HYDERABAD: Tens of thousand devotees of great Sufi Saint Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai started arriving at Bhit Shah Town from different parts of the country to pay tribute to him on his 266th annual Urs celebrations.
Bhit Shah Town, located some 50 kilometres away from here in district Matiari has been decorated with ceremonial gates right from the main entrance of the town to the mausoleum of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.
Vendors have established makeshift shops for selling Quranic verses inscribed ‘Chaddars’, flowers and floral wreaths, rose petals, sweets, dry fruits, garments, artificial jewellery, footwear and traditional handicrafts and handlooms of Sindh. Shops would also be selling cassettes, CDs and VCDs of music laced with the grandeur of Shah’s poetic philosophy.
Besides establishing tents for temporary accommodation of the flocking devotees, the local people would be providing the same by converting their houses into boarding and lodging places on the occasion of the urs.
Horse racing and dog fighting shows would also be featured as part of the celebrations.
The people would not only frolic from the aforesaid arrangements, but the traditional wrestling events, called in the local vernacular as ‘Malha’, would be organised to enthral the visiting devotees.
The auditorium, centre of excellence, museum and rest houses have also been renovated for organising of official functions and accommodations.
Heavy contingent of Police reached the town from different districts of the province to help the local police in maintaining law and order.
Sindh Government has declared holiday in the province on Jan 30 and all learning institutions would be closed on the day.
Secretary Culture Department Shams Jafrani had announced earlier that Governor Sindh Dr. Ishratul Ebad would inaugurate the urs celebrations on Jan 30 by laying floral wreath and offering fateha at the Mazar of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, while the Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah would be the chief guest at Shah Abdul Latif Awards distribution ceremony on the concluding day of the urs on Feb 1.
