HARIPUR: Shrines foster a culture of social cohesion and intersect harmony, and contribute towards peaceful co-existence of people, said author and Lums associate professor of sociology Dr Aman Jafar.

He was delivering a lecture on ‘Shrines and the City: Public Space in Lahore,” during a literary gathering in Pind Gakhra of Khanpur tehsil here on Monday.

Dr Aman informed participants about his research book titled “Making Islam Real - Social Space of Sufi Shrines in Urban Pakistan and highlighted usual conversations, communal meals, and drug use at shrines and how interactions of visitors to shrines promote communal relationships and spirituality.

Talking about socio-culture, conversation and interactions of shrine visitors, he said that there had always been a conflict-like situation among malangs (permanent shrine dwellers) and Sufis as both had different spiritual affiliations.

The author claimed malangs and Sufis got together to cook and arrange langar (food), manage and listen to qawali, and shroud shrines with chaddar (embroidered multicoloured cloth sheets).

“This is exactly the point that shows inclusivity, harmony and social cohesion,” he said. The lecture was followed by a discussion among participants from Taxila, Khanpur, Haripur and Islamabad, on religion, urban studies, politics, economy, waste management, and infrastructure.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2023