The three-day annual Urs of Syed Ali bin Usman Hajveri, popularly known as Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, started on Saturday in Lahore. According to a private television channel, the death anniversary of the 11th century saint Syed Ali bin Usman Hajveri or 'Data Sahib' starts on Saturday in Lahore at his mausoleum, popularly known as Data Durbar.
During the Urs, the shrine and its whereabouts are beautifully lit. A large number of devotees from different parts of the country besides tens of thousands from the city will visit the Data Darbar to pay their homage by reciting verses from the Holy Quran, Qawalees and recitation of Naats and poetry to the saint. Separate arrangements are made for women to visit the shrine.
'Langer Khana' (distributing free food) and milk-Sabeel also attract a large number of people. The tradition of milk-Sabeels traces its roots to a time when the people of Lahore used to give tax in the form of milk to city keeper Ray Raju Jogi. Legend has it that when Hazrat Data Gunj Baksh arrived in Lahore, he stopped them from this practice.