Mela Chiraghan, or the “Festival of Lights”, maintains its status as a major cultural and spiritual event during each annual celebration in Lahore, Pakistan. The 428th anniversary of Urs honored the great Sufi saint Shah Hussain, who went by his popular name, Madhu Lal Hussain, when he resided in Lahore during the 16th century. A traditional three-day tribute exists to celebrate the Urs (death anniversary) of Sufi poet and saint Shah Hussain, who used the title Madho Lal Hussain during the 16th century. Mela Chiraghan occurs annually during the final week of March to welcome thousands of visitors who venerate Lahore’s historical background through the prolonged influence of Sufism in this area.
Mela Chiraghan Lahore has existed for centuries to welcome thousands of devotees, Sufi followers, and tourists yearly. The Mela Chiraghan holiday in Lahore features the festival, which reveres Hazrat Shah Hussain for his contributions to Punjabi literature and Sufi thought through his poetry and teachings. Three days of Sufi music performances with poetry recitations and qawwalis, and mela chiraghan history and traditional rituals make up the festive occasion of His Urs.
The annual Urs Mela Chiraghan celebration of Hazrat Shah Hussain will receive a district-wide holiday in Lahore on Saturday, April 12, 2025. On Saturday, April 12, 2025, the Punjab Department of Services and General Administration (Welfare Wing) notified that all Lahore district offices would be closed due to the Mela Chiraghan annual gathering, attracting many devoted worshippers to the area. The local holiday for Lahori Mela Chiraghan 2012 covered exclusively the Lahore district, and officials working in Lahore offices fell under its scope.
The operating hours of Punjab Civil Secretariat departments and their regional offices follow regular schedules. A public holiday has been designated to let citizens join Mela Chiraghan festivities so that the traditional practices of this event can remain strong in Lahore.
Mela Chiraghan is a major religious and cultural celebration in Lahore because it honors the life and teachings of Hazrat Shah Hussain, a famous Sufi saint. All national regions send their devotees to join numerous religious and cultural celebrations.
| Event | Date | Time | Location | Details |
| Mela Chiraghan Date | 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th April 2025 | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM | Shalimar Gardens, Lahore | A grand four-day festival celebrating Lahore’s cultural heritage. |
| Entry Fee | – | – | – | Rs. 200/- (On-spot Only) |
| Uth Shah Husaina Wakh (Arif Lohar) | 12th April 2025 | 10:00 PM | 3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | Arif Lohar’s performance is a celebration of Sufi music and poetry. |
| Jholay Lal (Nadeem Salamat & Masood Salamat) | 11th April 2025 | 10:00 PM | 3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | Folk music performance by renowned artists Nadeem and Masood Salamat. |
| Tahseen Sakina | 14th April 2025 | 10:00 PM | 3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | Traditional music performance featuring Tahseen Sakina. |
| Folk Dance Performances | 11th, 12th, 13th April 2025 | 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM | 2nd Terrace | Live performances of traditional folk dances add vibrance to the festival. |
| Qawwali Night | 12th April 2025 | 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM | 1st Terrace | A soulful Qawwali performance by famous artists. |
| Craft and Food Stalls | 11th – 14th April 2025 | All Day | Various Locations in Gardens | Various food stalls featuring local delicacies and craft vendors selling handmade goods. |
| Shah Hussain’s Poetry Recitation | 13th April 2025 | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM | 1st Terrace | Poetry recitations dedicated to the famous Sufi poet Shah Hussain. |
| Lighting Ceremony | 11th April 2025 | 7:00 PM | Shalimar Gardens | The grand lighting ceremony, where thousands of lamps illuminate the gardens. |
| Interactive Cultural Exhibits | 12th – 14th April 2025 | All Day | Various Locations in Gardens | Interactive exhibits showcasing the cultural heritage of Lahore and the Mela. |
| Children’s Entertainment Zone | 11th – 14th April 2025 | 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Near Entrance | Special area for kids with games, rides, and face painting. |
The Government of Punjab operates to bring back active Mela culture to Lahore by implementing its strategic programs. Walled City Lahore Authority is organising Mela Chiraghan 2025. A grand 4-day festival at Shalimar Gardens, Lahore, from April 11th to 14th 2025.
