Tomb of Madho Lal Hussain
If you’re visiting Lahore and ever feel like exploring it, you should go to the shrine of Madho Lal Hussain. A few saints have been buried in Lahore, and their shrines have been maintained.
In the Indian subcontinent, Sufism has a long and storied history. Punjab, maybe more than any other region of this vast country, is where Sufism has taken the deepest root, generating numerous outstanding exponents and exerting a widespread influence on the minds of ordinary people. Millions of Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits, and Hindus of the province and beyond continue to hold the many Sufis of this region in the highest regard.
Shrines of saints are considered sacred; therefore, people often visit these sites as a gesture of their beliefs and culture. It’s more of a cultural aspect to visiting such sites, thus to be aware of their life and the blessings God had gifted them.
Interesting Facts about Madho Lal Hussain Shrine
The shrine is located in the corner of a small room. This space is constructed out of marble and colorful tiles. Madhu Lal’s poetry is also written on the shrine. It is imprinted with the likeness of Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.), and Sikhs and dervishes from different countries visit it to pray. People donate money to the temple to shield themselves from unsavory behavior. Homeless people reside at this temple, they are known as Malang.
One is expected to remove their shoes while entering a shrine before beginning a prayer session. The shrine is composed of marble and multicolored tiles, and the aroma of incense permeates the entire area. There is also a footprint belonging to Hazrat Muhammad S.A.W. Sikhs and dervishes from various nations are among those who come to this temple to worship. To protect themselves from deviant behavior, people put money into the temple.
Every year, a Urs is held in the name of Madho Lal Hussain. Visitors to the shrine throw candles, oils, and lamps (Chiragh) into a massive blaze in the hopes that it will grant their wishes. The fire is kept ablaze throughout the urs.
Another notable feature of the event was the high number of hashish addicts who came from a significant distance to take advantage of a gift of their favorite drug and mingle with others.
The officers appeared to neglect devotees and visitors, who occasionally become nauseous and even throw up due to the heavy soot of the substances.
The visitors were offered glasses of Bhang (cannabis) cocktails, and several Malangs were given free marijuana. Numerous drug users think the three-day festivities are really for them and that it is a three-day utopia. According to them, the only way they can “serve the community” is by momentarily relaxing.
History of Madho Lal Hussain Shrine
His birth occurred in Lahore in 1539, into a clan of Dhaka Rajput people. This Shah tribe had recently turned to Islam. Even as a young child, Hussain showed a definite preference for wearing red. Because of this, he was also known by the name Lal Hussain. From an early age, Hussain had a great passion for magic. He could memorize the entirety of the Quran in his early years.
He consistently lived in line with the traditional Islamic ceremonies and practices. He started shouting and dancing in front of everyone as soon as he left the school. Taking up Sufism, he was a lover of people, and Madhu, a young Hindu boy, was one of his devotees. The young Hindu had left his family to follow the path of Sufi Lal Hussain.
He was so devoted to the kid that he listed the boy’s name before his own. His preferred name was Madhu Lal Hussain. In 1599, Madhu Lal Hussain passed away at the age of 63. He was initially interred at Shahdara. A few years later, the tomb was destroyed by floodwaters. It has now been moved to the current location.
Attractions Offered by Madho Lal Hussain Shrine
Shah Hussain’s Shrine
Two graves are indicated with markers on a high platform. One is dedicated to Madho, and the other is to Shah Hussain; the graves are underground. The platform is surrounded by a wall with a doorway to the south.
The platform is surrounded by red stone latticework, and there is room between it and the surrounding wall for worshippers to walk about. A structure to the north of the enclosure contains a reverently preserved imprint of the Prophet’s feet (Qadam-I-Rasul).
Marble Stone’s Walls
The tiles of the shrine are red and green. On the shrine, some verses of Madhu Lal are also written. These are mostly the quotes by Madho Lal Hussain since he was a follower of a poet.
The quotes themselves enlighten one’s mind and soul when read with true purpose, and their meaning is appropriately understood.
