Rahman Baba Urs concludes

PESHAWAR: The three-day annual Urs of popular Pashto Sufi poet Abdul Rahman
Baba concluded here on Sunday with a grand Pashto mushaira at the Iranian Cultural Centre.
The Urs started on Friday when Rahman Baba Adabi Jirga office-bearers laid a floral wreath on the grave of the 17th century Sufi poet, commonly known as Rahman Baba.
The shrine is located at Hazarkhwani village sited in the outskirts of Peshawar city.It was followed by Quran Khwani at the shrine and night-time Mehfil-e-Samaa. Rubab players sang Sufi kalam and enthralled the audience. Rahman Baba’s fans and visitors attended the ceremony in droves.
About 400 malangs serving the shrine performed zikr. The students from local religious seminaries attended the Urs and also participated in Khatme Quran at Rahman Baba’s mazar.According to members of Rahman Baba Adabi Jirga, the grand Pashto Mushaira and seminar could not be conducted at the shrine of Rahman Baba for the third consecutive year due to security reasons.
It is to be noted here that unknown terrorists bombed the shrine on March 5, 2009 and caused severe damage to the building. The structure was rebuilt over a period of time.Like previous years, the Jirga arranged the seminar and Pashto Mushaira at the Khana-e-Farhang Iran, Peshawar, on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Prominent scholars read out their research papers on various aspects of life and works of Rahman Baba at the Saturday seminar.Dr Nasrullah Wazir, Director of Pashto Academy, University of Peshawar, was the chief guest while Prof Dawar Khan Daud, President of Rahman Baba Adabi Jirga chaired the function.
Paying tributes to the great mystic, the speakers said Rahman Baba was not merely a Sufi poet but also a social reformer and a true representative of his age.They noted that Rahman Baba was well aware of daily issues of his people.
They said his poetry is so popular in the Pashtun society that even illiterate people, including women learn his verses and quote them in daily life.As part of the Urs that is arranged regularly every year, the Rahman Baba Adabi Jirga conducted a grand Pashto Mushaira at the Iranian Culture Centre. It was well attended.
Ali Yousefi, Director General, of Iranian Cultural Centre, was the chief guest. He paid poetic tributes to Rahman Baba in Persian language.Senior Pashto writer, Dr Suhail Insha, presided over the event.
The grand Pashto Mushaira was held in two sessions. Up to 400 poets took part in the sessions and paid tributes to Rahman Baba through speeches and poetic verses.Some devotees recited popular poems of Rahman Baba. Some of these poems were expressive of Sufi thoughts.