Location | Time | Activities & Details |
1st Terrace | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Folk & Sufi Performances: |
– Liaqat Parkoi & Chaap (Mastokli Dera) | ||
– Taj Mastani & Shokat Faqir (Lajpal Qalandar Dera) | ||
– Dito Lal Bhel, Aado Bhagat, Fakir Wahid Bakhas (Khawaja Ghulam Fareed Dera) | ||
– Shokat Dholia, Heer Gayki, Sai Abbas, Bolian & Punjabi Folk Music (Madho Lal Hussain Dera) | ||
2nd Terrace (Right Side) | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | – Fire Show, Juggling & Music by Ramzan Jani |
2nd Terrace (Left Side) | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | – Folk performances and cultural displays |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 7:30 PM | – Folk performances and cultural shows |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 8:30 PM | – Jhoolay Laal by Nadeem Salamat & Masood Salamat |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 10:00 PM | – Traditional performances featuring Sufi and Punjabi folk music |
Food & Craft Stalls | All Day | – Local food stalls offering traditional delicacies and craft stalls featuring handmade goods |
Location | Time | Activities & Details |
1st Terrace | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Folk & Sufi Performances: |
– Liaqat Parkoi & Chaap (Mastokli Dera) | ||
– Taj Mastani & Shokat Faqir (Lajpal Qalandar Dera) | ||
– Dito Lal Bhel, Aado Bhagat, Fakir Wahid Bakhas (Khawaja Ghulam Fareed Dera) | ||
– Shokat Dholia, Heer Gayki, Sai Abbas, Bolian & Punjabi Folk Music (Madho Lal Hussain Dera) | ||
2nd Terrace (Right Side) | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | – Fire Show, Juggling & Music by Ramzan Jani |
2nd Terrace (Left Side) | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | – Folk performances and cultural displays |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 7:30 PM | – Shokat Fakir & Jagmeet Singh |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 8:30 PM | – Arif Lohar |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 10:00 PM | – Traditional performances featuring Sufi and Punjabi folk music |
Food & Craft Stalls | All Day | – Local food stalls offering traditional delicacies and craft stalls featuring handmade goods |
Location | Time | Activities & Details |
1st Terrace | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Folk & Sufi Performances: |
– Liaqat Parkoi & Chaap (Mastokli Dera) | ||
– Taj Mastani & Shokat Faqir (Lajpal Qalandar Dera) | ||
– Dito Lal Bhel, Aado Bhagat, Fakir Wahid Bakhas (Khawaja Ghulam Fareed Dera) | ||
– Shokat Dholia, Heer Gayki, Sai Abbas, Bolian & Punjabi Folk Music (Madho Lal Hussain Dera) | ||
2nd Terrace (Right Side) | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | – Fire Show, Juggling & Music by Ramzan Jani |
2nd Terrace (Left Side) | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | – Folk performances and cultural displays |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 7:30 PM | – Fakir Wahid Baksh & Jagmeet Singh |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 8:30 PM | – Qawali |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 10:00 PM | – Traditional Qawali performances |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 10:30 PM | – Akhtar Chanal Zahri |
Food & Craft Stalls | All Day | – Local food stalls offering traditional delicacies and craft stalls featuring handmade goods |
Location | Time | Activities & Details |
1st Terrace | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Folk & Sufi Performances: |
– Liaqat Parkoi & Chaap (Mastokli Dera) | ||
– Taj Mastani & Shokat Faqir (Lajpal Qalandar Dera) | ||
– Dito Lal Bhel, Aado Bhagat, Fakir Wahid Bakhas (Khawaja Ghulam Fareed Dera) | ||
– Shokat Dholia, Heer Gayki, Sai Abbas, Bolian & Punjabi Folk Music (Madho Lal Hussain Dera) | ||
2nd Terrace (Right Side) | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | – Fire Show, Juggling & Music by Ramzan Jani |
2nd Terrace (Left Side) | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | – Folk performances and cultural displays |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 7:30 PM | – Fakir Wahid Baksh & Liaqat Parkoi |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 8:30 PM | – Tehseen Sakina |
3rd Terrace (Main Stage) | 10:00 PM | – Traditional performances featuring Sufi and Punjabi folk music |
Food & Craft Stalls | All Day | – Local food stalls offering traditional delicacies and craft stalls featuring handmade goods |
Shah Hussain entered the world in 1538 when Lahore became his birthplace through his parents, Sheikh Usman, a weaver. Hussain came from a Rajput lineage within the Dhudha clan during the early phase of his life, which led to his early spiritual development. The Kafi form in Punjabi poetry owes its existence to him because he created a poetry style that expresses mystic thought through brief yet deep expressions. Shah Hussain investigates three core subject areas through his verses: divine love, human death, and the short existence of material pleasures.
