Devotees from all over the country and abroad irrespective of caste and creed participated in the sacred procession carrying ‘Sandal’ paste brought to anoint tomb of Khwaja Bande Nawaz. Since morning thousands of devotees had offered prayers at Dargah-e-Sharif in the Kalaburgi district of Karnataka. It was the 614th Urs-e-Shareef of the Saint Hazrath Khwaja Bande Nawaz Gesudaraz, a five-day long annual fest organized to commemorate Urs of the 14th-century Sufi saint. A special prayer Namaz-e-asr was also held in the evening at the Mehboob Gulshan Public Garden before the magnificent ‘Sandal’ procession was taken out towards the Dargah. Setting apart all religious barriers, cajoled devotees took the streets of Kalaburgi, prancing and dancing until the procession reached eleven steps leading to the holy Dargah. It is believed that seeking blessings from Bande Nawaz fulfils the desires of the devotees who wait eagerly for this significant day. Hazrat Khwaja Bande Nawaz Gesudaraz was a famous Sufi saint from India who advocated understanding, tolerance and harmony among various religious groups. The annual Urs is commemorated as a mark of tribute to the great Sufi saint. It was indeed a rare sight to see people cutting across all religious lines congregate in the Dargah and bow down in front of the great Sufi Saint. Religious ceremonies like this where people keeping aside all conflicts, hatred and violence merge together to foster a strong bond of perennial friendships, set a great example of communal harmony and integrity in the nation.

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