Urs celebrations of Sufi saint Hazrat Syed Sadullah Hussain at the Badapahad dargah at Jalalpur of Varni mandal continued on a grand scale on the second day on Sunday. Men and women lined up to offer pooja to the idols of camels and horses believed to have been used by the saint.
The three-day inter-State Urs celebrations began on a colourful note with the Urs-e-Sharif sandhal (procession) on Saturday. Minister for Agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy participated in the procession. Over one lakh people from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh were expected to visit the dargah, considered the biggest one in Telangana.
Earlier in the morning, Mr. Reddy arrived at the dargah with sandal from Jalalpur village. After reviewing the arrangements and facilities for devotees, the Minister inaugurated a medical camp and a temporary BSNL tower, among other facilities.
He asked the medical officers at the camp to keep ready antidotes for snake bites and scorpion stings as well as ORS sachets.
Mr. Reddy said that the proposed 40 feet road on the mosque and dargah route, central lighting, and cottages would be completed by the next Urs.
Devotees of all ages get atop the dargah by navigating over 400 steps. They sacrifice goats, lambs, and roosters at the footsteps of the hill. Many of them host a feast there inviting family and friends.
The dargah, built in the medieval times, is under the control of the Wakf Board. However, this time the Urswas being held under the supervision of an official committee headed by District Revenue Officer Padmakar. TSRTC was plying additional buses from different bus depots for devotees to reach the dargah.
Located at a remote corner abutting the forest, about 40 kilometres from the district headquarters town, there is no other way to reach the dargah but the roadway.
Police bandobust
Over 350 police personnel, including 15 Sub-Inspectors and six Circle Inspectors, were posted at the religious site to provide security to the devotees.
