Urs

This article is about death anniversaries in South Asian Sufism. For other uses, see Urs (disambiguation).

Urs (from Arabic: عرس‎‎, literally "wedding") is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint in South Asia, usually held at the saint's dargah (shrine or tomb). In most Sufi orders such as Chishtiyya, Qadiriyya, etc. the concept of Urs exists and is celebrated with enthusiasm. The devotees refer to their saints as lovers of God, the beloved. The death of a Sufi saint is regarded as visal (union with the beloved), and the death anniversary is celebrated as a wedding anniversary.

Urs rituals are generally performed by the custodians of the shrine or the existing Shaikh of the silsila. The celebration of Urs ranges from Hamd to Naat and in some cases may also include the singing of religious music such as qawwali. The Urs of Moinuddin Chishti at Dargah Sharif in Ajmer attracts more than 400,000 devotees each year.

See also

• Erwadi
• Tirupparankunram
• Manamadurai
• Pir Mangho Urs
• Urs (Ajmer)
• Madurai Maqbara
• Mela Chiraghan
• Beemapally
• Sufi Barkat Ali