KHAIRPUR, Sept 27: The three-day celebrations marking the 186th annual Urs of great Sufi saint and poet of seven languages, Sachal Sarmast, began on Thursday at his birthplace, which was also his last resting place, Daraza, a village in Khairpur district.

Provincial Minister for Zakat and Ushr Mir Manzoor Panhwar and Sakhi Qabool Mohammad, custodian of Sachal’s shrine officially opened the Urs by laying traditional floral wreath on the saint’s grave.

The minister said after attending Mehfil-i-Sima and Sachal Award distribution ceremony that demand for the shrine’s renovation and repair was justified and praised Sakhi Qabool Mohammad for translating Sachal Sain’s poetry into English.

He asked him and the DCO of Khairpur to come to Karachi to get a big package for the shrine approved after holding meeting with prime minister.

Sakhi Qabool said that the shrine’s problems remained unresolved because he had no connections with any political party and preferred to remain impartial.

He said that tribal disputes and bloodshed in Sachal’s area were against the saint’s philosophy and appealed to the authorities concerned to take stern action against the people responsible for the menace.

DCO Allah Ditto Shar who is also chairman of Sachal Yadgar Committee said that the shrine was wearing out by each passing day and many engraved bricks had disappeared at many places.

No proper facilities of drinking water, toilets and accommodation had been provided for thousands of devotees and visitors who visit the shrine throughout the year from all over the country and abroad, he complained.

He said that the rest house constructed by culture department was in a dilapidated condition because it had not seen any repairs for years. The department released Rs200,000 grant each year for the shrine’s repairs before the annual Urs but stopped even that this year, he said.

There was no proper seating arrangement for the million of people who attend Sachal Musical Conference every year during Urs celebrations, he said and demanded that the government should complete all the pending projects for Daraza.

Sachal was born in Daraza in 1739 A.D. during the Kalhora era and died in the same village in on 14th day of Ramzan in 1829 A.D. at the age of 90. His real name was Abdul Wahab. Sachal Sarmast literally means ‘truthful mystic’. Sachal was an ardent follower of Wahdat-ul-Wujood, an islamic philosophy synonymous with Hamah Oost.

Sachal was raised by his uncle who was also his spiritual teacher after he lost his father at an early age. He married his cousin who died two years later and did not marry again. He liked solitude and silence and never travelled out of his village in his entire life.

SACHAL AWARDS: Sindh Minister Mir Manzoor Panhwar and Sakhi Qabool Mohammad gave away awards to Humera Channa for best singer, late Faqir Qalandar Bux for best sufiana singer, late Nawaz Rukrani for best research papers and Waseem Soomro for best poet. A special award went to Shifa Panhyar who had won Sachal Quiz competition held in Khairpur.

Faqir Hajan Solangi received best sughar award and Sughar Gada Hussain Sahito was awarded Sachal life time achievement award.

A Sachal special award was presented to Tabla Nawaz Ustad Qadir Bux Manganhar. An award was presented to Radio Pakistan Khairpur station received by station director Mohammad Ali Bhanbhan for airing Sachal’s kafis. Besides, Sakhi Qabool Mohammad, Khan Mohammad Khan, Mian Azhar Molai and Nanik Ram also received awards.

The awards distribution ceremony was followed by a Mehfil-i-Sima in which Humera Channa, Bhooral Faqeer Bhatti, Suhrab Faqir and his troupe sang Sachal Sain’s poetry. Faqir Ghulam Hussain and Motan Shah boycotted Mehfil-i-Sima over complaints that they were not provided proper facilities.