Verses of Poems
All of Hussain’s poetry is composed of little poems known as Kafis. A refrain and a few rhymed lines may be found in most “Hussain Kafis.” Between four and ten lines are often rhymed. An extended version is hardly infrequently used.
Hussain’s Kafis are also included in the composition, and music based on Punjabi folk music has been used to accompany their singing. His Kafis are often used in traditional Qawwali performances.
Several artists, including Kaavish, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Ghulam Ali, Hamid Ali Bela, Amjad Parvez, Junoon, and Noor Jehan, have turned their lyrics into songs.
One poem about Heer Ranjha is
Ni Mai menoon Khedeyan di gal naa aakh
Ranjhan mera, main Ranjhan di,
Khedeyan noon koodi that
Lok Janey Heer kamli hoi,
Heeray da var Chak
Shah Hussain left no poetry behind. His sole contribution is a collection of profoundly mysterious Kafis. His verse is written in simple Punjabi with some Persian and Arabic phrases interspersed. It excels in thinking expression and has a smooth flow.
It is more straightforward and effective than the Punjabi of Ibrahim Farid. It lacks the beauty of Urdu poetry, but its proportion of words and feeling of shame is extraordinary. His versification is refined, his similes are more pertinent, and his sentences are more straightforward but more effective than Ibrahim’s.
His poetry is less conventional, yet it is not as permeated with Indian ideas as Bulhe Shah’s poetry. His poetry, like his personality, is a peculiar blend of Sufi, Indian, and foreign philosophy. The most striking characteristic of his poetry is that it is incredibly tragic and, by penetrating the heart, evokes a spiritual experience.
Impression of the Prophet’s Feet (Qadam-E-Rasul SAWW)
There is also the presence of a footprint of the final Prophet of Muslims, Prophet Muhammad(PBUH). The impression of the footprint is in the north of the enclosure. The footprint is preserved to this date and serves religious importance to the Muslims.
A Mosque
To the west is the mosque. Moran, Ranjit Singh’s wife, constructed the mosque. Lal Hussain appears to have been acquainted with the spiritual authorities of his time. Chajju Bhagat, credited with giving him the name Shah Hussain, was his close friend.
He had seen Guru Arjun before when he had been to Lahore. Hazrat Lal Hussain’s Sufism was unique and showed an unusual fusion of Persian and Indian Sufism. His spiritual ideas and beliefs were more Indian, yet he accepted the Persian Sufi manner of life in day-to-day existence.
Space For Devotees
Devotees arrive at the temple to participate in the Mela Chiraghan, where they place flowers and wreaths, and ignite clay lamps (the festival of lights).
No one is sure when this event started, but followers claim that 50 years ago, there was such a large turnout for the celebrations that people could be seen lining up from Delhi Gate to Shalimar.
According to the legend, Hazrat Shah Hussain was quite fond of a Hindu kid named Madhu Lal, and as a result, he started going by the name Madhu Lal Hussain. Some worshippers are seen wearing red clothing to honor the memory of the Sufi poet, as is customary.
Tossing Money on Shrine
People believe their evil deeds will be forgiven if they toss money into the shrine. It’s an old custom that was established many years ago. Someone who thought their deeds were forgiven must have followed this tradition.
This idea is not yet accurate, nor can it be dated to a specific date. However, the money tossed in the shrine is distributed among the poor or used to maintain Madho Lal Hussain’s shrine.
Mast Malang at Shrine
As discussed above, Madho Lal Hussain’s shrine welcomes everyone, including the homeless. People who have no place to go often reside in this place. The people who have made this shrine their home are known as Mast Malang.
They are provided food by the followers of Madho Lal Hussain as they give out food as a sign of goodwill and in the name of Madho Lal Hussain. Thus, they are fed from time to time, and their clothing is also provided in the same manner.
Maila Chiraghaan (Festival of the Lights)
The shrine is open to visitors of all sexes, ages, castes, and religious affiliations. You can find devotees dressed in rags performing a dhamaal in a courtyard surrounded by trees. Giant trees provide shade for the courtyard’s faqirs; Sufi Muslims rely entirely on God as they spin and dance in a trance-like state to the beat of the “Dhol.”
