Mela Chiraghan concludes

LAHORE

Despite an overall scary atmosphere prevailing in the city, a large number of devotees from the provincial metropolis and the province emerged at the shrine of Hazrat Shah Hussain in Baghbanpura at the Mela Chiraghan (the festival of lights) to pay their respect on the 3rd and final day of the festival on Monday.

Although the moods of the people were sober with the fresh wounds of losing so many valuable lives in the bomb blast incident in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park yet the brave people of Lahore lived up to their centuries-old reputation of standing tall in the aftermath of any eventuality,. The Shrine of Hazrat Shah Hussain and its surrounding areas on the G.T. Road  kept buzzing with devotees and pilgrims who had come to pay their respects and attended the festivities on this occasion. The three-day long mega event, which started on Saturday at Baghbanpura, culminated on Monday night amid prayers for the departed souls and a quick recovery of the injured.

A large number of devotees from around the country gathered for three-day festivities at the shrine of Madhu Lal Hussain to pay tributes to the sixteenth century Sufi saint and poet Shah Hussain and his close friend Madhu Lal. The event features a large bonfire at the shrine where people throw candles, oils and terra-cotta lamps (Chiragh) as they believe it would fulfil their wishes. The fire remains lit for the entire duration of the Urs. For children, a number of swings and merry-go-rounds were arranged besides the traditional food items.

On the last day of the festival , the security arrangements had been enhanced in the wake of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park unfortunate incident since the Punjab government and the police high-ups were quite mindful of a lurking fear of a possible cowardly strike by the enemies of peace. The security had been beefed up and the law enforcement agencies kept a hawkish eye on all the proceedings and the surroundings of the festival area.