Amid chill, the annual Urs of the 11th century Sufi saint, Shaikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani (RA), known as Peer Dastageer Sahib by devotees, was observed with religious fervor on Friday.Witnesses told CNS that ‘Shab Khwani’ (nightlong prayers) were held from the last evening and there was no let up in the rush of devotees throughout the course of the day on Friday at Khanyar and Sarai Bala.While devotees remained engrossed in prayers and supplications, emotional scenes of people praying with tears in their eyes were witnessed when the holy relic of revered saint was displayed.Devotees usually pay obeisance at the shrine for 11 days till the main Urs day. Besides Sarai Bala, the main Urs was held at the Dastageer Sahib Shrine located at Khanyar in old Srinagar city, which was damaged in fire in 2012.
Both the shrines are devoted to 11th century Sufi saint whose actual shrine is located at Baghdad in Iraq. Even though the saint never visited Kashmir in person, he is highly revered by the locals. Both the shrines wear festive looks during Urs days as several stalls selling food items and other goods are set up outside.The night-long prayers were also said at shrines at Varmul, Pinjura Shopian, Sirhama, Handwara and Tujjar Sharief in Sopore. The imams and the clerics in different shrines shed light on the life, teachings and the sprititual power of Sheikh Sayyad Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA).