Mela Chiraghan Lahore..

[ghazi52]

Mela Chiraghan: Let there be light
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The devotees make their mannats (wishes) by offering candles and oil to feed the fire that gives Mela Chiraghan its name.

The heart of Shalimar town, Lahore, beats in sync with thedhol, its arteries clogged with thousands of people, shoving each other in a hurry to reach the alao (huge fire) at the center. The flames light up the shrine of the Sufi saint and poet, Shah Hussain, on Mela Chiraghan or the festival of lights, the three-day urs marking his 426th death anniversary.

Thousands of devotees from all over the country flock to the shrine in the last few days of March, to pay their respects and honour the memory of the beloved saint. The festival is a pre-Partition legacy and continued in the Shalimar Gardens even after Independence, until president Ayub Khan banned the location from being used in 1958. The celebrations then relocated to the winding streets and sloping terraces of the shrine.

The shrine is decorated beautifully with paper and plastic flowers and fairy lights. Devotees line up to pay their respects and present chadar
and offerings to the saints.

The shrine is beautifully lit up over the course of three days. The path leading up to the shrine is choked with devotees holding up chadars that they have carried for several kilometres on foot. People throw their offerings in the chadars and dance to renditions of Shah Hussain’s timeless kaafis (short poems) and the beat of the dhol. Malangs robed in saffron and red, bellow out deep sorrowful notes with their horns. “Wearing varying shades of yellow and red is a tradition here. We wear it as an expression of love,” says Rashid Munir, a regular visitor to the shrine, who has a dupatta of the same colours wrapped around his neck.

The alao at the center is the main attraction of the festival. Hundreds gather around it, throwing packets of oil and candles into the flames as chants of Naraa-i-Haideri followed by Ya Ali, Ya Ali (RA) resound through the packed arena. The alao is ringed with tiny oil lamps and candles. Every now and then a person approaches the fire, dips a finger in an oil lamp and anoints himself with it. “It’s a sign of respect,” explains a bystander. “This oil is holy. The lamps represent the light that kills the darkness within.”

There is a throng of wide-eyed children, young men in jeans and older male devotees as far as the eye can see. Few women make an appearance until the third day which is reserved especially for them.

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[ghazi52]

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[Musalman]

Astagfirullah !!!

 

[Sheikh Rauf]

Malang with full of dirt Astagfirullah where are we heading to...

 

[DRaisinHerald]

I'm sorry to anyone who might think this is right. This is just not right.
Look at the malangs. Does that look like the embodiment of Islam? That is NOT how you become spiritual.

 

[Zibago]

Astagfirullah !!!

Malang with full of dirt Astagfirullah where are we heading to...

I'm sorry to anyone who might think this is right. This is just not right.
Look at the malangs. Does that look like the embodiment of Islam? That is NOT how you become spiritual.

 

[SQ8]

I'm sorry to anyone who might think this is right. This is just not right.
Look at the malangs. Does that look like the embodiment of Islam? That is NOT how you become spiritual.

Then how do we become spiritual? How does a human being gauge the spiritual level of another when the idea of the spiritual connection is only between creator and being?

And this is just a ritual carry over from Hinduism.. which has to do with the same culture prevailing... as such the blowing of that horn is not exactly textbook.

 

[Signalian]

This is the Madho Lal Hussain shrine. Shah Hussain was a muslim saint and had a hindu follower madho lal whose devotion to shah hussain led to shah hussain falling in spiritual love for this follower.
I think in some other thread shah hussain and madho lal are depicted wrongly as gay or sexual partners, which is the way modern society sees love between two men, ignoring the type of spiritual love between Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W) and Hazrat Owais Karni (R.A).

The only love which exists between a teacher and disciple is spiritual love only. At most the only physical contact is disciple kissing feet of his teacher, but this physical contact is rare too, for out of utmost respect some disciples think their lips are too dirty to even touch the feet of their teacher.

A "Chiragh" or lamp is lit to remember a loved one, i think thats why this ceremony or mela cheraghan has taken place.

