UMERKOT: The royal family of Jaipur celebrated the birth of the heir to the 26th Rana of Dhatt Hamir Singh, at a feast known as Rehan held at Rana Jagir here on Monday.

Head of the royal family, Thakur Man Singh — the chief Thakur of Kanota of Jaipur — attended the Rehan along with some family members and relatives.

The celebration, attended by a large number of people, besides the royal guests, was planned when Padmini Kumari, who had wedded Karni Singh — the 26th Rana of Dhatt Hamir Singh — on Feb 17, 2015 in Jaipur, gave birth to a male baby on April 1. The newborn was named Bhanwar Wishveraj Singh. Karni Singh is the incumbent vice chairman of Tharparkar. His wife is the daughter of Thakur Man Singh.

Among the guests of honour at the royal feast were Faqir Jadam Mangrio of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), Tharparkar district council chairman Ghulam Haider Samejo and Umerkot district council chairman Syed Noor Ali Shah.

Rehan is the exclusive feature of a celebratory function attributed to centuries-old ritual hosted by Thakurs of the subcontinent. Guests of honour belonging to any religion wear traditional Rajput turban at the feast.

Speaking to Dawn, Thakur Man Singh said love and brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims persuaded him to accede to the proposal of Hamir Singh. He said Sufism and pluralism should be promoted both in Pakistan and India to ensure lasting peace and brotherhood.

Rana Hamir Singh observed that the Muslim majority in Pakistan protected and cared for the three per cent Hindus which had helped their co-existence here.

“There is no difference of caste, creed, religion and sects in this country,” he said, adding that Sufism was the spirit of our culture.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2017