LAHORE: The Lahore district administration has declared Tuesday, August 4, a public holiday across the district in connection with the 983rd annual Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh.
According to an official notification, the holiday will be observed within Lahore district to facilitate devotees participating in the annual religious celebrations at Data Darbar.
Holiday announced for Urs celebrations
The annual Urs of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, popularly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, officially began on Sunday with traditional ceremonies at the shrine.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar inaugurated the 983rd Urs by performing the customary chadar-laying ceremony and inaugurating the milk sabeel at Data Darbar.
Thousands of devotees attend
The three-day Urs attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees, religious scholars and Sufi followers from across Pakistan, who gather at Data Darbar to pay tribute to the revered saint.
Special security arrangements and administrative measures have been put in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the celebrations.
About Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh
Hazrat Ali Hajveri, widely known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, was an 11th-century Persian Sufi scholar born in Ghazni (present-day Afghanistan) around 990 AD during the Ghaznavid era.
He later settled in Lahore, where he dedicated his life to spreading the teachings of Islam, Sufism, tolerance and brotherhood. His shrine, Data Darbar, is regarded as the largest Sufi shrine in South Asia and remains one of Pakistan’s most visited religious sites.