As for the "Dirty" Malang and all the laughable comments above, the dirt and filth of the society is accepted at shrines for these saints in their lives looked at the inner of a person , not the outward looks and dirt on them. They used to embrace the outcasts in their lives and even after they have shed their body in a tomb, their tomb is still a place which welcomes all whom the society rejects.

A worldly person only sees the dirt on a persons face and clothes, these saints are more positive and loving than an average human like us, they see the positivity inside the person even if the positivity is the size of a grain in comparison to dirt on him, they highlight that positivity in that dirty clothed person and love that person for God loves those who loves his people.

No wonder these saints and sufis are so much loved by God that even hundreds of years after their transfer from this world, these saints are still remembered by people. LOL, and the people who gave comments on dirt of that malang, wouldnt even know the name of their ancestor who dies only one hundred years ago, lol ignorance is bliss.

Then how do we become spiritual? How does a human being gauge the spiritual level of another when the idea of the spiritual connection is only between creator and being?

And this is just a ritual carry over from Hinduism.. which has to do with the same culture prevailing... as such the blowing of that horn is not exactly textbook.

we become spiritual by loving everyone following the lines of the Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) who could have destroyed people of Taif for making His(SAW) face bleed.
The spiritual connection is also between humans, like Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) and Hazrat Owais Karni (R.A) and there are lots of other examples but this is the most common.

Ishq is not text book, is it in text book to break all of your teeth if u get to know the prophet (SAW) has lost his teeth?
Ishq has many forms, read muslim history and u will know that hindus copied from muslims, not the other way round.

 

[ghazi52]

LAHORE: Shah Hussain, popularly known as Madhu Lal Hussain's 429th annual three day festival started in Lahore on Saturday.

A large number of devotees from around the country visited the shrine of Madhu Lal Hussain to pay tributes to the Sufi poet and his close friend.

Mehfil-e-Samaa and Mehfil-e-Naat would be held in which renowned qawwals and Naat khawans would recite Sufi poetry during the Mela Charaghan.

Every year, devotees from all over the country lay floral wreaths at the graves of Shah Hussain and Madho Lal, performing dhamal at the shrine, lighting candles for fulfillment of their prayers and wishes and distributing charity food, including water, milk and juices.

Mela Charaghan has its own importance in Lahore's history, as it has been a biggest festival of Lahore in some times.

The festival was started with the seasonal Baisakhi festival in old times. Foolproof security arrangements have been made for the devotees. The last day of the Urs is reserved for women.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1266946626728198

 

[ghazi52]

Madhu Lal Shah Husain Urs: LGBT Celebration in Pakistan?

"The nights are long without my beloved".
Shah Husain

Devotees of the sixteenth century Muslim Sufi Saint Shah Husain believe he was in love with Madhu Lal, a Hindu Brahmin man. The two men, whose attraction to each other may well have been platonic, are buried next to each other in a famous Lahore shrine where there is an annual three-day celebration by hundreds of thousands of followers of the famous mystic.

Called Mela Chiraghan or the Festival of Lights, the three-day celebration of Madhu Lal Hussain started today in Baghbanpura Lahore. The event's name comes from a large fire, alao, at the shrine where people throw candles, oils and terra-cotta lamps (chiragh) after making wishes. The fire remains lit for the entire duration of the urs.

Reporting on the same-sex relationship of Madu Lal and Shah Husain,quoted Pakistani-American Professor Taymiya R. Zaman of University of San Francisco as saying: " You can't look at something that already existed and there is a shrine devoted to it and say it was unacceptable ".

Anyone who's spent time in Pakistan knows that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT) exist in the country, though this fact is not openly acknowledged or discussed for fear of backlash from conservatives. This has begun to change, however, with recent Supreme Court decisions acknowledging the rights of transgender community as equal citizens under Pakistan's constitution. The nation's highest court has ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure that transgenders are registered as voters and be allowed to contest for parliament in the upcoming elections.

http://www.riazhaq.com/2013/03/madhu-lal-shah-husain-urs-lgbt.html

 

[xyxmt]

I'm sorry to anyone who might think this is right. This is just not right.
Look at the malangs. Does that look like the embodiment of Islam? That is NOT how you become spiritual.

this is his livelyhood, this is how fools consider him "Pohoncha hua buzurg"
dont blame him blame the fools

Blame Jahaliat

 

[ghazi52]

Malang with full of dirt Astagfirullah where are we heading to...

