I was half asleep when I heard my flat mates planning a Thursday night visit to Data Sahab, since Thursday night the usual shrine activities are at their peak. Of course, hearing this was quite sufficient to wither away the remaining half of the sleep and actually I was ready to leave before they could formulate the entire plan.
It was my first experience to visit Data Sahab with the proper intention to not only visit it but savour the atmosphere too. So we arrived there at around 11 am but at that place, there isn't really much sense of day and night. In fact, Thursday night is more marred with people from all walks of life more than any other day or night. Yes, from all walks of life. The rich, the poor, the young, the old, the saints and the sinners. Discrimination doesn't usually exist at such places, as I already stated the observation regarding Bulleh Shah's shrine.
I usually feel uneasy amid crowds but this place was amazing. Perhaps it was a peaceful indifference that renders you serenity. You can see people scattered all over the place, some alone and some aggrouped, some completely mute while others singing and reciting. The amalgam of all these activities creates a very peculiar sort of captivating atmosphere which you would seldom find anywhere else. You observe people in the crowd and you realize the worth of love, of peace, of the wisdom of life. That's what attracts people to such places, that's what revolutionises them from within. And that what they usually, and unfortunately, don't find within a mosque.
I got so absorbed in this ambiance that photography became a secondary motive. I just wanted to sit quietly in a corner and spend the entire night there. But after a couple of hours, the collective decision in favour of departure was announced and I had to join others. But before leaving, we relished the final treat of the eve - 'Mehfil-e-Samaah' which is organized every, again, Thursday night. It wasn't extraordinary but even with this ordinary Mehfil I could understand the transcendence brought upon by a real Mehfil. So with all the future planning in accordance, we took the way back. A night well spent!
2 comments:
I absolutely envy you for having that chance. I would I could be at a Samaah mehfil. So, so want to have that experience!
The best part about mazaars, which I discerned, is that people cease to be judgmental. All tags are gone, all fatwas rendered null and void. You can be a nothing. And that's a blissful experience.
Visited a mazaar of 'Zinda peer' perched atop a hill at Hasan Abdal. It was quite something.
P.S. If you switch back to wordpress again, you're dead!! :P
That's *precisely* what I love about that atmosphere: peacefully indifferent and not all at judgmental. And I hope I manage to visit Pindi soon, gotta visit some places there too.
And you gotta be in Lahore to enjoy culture. Get a job here! =p
hahaha, hope I wont be back there. =D
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