The organisers of the 108th Urs-e-Razvi in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly have decided to serve only vegetarian food and reschedule the annual religious event following a request from the district administration and police due to the ongoing Kanwar Yatra.
The three-day Urs, held every year to mark the death anniversary of renowned 19th-century Islamic scholar Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi, will now take place from August 6 to August 8 instead of its earlier schedule of August 7 to August 9.
The decision comes as thousands of Kanwar pilgrims are passing through Bareilly during the Hindu month of Sawan. Officials said the revised schedule and vegetarian meals were aimed at ensuring smooth traffic management and maintaining public order.
Dargah Says Decision Taken After Consultations
Nasir Qureshi, media in-charge of the Ala Hazrat Dargah, said the dates were changed after discussions with the district administration and police.
“The decision to change the dates was taken keeping in mind the presence of large numbers of Kanwariyas in the city, as well as a request from the district administration and police,” Qureshi said.
He added that the concluding Kul Sharif ceremony, originally scheduled for August 9, was shifted because major Kanwar processions were expected to pass through Bareilly that day.
Qureshi said an eight-member panel of Islamic scholars was formed on the directions of Dargah chief Maulana Subhan Raza Khan to examine the administration’s request before the final decision was taken.
Only Vegetarian Food to Be Served
The Dargah administration has also asked all langar committees and groups serving meals during the Urs to prepare only vegetarian food this year instead of the traditional meat dishes.
Bareilly Superintendent of Police Manush Pareek confirmed that the administration had requested both changes.
“We also asked the Dargah administration to instruct all langar committees and groups organising community meals for pilgrims to serve only vegetarian food this year. Following our request, the Dargah chief agreed to both our demands,” Pareek said.
The Kanwar Yatra, which began on July 30 and will continue until August 11, sees devotees collect holy water from the Ganga and carry it back to offer at Shiva temples. Large crowds are expected in Bareilly during the final days of the pilgrimage.
Around 10 Lakh Devotees Expected
The Dargah administration expects around 10 lakh devotees from across India and several countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal, South Africa, Australia, the United States and Mauritius, to attend this year’s Urs.
Apart from the food arrangements, organisers have appealed to devotees not to use DJ sound systems during processions and have encouraged them to offer flower baskets instead of ceremonial cloth chadars. They have also urged pilgrims to donate the money saved to charitable causes.
1,500 Volunteers to Manage Event
To manage the large gathering, around 1,500 volunteers will be deployed in shifts across the Dargah complex, Islamia College ground and other key locations in Bareilly to assist visitors and oversee arrangements throughout the event.
Meanwhile, educational institutions in several western Uttar Pradesh districts, including Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat, have also been closed until August 12 because of the movement of Kanwar pilgrims.
