Scores of people from different parts of the Valley attended the Urs

PAMPORE: The annual Urs of renowned Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Masood Wali popularly known as Khuja Sahab was celebrated on Monday with religious fervour at his shrine at Namblabal in Saffron town Pampore area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Scores of devotees from different parts of the valley assemble on the eve of 412th Urs at the Shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Masood Wali (RA) in the Saffron town, to observe the Urs of the Sufi saint.
During the three days of Urs, majority people in Pampore and adjoining villages turn vegetarian and do not eat meat or chicken.
Special prayers were asked at the Khanqah-e-Moula Pampore. Huge number of devotees thronged the shrine and participated in the special prayers there.
The devotees including women, men, children and old were seen paying obeisance and offering special prayers at the shrine. Khwaja Masood Wali (RA) popularly known as Khuja Sahab by Idarah, Awaqaf, Islamia Trust Pampore in collaborations with religious organization Soutul Auwliya J&K unit Pampore organize an annual celebration (Urs) on 5th Safar and Hazrat Sheikh Sharif-Ud-Din Wali (RA) popularly known as Shokh Baba Sahab on 21 Safar at their Shrine located in Namlabal Pampore.
The Relic of Khuja Sahab was displayed before scores of people since Sunday.
Khawaja Masood Pampori son of Khawaja Sadar-ud-Din Pampori was born on 958 Hijri and passed away on 1021 Hijri.
A large number of devotees from different parts of Valley thronged the shrine where they recited Quran and later joined Khatam-e-Sharif, Naatia Majlis and supplications.
A special prayer was held at Khanqah-e-Moula Pampore. Renowned clergy, Moulana Bilal Ahmad Kumar addressed the congregation on Sunday evening at Khanqah-e-Moula Pampore and highlighted role of saints in spreading the message of Islam in Kashmir.
He also threw a light on the life, religious services, teachings and spiritual strength of the revered Islamic scholar and saint who had devoted his whole life to the service and preaching of Islam, John Mohammad a local member of Auqaf Committee Pampore told Kashmir Reader.
The people of Saffron town Pampore especially living nearer to the Khuja Sahib and Shokh Bab Sahab shrine cook dried vegetables, eggs, cheese and other food stuff except meat on the Urs of Khuja Sahab and Shokh Bab Sahab and invite their relatives, friends on lunch or dinner to keep the tradition of saint alive.

BILAL HABIB