Hyderabad: 759th Urs celebrations at Pahadishareef Dargah commence on Saturday

Around two lakh people from across the State are expected to visit the hilltop shrine. The annual Urs celebrations begin on the 16th Hijri calendar month of Shaban and will continue till the 22nd day of the month.

Hyderabad: The 759th annual Urs celebrations at the Dargah of Hazrath Baba Sharfuddin Suhrwardi, popularly known as the Dargah Pahadishareef located near RGI Airport, commenced on Saturday. The celebrations will continue throughout the next week.

Around two lakh people from across the State are expected to visit the hilltop shrine. The annual Urs celebrations begin on the 16th Hijri calendar month of Shaban and will continue till the 22nd day of the month.

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According to Alhaj Peerzada Syed Fareeduddin, caretaker of the shrine, the saint Baba Sharfuddin Suhrwardi came to the Deccan in 1190 from Baghdad in Iraq via Delhi and settled in a neighbourhood known as Balapur some five kilometres from the place where the shrine is located.

It is believed the local people held him in high respect and visited him to seek fulfilment of their wishes. After a few years, he climbed the hillock at Pahadishareef and decided to stay for his prayers there. He later passed away and was buried on the hilltop.

“Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb built the structure over the grave of the Saint. Centuries later, the sixth Nizam Mir Mahbub Ali Khan constructed the big hall with multiple columns and multi-cusped arches on the hilltop. The steps on the hillock were chiselled during the time of last Nizam ruler Mir Osman Ali Khan to facilitate the pilgrim reach the shrine,” said Syed Fareeduddin adding several noblemen sought help at the dargah.

The shrine being located on the hill top one has to climb 365 steps to reach it.