Annual Urs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai begins today

MATIARI: The celebrations of 274^th annual Urs of famous Sufi saint and poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai will begin on Saturday (today) at Bhit Shah.

Sindh Culture Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah is likely to inaugurate the three-day celebrations by laying a floral wreath at the grave of the Sufi saint.

The Government of Sindh has announced public holiday on November 4 (today) on account of the annual Urs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.

Special security arrangements have been put in place with the deployment of Rangers and police personnel, instalment of walk-through gates and closed-circuit TV cameras to ensure the safety of visitors attending the Urs ceremonies.

People from all social strata throng the last resting place of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai to pay their respects. The Urs celebrations that span three days include literary conference, Sufi music recital and spiritual activities to highlight the Sufi teachings of the saint.

Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai ( 1689 to 1752) was a great Sufi poet and saint. He is widely considered to be the greatest poet of Sindhi language. His collected poems were compiled in a book namely Shah Jo Risalo, which exists in numerous versions and has been translated into English, Urdu, and several other languages.