurate the Urs celebrations.

The celebrations include Naat Khawani, Mahafil-i-Sama (qawwali), a poetry recital (Mushaira), speech by religious scholars and literary figures.

Devotees from across the country visit Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah’s shrine and pay homage to the mystic poet.

Philanthropists have made arrangements for free of cost food (Lungar).

Majlis-i-Bulleh Shah, would hold its 26th Conference on Thursday and would conclude on Saturday late night.

On the first day events of Naat Khawani and Mushaira will be held in the courtyard of the shrine, besides Heer (an epic Punjabi poem by Waris Shah) reciting contests.

Qawwali and speeches would be held on the second day (Friday) of the Urs where popular Qawals, including Sher Ali, Mehar Ali and Nazir Ahmed will perform. The events will be presided over by Peer Syed Ali Haider Shah.

Known writers and critics who will speak on the occasion include Mushtaq Sufi, Sughra Sadaf, Perveen Malik, Ashraf Sharif, Asmatullah Zahid, Mudasar Iqbal, Syed Anjum Shakeel Gilani, Akram Sheikh and Haroon Gul Sawati.

A procession for exhibition of relics associated with the poet (Jaloos Godri Sharif ) will also be taken out.

Poets including Abbas Soz, Muhammad Khan Nasir, Sarwar Javi, Anwar Zahid, Ashraf Sharif, Ghulam Hussain Nadeem, Fida Hussain, Naveed Hussain Yad, Anjum Saleemi, Rehana Kanwal and Tahira Sara will participate in a Mushaira presided over by Tajamal Kaleem.

Another Mushaira will be held by Bulleh Shah International Forum presided over by Latif Bhutta on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2016