KARACHI: Hues of green from the shrine lights that got brighter as you covered the distance between outer yard and the place, faint drum beats that slowly grew louder and louder, long queues at the entrance gates as well as behind the cauldrons of free biryani and pulao, the green, red and yellow bunting flutter in the cool evening sea breeze … the final day of Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s urs pulled the biggest crowds of the past three days.

There were the regular devotees, there were the ones coming to express their gratitude for prayers that have already been answered and there were the ones hoping to see their prayers and wishes answered. But do the prayers get answered? That was the question.

“Of course they do,” a private security guard enjoying biryani from a plastic bag said. “I was sitting here feeling so hungry and someone I didn’t even know just came and handed me this food. It’s Baba Ji’s barkat [blessing],” he added.

In every other corner, every few minutes there was a cauldron emptying and another steaming one being opened with more mouths to feed lining up. If they got their bag of rice, they walked away with smiles, if asked to wait a bit, they had the choicest of abuses to shower the volunteer with.

Nonstop handouts in the outer yard, prayers and thanksgiving around the mazar salient features on last day

There were also little boys selling two plastic shoppers for Rs10. “Thanks to Baba Ji, I am able to earn more than usual today. It is all his barkat,” one of them said.

Healthcare exercise

Making the most of the opportunity, volunteers administering polio drops were also deployed at the entrances. Many children were also blessed and saved from a crippling disease. These were some of the spontaneous reliefs.

“I have been coming here for all the three days of the urs as I live quite nearby in Neelum Colony,” said Naseem Bibi. “I come here on other occasions, too, because I have heard about so many people whose wishes have come true after they requested Baba Ji to pray for them.

“I’m hoping I will also see my wish come true even though it has not happened yet,” the woman smiled and shrugged.

“Only God Almighty listens to prayers and answers them. And Baba Ji is God’s wali. He can put in a good word but that’s it,” smiled a Rangers jawan present there and happened to overhear the conversation.

Devotees from outside the city

People had arrived here from nearby areas as well as from far away. Young Aqsa from Sukkur said that she was facing many issues in life and hoped for some relief.

Amna Bibi from Hyderabad said that she has never returned empty-handed from the shrine. Nadira Rehman, also from Hyderabad, only wanted to say thank you after her elder daughter’s bagging internship of her choice. She also wished for her to have a great career and a good life.

Mr and Mrs Zawwar Hasan were there with their little daughter Meerab Fatima, who shared with Dawn her wish for a baby brother. Kaiser Tasneem said that she wished for a healthy life and for her children to find good people in life to wed and wed soon.

Parents and grandparents had come with their children and children’s children. The older folks stayed downstairs as the younger ones braved the steep staircase to make sure Baba Ji didn’t miss them.

Sisters Ayesha and Maryam were there with their mother. All went upstairs, too, but the sisters returned before their mother after getting overwhelmed by the crowd.

Ayeza was also there with her aunt, whom she left upstairs also and then got very worried when she couldn’t find her. Then all she did was pray to be reunited with her.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2023