The general public receives “langar” after the ritual (free food). This practice is observed at each saint’s shrine. “Roti and Haleem” and “biryani” are frequent menu dishes. His Urs( annual death anniversary) is remembered each year at the Chiraghan Mela at his shrine. The temple also hosts the three-day Mela Chiraghan festival once a year.
Many pious people visit from across the country to pray at the shrine. They light oil lamps as an homage to Madhu Lal Hussain. It’s like driving out the inner gloom. Worshippers try to approach a fire set up in the courtyard while dancers circle it. They believe that if they are nearby, God will answer their prayers quickly.
During the 18th century’s Mela Chiraghan, Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), the monarch of Punjab, would lead a procession of thousands of Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus barefoot from his palace in Lahore to Shah Hussain’s shrine (Festival of Lights).
Ranjit Singh merged Shah Hussain’s urs and the Mela, which had traditionally taken place on various dates, into one event and named it “Mela Chiraghan” (Festival of Lights). It is acknowledged that this Mela is the biggest festival in Punjab.
Madho Lal Hussain Shrine Ticket Price
There is no ticket price to visit the shrine. The shrine is open to everyone without any cost. Since people have made it their home, the government decided to eradicate any charges on visiting the shrine.
However, if you’re trying to park your ride, you may have to pay a small parking amount. This parking amount is paid so that your car is kept safe by a private company.
Madho Lal Hussain Shrine Timings
The shrine is open 24/7; however, we advise you to visit in the daytime to avoid any potential risk. The shrine is available to everyone every hour, so you can visit it whenever possible.
Also, during the festival of lights, the shrine is lit throughout the day. People refuse to sleep and are busy following their cultural tradition of celebrating the Urs of Madho Lal Hussain.
Location of Madho Lal Hussain Shrine
His burial and mausoleum are in Lahore, Pakistan, next to the Shalimar Gardens. His Urs (annual death anniversary) is remembered at his shrine every year at the “Mela Chiraghan” (“Festival of Lights). Hussain’s and Madho’s graves are next to each other at the shrine.
Conclusions
Madho Lal Hussain’s shrine is home to numerous homeless people, but it also enlightens the cultural values of Lahore. It’s filled with the beautiful history of Shah Hussain and Madho and includes numerous events, such as the festival of lights, celebrated yearly.
If you’re in Lahore, you must visit this place, especially when arriving during the Festival of Lights.
F.A.Q.s
What is Madho Lal Hussain’s Urs Date?
The date of Madho Lal Hussain’s Urs is often in March every year. This year in 2022, it was held on March 30th.
What is the location of Madho Lal Hussain Darbar?
The darbar or shrine of Madho Lal Hussain is located in the Baghbanpura area of Lahore. The exact location of the shrine is adjacent to Shalimar Gardens, another important historic place in Lahore.
How to reach Madho Lal Hussain Shrine?
You can always set your location on Google Maps if you cannot find the shrine. Otherwise, you can always reach Baghbanpura and ask any local regarding the shrine of Madho Lal Hussain.
What is the history of Shah Hussain?
Shah Hussain was placed under Abu-supervision Bakr at a very young age and was made a “Hafiz” at ten. When a Sufi from Koh-Panj-Shir taught him the fana ideology, Shaikh Bahlol of Chiniot (Chiniot, Jhang District) traveled to Lahore and took Hussain under his wing.
After a few years, Shaikh Bahlol left Hussain to pursue his study of Sufi Practices at the Data Ganj Bakhsh shrine in Lahore as he returned from Lahore. He served the Pir’s ashes for twelve years while adhering to the rigorous Quranic rules. He is claimed to have spent several nights reciting the Quran while standing in the River Ravi.
At age 26, he left Pir and enrolled as a pupil of Maulana Sa’dullah, a prolific author on Sufism. Later on, while he and his classmates were leaving his teacher’s home, he believed he had discovered the key to God.