Lahorites will celebrate a three-day Mela Chiraghan, the Festival of Lights, to mark the birth anniversary of Hazrat Shah Hussain on Saturday (today).
Shah Hussain (1538-1599) was a Punjabi poet and a saint. His Urs is celebrated at his shrine every year. It is the biggest festival of Punjab as Shah Hussain was the pioneer of the Kafi form of Punjabi poetry.
Shah Hussain’s shrine is situated in Baghbanpura near the Shalamar Gardens. People from all over Punjab come to see this festival.
Shah Hussain’s affection to a Brahmin boy called “Madho” or “Madho Laal” is well known. Madho’s tomb lies next to Shah Hussain’s in the shrine. It is said that one day Madho said to Shah Hussain that I am Hindu and you are Muslim, you would be a distinguished person in future but no one would remember me. It is said that at that time, Shah Hussain changed his name to Madho Laal Hussain and said that people would call your name before my name.
One ritual associated with the festival is a visit to the mausoleum of ‘Sa’een’ (Saint) Madho Laal to pay respect. The mausoleum is only 10 minutes walk from Shalamar and is inside Baghbanpura Bazaar. It is believed that whatever you pray for at his grave is always answered.
Most devotees show their affection for the saint by dancing (dhamaal) to the beat of drums. Shah Hussain has his own school of thought. Shah Hussain was the symbol of revolution who promoted love among people and highlighted the features of human respect.
During the festival, devotees light thousands of earthen lamps to honour the saint at his shrine. The roads approaching to the tomb are dotted with stalls to entertain pilgrims while food stalls will also be erected. For the past many years, a large segment of the festival’s crowd comprises young people as most of them can enjoy smoking hashish-laced cigarettes without any fear of being caught. At the tomb, pilgrims also toss candles into a large bonfire (mach) as legend has it that anyone doing this would be granted a wish by the Almighty while some believe that their prayers would be granted if they sit close to the fire. The final day of the Urs is reserved for women. Every year nearly 7,000 female devotees visit the shrine.
The event will begin with the celebrations of Shah Hussain’s birth and most devotees will show their affection for the saint by dancing to the beat of drums. The festivities include burning of hashish, singing of the saint’s Kafis, Qawwalis and the setting up of traditional food stalls. Another attraction at the Urs is the dancing transvestites and eunuchs.
Special arrangements have been made by the Auqaf department in collaboration with the authorities concerned to keep the shrine clean. The police have been asked to make foolproof security arrangements during the Urs. A shrine committee has been constituted for the distribution of langar (food).
There are shows and a circus, rides and food. The stalls are set up from Suk Naher (Dried Canal) to west on the GT Road, about 3/4th of a mile. There are thousands of stalls selling goodies from all over the country. You can find ‘Wangan’ (bangles) from Hyderabad, ‘Chiree-Chikay’ (badminton rackets) from Sialkot, ‘Pateesa’ (sweets) and ‘Pheonia’ (angel hair noodles) from Bhera, ‘hand made and hand painted furniture’ from Chiniot, handicrafts from northern areas, camel skin lamps from Multan, cloth from Lyallpur and many of other specialties from various regions of the country.
The food stalls are of ‘Pakoray’ (gram flour patties), ‘Khear (rice pudding), freshly squeezed fruit juices, ‘Doodh-Patee’ (milk tea). All kinds of sweets, and a local specialty, Katlama (a bread with May’da (fine flour) base topped with Basin (gram flour) mixed with herbs and spices, and fried in oil in a flat iron pan (absolutely not for calorie conscious folks!). No matter where you buy it, Katlama always tastes the same. Some Pakora stalls sell better stuff than others do.
