Pampore: The annual Urs of renowned Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Masood Wali popularly known as Khwaja Sahab was celebrated on Wednesday 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 assembled on the eve of Urs at the Shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Masood Wali (RA) in the Saffron town. Special prayers were asked at the Khanqah-e-Moula Pampore.
The relic of Khwaja Sahab was displayed before scores of people. During the three days of Urs, the majority of people in Pampore and adjoining villages turn vegetarian and do not eat meat or chicken.
The people of Saffron town Pampore especially those living nearer to the Khwaja Sahab shrine cook dried vegetables, eggs, cheese and other food stuff except meat on the Urs of Khuja Sahab and invite their relatives, and friends for lunch or dinner to keep the tradition of saint alive.
Khawaja Masood Pampori, son of Khawaja Sadar-ud-Din Pampori was born on 958 Hijri and passed away on 1021 Hijri.
Moulana Firdous Raza Qadri and Dr Sameer Sheikh Sedeeqi addressed the gathering at Khanqah-e-Moula Pampore and highlighted the role of saints in spreading the message of Islam in Kashmir.
They also threw 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.

BILAL HABIB