Devotees throng Janpahad Urs

Nalgonda: Janpahad Dargah in Nereducherla Mandal witnessed huge gathering of people belonging to different religious faiths, who came to participate in the annual Urs festival on Friday. The three-day annual Urs-e-Shareef festival of Hazrath Jaanpak Shaheed dargah located at Janpahad village, which was familiar as Janpahad Urs, is the biggest Urs celebrated in the district that attracts thousands of devotees from Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh states.

The Urs spreads the fragrance of communal harmony as people of different religions worship Hazrath Jaanpak Shaheed. The Hindus outnumbered the Muslim devotees at the dargah so much and many of them named their children as Saidulu and Janaiah after the saint’s name Shaheed alias Janpahad Saida. The dargah houses the tombs of Janpahad Saida and his disciples who attained martyrdom at this place more than 400 years ago. The tombs were decorated with traditional clothes and flowers for urs.

Minister for Power G Jagdish Reddy formally launched the ‘Sandal sharif’ ceremonial procession which was taken out from sathram to Dargah in Janpahad on decked up horses. The devotees competed to touch the sandal-pot with a belief that it would give blessings of Janpahad Saida to them. The devotees were also offered coconuts and eggs at the anthill considered as the symbol of goddess ‘Nagadevatha’, which was located in front of the dargah.

Speaking to The Hans India, a devotee Koora Jahangir, a native of Jajireddygudem, said that his parents named him Jahangir as he was born to them after offering prayers at Janpahad dargah. He has been visiting the dargah and participating in the urs along with his family members for the past 25 years. Another devotee Surabhi Narayana (86), a native of Thallada village in Khammam district who came to attend urs, said that he has been coming tours for the last 35 years and offering prayers at the dargah.

MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, Nalgonda M P Gutha Sukender Reddy, Miryalaguda MLA Baskar Rao, Superintendent of Police Vikram Jeet Duggal and Miryalaguda MRO Kishan Rao were among those who participated in the festivities. Speaking to the media, Nalgonda MP Gutha Sukender Reddy assured that he would try to sanction funds from the government for the development of dargah. He said that he has prayed Janpahad Saida for good rains to the state.

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSTRC) has plied 50 special buses from Miryalaguda and Kodad to Janpahad for

urs. Miryalaguda DSP Gone Sandeep supervised the security arrangements.