Srinagar, Oct 9: The annual Urs of revered Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani (RA), popularly known as Sheikh-ul-Alam and Alamdar-e-Kashmir, was observed with religious fervour at Charar-e-Sharief in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Friday, as devotees from across the Valley thronged the shrine to offer prayers and pay homage.
The main Urs fell on Friday, a day after the government postponed the provincial holiday in Kashmir from October 8 to October 9. According to the programme issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, the commemorations opened with the traditional Poshak Bandi — the ceremonial changing of the cloth over the saint’s grave – on Wednesday, followed by Shab Khawani on October 8.
Men, women, and elderly devotees filled the shrine complex through the day, joining special prayers and the Friday congregational prayer.
Many recited verses associated with the saint and sought blessings, continuing a tradition that has drawn families to Charar-e-Sharief for generations.
The occasion is among Kashmir’s major religious gatherings and is widely seen as a reaffirmation of Kashmir’s Sufi emphasis on peace, humility, and coexistence.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Sujit Kumar, visited the shrine with his team and reviewed security and law-and-order arrangements. Speaking to reporters, he said police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were working in coordination with the shrine’s administration committee, while the civil administration, ambulance services, and Fire and Emergency Services were also performing their duties.
He said comprehensive measures had been put in place to ensure the safety of devotees, facilitate devotee movement, and prevent inconvenience during the congregation.
The IGP congratulated the personnel managing the gathering and said he had prayed at the shrine for peace, tranquillity, and progress in J&K, including for the J&K Police.
Preparations had been reviewed earlier in the week by then Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Athar Aamir Khan, who paid obeisance at the shrine and inspected ongoing works, including an under-construction guest house with 12 rooms and two halls.
