Saffron hue to 'urs' fete

By Our Staff Correspondent

JAIPUR, SEPT. 24. Is there an element of ``saffronisation'' to the annual `urs' festival at the historic Dargah of the Sufi saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, in Ajmer?

Eyebrows were raised over the embroidery and colour of the chadar (sheet of cloth) offered by the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, at the shrine on Sunday during the 789th `urs'.

The silk chadar - brought by the Prime Minister's Private Secretary, Mr. Shivkumar Sharma - was saffron and green in colour and had a huge lotus embroidered on it. A portion of the chadar was embroidered with a few teachings of the Sufi mystic and Quranic verses.

When questions were asked over the lotus ``blooming'' in the saffron-green chadar, Mr. Sharma said if rose and marigold could be offered at the saint's tomb, the floral tribute of lotus could also be made through embroidery on the chadar. He denied there was any political overtone to the sheet of cloth.

The Dargah Nazim, Mr. Shakil Ahmed - representing the Dargah committee appointed by the Central Government - admitted to The Hindu today that this kind of chadar had been offered on behalf of the Prime Minister for the first time in the Dargah's history.

He said the chadar was embroidered, in all probability, in the pilgrim town of Ajmer itself. ``The Khadims performing the ziarat (pilgrimage) rituals for Mr. Vajpayee might have selected the chadar of saffron and green colours in their own wisdom,'' he pointed out.

Mr. Shakil Ahmed had performed ``dastaarbandi'' of Mr. Sharma by tying a headgear and presented sweetmeats to him on completion of ziarat. Mr. Sharma read aloud a message from the Prime Minister on the occasion. The six-day-long `urs' ended this afternoon with the observance of the Qul ceremony.

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