HYDERABAD/DADU: The three-day 772nd urs of great saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar drew to an end on Saturday with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah laying a red chaddar inscribed with names of Ahl-i-Bait (family of the last Prophet of Islam) on the grave of the saint at the shrine in Sehwan.

Mr Shah was accompanying MPAs Dr Sikandar Shoro and Malik Sikandar Khan, Culture Secretary and DG Auqaf Munawar Ali Mahesar, Commissioner Syed Khalid Hyder Shah and other officials at the concluding ceremony.

Speaking to the caretakers of the shrine, devotees, visitors and other people present near the grave, the chief minister said that he prayed for betterment and stability of the country while laying the chaddar. He said he wished the country got rid of all problems it was confronted with.

Syed Murad Ali Shah, who has retained the office of the CM by getting majority vote in the recent assembly session held after the Feb 8 elections, said he had already spelt out his priorities for his next term. He said he would focus on addressing the law and order issue in the province, besides implementing the 10 point socio-economic agenda of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

Great saint’s life and teachings highlighted by scholars; thousands spellbound in hours-long dhamal

He said the party chairman had promised rehabilitation of the families affected by the 2022 flood and availability of clean drinking water to every citizen in Sindh.

Mr Shah said his government would complete the ongoing recruitment on BS-1 to BS-15 soon.

Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner Ali Zulfiqar Memon and SSP Mohammad Tariq Nawaz; Hyderabad DIG Tariq Razzak Dharejo and Special Branch SSP Asif Bughio and senior officials of various departments and police were present.

Dhamal

Thousands of devotees joined the dhamal on the thumping of Nagara (a huge drums/percussion-like traditional instrument of Sindh). The dhamal began with a few hundred devotees dancing under spiritual influence and hundreds other kept joining them till late in the evening. During the course of dhamal, devotees intermittently kept raising Qalandari slogans like ‘Jhoolay Jhoolay Lal Qalandar’ and ‘Damadam Mast Qalandar’.

Literary conference

Adabi conference, one of the permanent features of the urs, held on Friday evening concluded late in the night. Scholars, including Nazeer Hayat Sehwani, Mir Hajjan Mir, Khair Mohammad Buriro, Ms Sakina, Aziz Qasmani, Anwar Saghar Kandhro and others presented their papers and shed light on the Qalandar’s teachings, spiritual power and reverence, as well as works of authors and poets on the subjects.

They said spiritual teachings of the Qalandar had reached here after enlightening world with mystic education. “Qalandar is the name of thinking”, one of the speakers said, and called for research on his thinking and mysticism so that everyone could benefit from his teachings.

They said that Sindh was blessed with spiritual giants besides having a historic region. “It’s Sindh where Sachal Sarmast, Bhitai and Qalandar are resting; these personalities are centre of spiritual teachings and education,” They said, and congratulated the auqaf department for holding this successful literary conference.

Culture Department Director General Munawar Mahesar emphasised the need for spreading message of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, and said that despite passage of centuries, Qalandar lived in the hearts and minds of people.

He pointed out that “millions turn up at this shrine every year which is no less a miracle”. He said it was the Qalandar’s personality that his teachings had greatly influenced people spiritually.

The Qalandar dhamal has an emotional bond with people, he remarked.

Sehwan library in-charge Naeem Ahmed Daudpoto, Jamshoro Information Department Deputy Director

Rafiq Ahmed Solangi, Abdul Latif Solangi, Feroze Barfat and others also participated in the conference held in the Shahbaz Auditorium.

The conference was followed by Mehfil-i-Sama where artists Mumtaz Kanwal, Sanam Marvi Qalandari, Shaman Mirali, Tufail Sanjrani, Taj Mastani, Khushboo Naz and others enthralled the audience with their performances.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2024