Brotherly bonds

Published January 10, 2008

A little after Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s Urs concludes on the 22nd of Zilhaj, another esoteric celebration follows close behind: the Urs, or death anniversary, of Misry Shah. This might be more than just mere coincidence as divine logic might be at work, for if legend is to be believed, Misry Shah and Abdullah Shah were brothers.

Located close to the sea, Misry Shah’s shrine is a magnet for the faithful, hoping to have their prayers heard by God through the intercession of the saint, with a particularly heavy flow of devotees during the Urs.

Another popular urban legend suggests that the reason why Karachi has been spared by natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones is because of the presence of these two shrines, keeping the sea’s wrath at bay.

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