Lahore – Its Mist and Its Myths

Lahore is renowned for being the city of Sufis and mystics for ages and it is called as “Daata’s city” also after the 11^th century Sufi saint Hazrat Daata Ali Bin Usman Hajviri who came here to Lahore and resided on the bank of River Ravi at the outskirts of the walled city of Lahore. From Ali Hajviri to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and from Madho Lal Hussein to Mujaddid Alf Saani Sheikh Ahmed Serhindi, Lahore has been the seat of Sufis for ages. The Urs (anniversaries) of these Sufi mystics have now become festivals of Lahore and millions of devotees from across the country blaze Lahore every year.

The biggest of the events of the country is held in the month of Safar when the Urs of Daata Ganj Bakhsh Hazrat Ali bin Usman Hajviri is celebrated. Millions of pilgrims from across the country come to kiss the feet of the grave of the Holy Saint and there they pray and donate in the name of Allah. Holy veils from all over the country are brought by pilgrims as they dance through the cities with people putting their alms in those veils and those veils are then spread over Daata’s grave.

Another huge event is of Madho Lal Hussein’s Urs that is held every year in Shalimar Gardens of Lahore in the month of March. Thousands of lamps are lit in this festival by the devotees and an enormous fire is lit with the help of these oil-lamps. This fire symbolizes the inner fire of a Sufi and the devotees make sure that this fire does not die out until the end of the Urs. The greatest thing about this fire is that every year at the end of the three day ceremonies, a thunderstorm or a rain comes to extinguish this fire and suddenly the weather of Lahore gets pleasant.

One of the biggest events celebrated in the city, which is shared by the entire Muslim world, is the Mawlid of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w) in the month of Rabi ul Awwal every year. The whole city is ornamented like a bride with mosques lit in green, red and yellow colors, the BRB Canal jeweled with statues and all the government buildings also lit with electric bulbs. People decorate the outers of their houses on the eve of 12^th Rabi ul Awwal.

Models of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina are made by young boys and girls, trolleys are decorated with lights, models and Nashids are played inside these trolleys. Competitions for best model, best decorated trolley and the most decorated area of the city are held and the toughest contest is between the Bhaati Gate and Islampura. Both these areas are adorned beautifully by the residents.

Lahore has so many colors and religion is one of the brightest among them. Lahore is the center of religion and culture in the country and Pakistanis take Lahore to be the heart of this country with all the veins moving towards it.