Page 16 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

saint was Makhdum Sheikh Shahabuddin, and he was a cousin of Sheikh
Bahauddin Zakariya. It is said that the saint got the name of Dedha Lal
because he was converted to saintship by Makhdum Jahanian Jahan Gasht
of Uch Sharif who once turned milk into blood and made Dedha Lal to drink
it.
The shrine is now managed by the Auqaf Department. A donation of Rs
30,000 to 40,000 is collected every month. The annual urs is held on April
4-6 every year.
The shrine of Pir Mohsin Lal is situated in Basti Jal Wala, Mauza
Ghazanfargarh at a distance of 27 kilometers south of Muzaffargarh city; that
is why the saint is also called the Jal Wala Pir. The shrine is under
construction these days. Annual urs was held in November or December
every year but could not be held for one reason or the other for last 5 years.
In Tehsil Kot Addu are the shrines of Nur Shah in the village of Talai Nur
Shah, of Sheikh Pallia and Haji Ishaq, which have a certain local reputation.
Amongst them, Nur Shah is said to have migrated from Dera Ismail Khan.
The shrine, which is in dilapidated state now, is under the administrative
control of the Auqaf Department. Annual urs is celebrated in last week of
December or first week of January, as decided by the locals. Annually
around 15000-20000 devotees visit the shrine to pay homage to the saint.
The income from the shrine is 2-3 lacs per annum.
The shrine of Mohib Jahania is situated in the village of Haji Metla, at a
distance of 25 kilometres south-west of Muzaffargarh city. The shrine, which
is now managed by the Auqaf Department, is said to be almost 900 years old.
Monthly donation collected at the shrine is about Rs. 25000.

Another shrine complex which is managed by the Auqaf Department is the
one situated in Mauza Kiri Ali Mardan around 8 kilometres from Rangpur. It
is estimated to be about 300 years old. Annual urs was held in the month of
September but it has not held for the last 3 years.
In Alipur there are no shrines worth mention, except Alam Pir, which has
already been described.
Fairs and urs are held on all shrines more and less on the same pattern.
People from the adjoining rural areas, and sometimes even from the
neighbouring districts, tend to attend. The women and small children also
attend in large numbers, either as a mark of gratitude for any need that has
been granted or to make new requests. A general air of festivity is created.
Food stalls, though mostly of poor quality, are set up. Road side vendors,
generally selling inexpensive clothes and toys, are also amongst the visitors.
Wrestling, and occasional horse racing, once used to be the components of
larger fairs but not so anymore. Camel wrestling is though still in vogue,
probably because it provides gambling opportunities to those interested.

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