Essay on “Urs” Festival
Urs is a Muslim festival celebrated to commemorate the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. However, very often the celebration of Urs is attended by people of other religions too.
Urs is observed during the first six days of the Islamic month of Rajab and thousands of Muslims from India as well as from foreign countries come to the graves to pay homage to the great saints.
According to the legend, the six-day festival is celebrated to commemorate the time the saint remained in solitary meditation before his death.
There are at least 12 important places in India where Urs are held. During the festival in Ajmer, kheer (pudding of rice and milk) is cooked in two 16th century cauldrons to be served to the devotees. Everywhere Urs is celebrated by offering prayers and Fateha, reciting of verses from the Quran, singing of Qawwalis, spreading of costly sheets of cloth and flowers and burning of incense on the graves.
