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LAHORE, Apr 10 (APP):The city will observe a local holiday on April 12 in connection with the urs of Hazrat Shah Hussain, famously known as Madhu Lal Hussain, one of the most celebrated Sufi saints of Punjab. The three-day Mela Chiraghan (Festival of Lights), considered Lahore’s largest cultural and spiritual event, will commence on this date.
According to official sources from the Auqaf Department, both religious and cultural festivities will be held at Shalimar Gardens and the Darbar of Madhu Lal Hussain in Baghbanpura. While the urs traditionally takes place in March, this year it was rescheduled to April 12 due to the observance of Ramazan.
Organised annually, Mela Chiraghan commemorates the spiritual legacy of Hazrat Shah Hussain, a 16th-century Punjabi Sufi poet and mystic. The event attracts thousands of devotees from across the country and beyond, who gather to pay tribute through traditional practices including lamp lighting, drumming, and folk music performances.
On the first day of the urs, traditional rituals will be held at the saint’s shrine in Baghbanpura, while official ceremonies and public festivities will take place at the adjacent Shalimar Gardens, organised by the Walled City of Lahore Authority.
A unique tradition observed during the Mela involves devotees lighting candles and oil lamps near the shrine. As space runs out, the candles are added to a large communal bonfire, which continues to grow as more devotees participate, creating a powerful visual symbol of collective devotion.
The rhythmic sound of ‘dhols’ [traditional drums], said to be among the best in the Indian Subcontinent, is a major draw for attendees. Drum circles form throughout the Mela grounds, where people dance and express their spiritual joy in vibrant and emotional displays.
Mela Chiraghan not only honours the life and teachings of Shah Hussain but also serves as a living embodiment of Lahore’s rich Sufi heritage, cultural resilience, and communal unity.