Devotees demand local holiday for Urs on the pattern of major Sufi shrines across J&K; reconstruction of shrine underway Waqf Board
Reyaz Rashid
Khanpora: Thousands of devotees from Baramulla and different parts of Kashmir converged at Khanpora on Friday for the 608th Urs Mubarak of Hazrat Syed Muhammad Janbaz Wali (RA), one of the Valley’s revered Sufi saints, turning the shrine into a centre of intense religious devotion, prayer and spiritual reflection.
The annual Urs was observed with religious fervour, with men, women and children visiting the shrine throughout the day to offer prayers, pay obeisance and seek blessings. Devotees also had an opportunity to have a glimpse of the sacred Tabarrukat associated with the saint after prayers.
The occasion once again highlighted the enduring spiritual and cultural importance of the Khanpora shrine, which attracts devotees not only from Baramulla but also from neighbouring districts and other parts of the Valley.
Religious gatherings at the shrine included Khatm-e-Muzumaat, recitation of Wazaif, Zikr-o-Azkar, Durood Khwani and Naat Khwani, creating an atmosphere of devotion and remembrance.
The streets and surroundings of the shrine have traditionally been illuminated during the Urs, with decorative lights and the characteristic tiny electrical bulbs locally known as ‘Zool’, adding to the festive yet spiritual atmosphere.
Amid the massive congregation, devotees renewed a long-standing demand for the Urs to be declared a local holiday in Baramulla district or at least in Baramulla and Narvaw tehsils saying the scale of participation and the shrine’s historical and spiritual importance warrant official recognition.
The demand has assumed greater significance with devotees pointing to the practice of declaring local holidays for important religious, cultural and traditional occasions in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
They cited the Urs of Shah Farid-ud-Din Sahib, observed on June 21, 2026, as a local holiday in Kishtwar district, and the Urs of Shah Asrar-ud-Din Sahib, scheduled for November 10, 2026, for which a local holiday covers Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts.
Devotees also referred to the Kailash Yatra in Bhaderwah and Bhalla on July 21, 2026, and Mela Pat in Bhaderwah and Bhalla, as examples of religious and traditional occasions receiving administrative recognition through local holidays.
Devotees argued that the annual Urs at Khanpora is no less significant for the people of Baramulla and neighbouring areas, with thousands travelling from different parts of Kashmir to participate in prayers and seek blessings.
“When thousands of people from Baramulla and other parts of Kashmir gather at the shrine every year, the Urs deserves official recognition. A local holiday would enable devotees, employees, students and families to participate fully in the religious observances,” a devotee Ghulam Nabi Bhat said.
They appealed to the J&K Government and district administration to examine the matter and consider declaring the Urs a local holiday for Baramulla district or Baramulla and Narvaw tehsils.
The demand also comes against the backdrop of growing visitor numbers at the shrine and the need for better management of the annual congregation.
Speaking on the occasion, Mutawalli Dargah Khursheed Ahmad Shah expressed gratitude to devotees for participating in the Urs in large numbers and maintaining peace and discipline.
“We are celebrating the Urs of Hazrat Syed Janbaz Wali (RA) with great devotion. Thousands of devotees, not only from Baramulla but from different parts of Kashmir, visit this pious shrine to seek the blessings of Allah,” Shah said.
“For the people of Khanpora, the Urs holds immense importance. We receive a large number of guests on this day, and we pray at the shrine for peace and tranquillity in the world,” Shah said.
He appreciated the cooperation extended by the J&K Waqf Board, police and civil administration in facilitating the devotees and ensuring the peaceful conduct of the religious gathering.
The administration made arrangements concerning transport, drinking water, electricity, cleanliness and other essential facilities for the visiting devotees. Police and civil authorities were also deployed to regulate the movement of people and ensure smooth arrangements around the shrine.
The historic shrine is presently undergoing construction and development work under the J&K Waqf Board, an initiative that devotees hope will strengthen the facilities available at the revered site and provide better arrangements for the growing number of pilgrims visiting the shrine every year.