Pakistan: Devotees flock to Lahore for three-day Urs festival

Millions gather in Lahore for Urs, honoring Sufi saint Data Sahib with music and devotion

Last updated: August 20, 2025 | 13:38

2 MIN READ

Devotees gather at the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, popularly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, in Lahore, Pakistan, to mark the three-day annual festival, or Urs, celebrating the life of the revered mystic and scholar. Drumming, dancing, and dazzling lights bring the centuries-old tradition of honoring Sufi saints vividly to life, as pilgrims from across the country join in rituals, prayers, and devotional music, creating a vibrant and spiritual atmosphere that captures both faith and festivity.

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Devotees light clay-lamp during celebrations of the three-day annual festival or 'Urs'. In Lahore, as many as one million devotees flock to the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, also known as Data Ganj Bakhsh or Data Sahib, for a three-day celebration of his life.

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Devotees touch the shrine’s lattice in an act of devotion and faith during the three-day annual Urs festival.

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Processions arrive from across Pakistan, with worshippers reciting Quranic verses and offering ceremonial cloths at Ali Hajveri’s grave. Some perform the dhamaal, a ritual dance accompanied by drumming, spinning until they enter a trance-like state.

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Devotees pass walk through gate at a checkpoint as they arrive to attend celebrations of the three-day annual festival or 'Urs'.

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A spiritual devotee, locally known as a “Malang,” performs the traditional Sufi trance dance called Dhamaal during the three-day annual Urs festival.

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Born in Ghazni, Afghanistan, in 990, Ali Hajveri travelled through Iran, Iraq, and Syria to meet leading Sufi masters and later settled in Lahore until he died in 1077. He is revered as the city’s patron saint.

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The Data Darbar shrine, a primary South Asian pilgrimage site, transforms into a hub of faith, culture, and fraternity during Urs. A langar, or community kitchen, serves free meals around the clock, while devotional singing, or qawwali, fills the air.

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"We have been coming here since my childhood, almost 40 years," said Hussain Jilani, 57. "We feel spiritually fulfilled whenever we come. Data Sahib is a source of blessings." Saleem Tayyab, 63, added, "Our pockets have never been empty, and our hearts never without peace. Whoever comes here takes blessings with him." Above, volunteers pack food for devotees attending celebrations of the three-day annual festival or 'Urs'.

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