Jahaliat.

 

[Max]

 

[Sheikh Rauf]

Bhai what u defending. Ishaq with Allah and His rasool (PBUH) have some rules u never heard "safai nisf Iman hai"
I hope no one support namaz without wazu. If so called ishq don't make u think about urself and get u lost then it's not ishq it's a madness. Islam keep us in limits and no one can achieve "qurb Closeness of Allah without following his way. If we love Allah then we must follow his rules.

Jahaliat.

Bhai there is a limit to it but we see no limit we all know why alot of people get there for. Humain apna qibla durst kernay ki ashad zaroorat hai werna Allah hum kesi or qoam say na badal day. Or Vo "Allah" her cheez per Qadar hai. We already facing the most corrupted people as decision makers. If this is not an eye opener then Allah raham karay sab per.

 

[ghazi52]

Mela Charaghan lights up Lahore

April 2, 2019

LAHORE: Prominent ghazal, classical, folk and qawwali singers from all over Punjab came together at this week’s Mela Charaghan (Festival of Lights), which was held in Lahore over a period of five days.

The festival ended on Monday night. It was organised by the Punjab Institute of Language Art and Culture (PILAC) and saw various artists pay tribute to the great saint Shah Hussain, famously known as Madu Laa Hussain.

Famed ghazal singers, including Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Hamid Ali Khan, Shoukat Ali Khan, Arif Lohar, Malkoo, Nasir Beraj Mahdi, Humaira Arshad, Asif Javaid Mehdi, Anwar Rafi, Saira Naseem and many others, attended and performed at the festival.

During Mela Charaghan, Ustad Hamid and Ustad Ghulam stated that it was the poetry of the saints that had given them the opportunity to sing and our society is in need of more such cultural and traditional events.

Numerous other cultural and musical activities were carried out, followed by many info sessions. The last day of Mela Charaghan was the one that stood out as it specifically featured musical performances and qawwali by Ustad Ghulam, Ustad Hamid, Arif, Humaira, Nasir, Shafayat Awan, Saira and many other artists.

The festival was inaugurated by the Information and Culture Minister Punjab Syed Samsam Bukhari, while the Governor Punjab Chaudhary Muhammd Sarwar, literary personalities, scholars and showbiz stars also attended the event. It was organised by Director General of PILAC Dr Sughra Sadaf on the urs of Shah Hussain.

“Traditional festivals are part of our culture. Pakistan’s history is enriched with such festivals that not only take place in Punjab but also all around the country,” Sughra told The Express Tribune. “I’m grateful to the Punjab government and Ministry of Information and Culture for co-operating with us. It is PILAC’s mission to promote music and the wonderful history of Punjab. I’m also grateful to the all the singers and literary personalities who joined us and am sure the future is bright. We will continue to arrange more gatherings like Mela Charaghan.”

During Monday night’s performances, various singers spoke of Shah Hussain’s poetry. “We don’t realise how lucky we are to have had so many Sufi saints in this region who provided us with wonderful poetry,” stated Ustad Hamid. “Almost all Pakistan’s famous singers have sung said poetry and as a result, reached the peak of fame.”

He went on to share that, “I’m still creating new songs which contain Hussain’s poetry. It is known that that the poetry of the saints gives out an universal message.”

Arif also shared his two cents. “Traditional festivals like Mela Charaghan are our assets,” he began. “Almost all the big singers, including me, started their music careers by performing at festivals like this and at the shrines of saints. I appreciate the efforts of DG PILAC Dr Sughra Sadaf for arranging the festival and providing such opportunities to the public.”

Mela Charaghan entailed numerous literary and musical sessions on the art of qawwali, folk singing and poetry for the general public. Various food stalls and other traditional stalls were also present on all five days.