Shah Hussain established a deep bond during his life with Madho, a Hindu Brahmin boy. People call the duo “Madho Lal Hussain” because their kinship exceeded any regular bond. The bond between Madho and Shah Hussain represents the tolerant traditions of the time, which united people across social and religious barriers through love. The joint burial place of Madho and Hussain near one another in the shrine demonstrates how their lives permanently fused.
The Mela Chiraghan Foundation took place after the death of Shah Hussain in 1599. Every year, devotees gather at Baghbanpura close to Shalimar Gardens to observe the annual Urs of the saint. The festival took on significant dimensions when Maharaja Ranjit Singh assumed power during the early nineteenth century. Maharaja Ranjit Singh held Shah Hussain in such high regard that he initiated the ceremonial foot procession from Lahore Fort and attracted people of the Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh faiths. The shrine of this saint revealed how the festivities bring diverse groups together as an example of religious harmony between multiple faiths.
Mela Chiraghan showcases how the Punjabi people represent a diverse social structure. Throughout the years, the festival has received participants belonging to the Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh faiths. Complete unity exists between all participants who gather at Shah Hussain’s shrine despite their religious differences. The region’s residents respect the saint because this unites their spiritual traditions and cultural legacy.
Through its arrangement, the festival is essential for safeguarding and advocating Sufi practices and wisdom. Mela Chiraghan keeps Sufi culture alive because devotees practice devotional dance Dhamal while reciting Shah Hussain’s Kafis and performing Qawwali musical traditions. The festival serves as a venue where current artists can approach and redefine classical Sufi musical works and poetic compositions.
Mela Chiraghan preserves its ancient status in Punjab heritage because it includes every cultural component of the area. Traditional Punjabi culture manifests throughout Mela Chiraghan through spiritual activities, music-dance performances, and meals. The communal event, conventional food stands, and handmade craft exhibitions celebrate local customs while maintaining a sense of shared pride throughout the gathering.
Participants in this festival conduct the essential lamp-lighting ritual, which represents both soul enlightenment and divine spiritual education. People involved in religious processions bring lamps, which they distribute throughout the shrine to create a magical effect from the light. The act carries religious meaning because it signifies the removal of ignorance and the welcoming of knowledge combined with love for the divine.
Renaissance evenings at Mela Chiraghan are filled with Qawwali and folk musical performances from famous singers and musicians who gather at the shrine. The Kafis, composed by Shah Hussain, emerged through musical lyrics during these performances. The Sufi practice of physical expression through states of devotion takes the form of the Dhamal dance, which devotees perform vigorously and ecstatically. Worshippers who wear red attire during their wild dance motions represent their spiritual connection and divine affection.
Traditional Punjabi foods and handicrafts decorate the festival grounds throughout. Mango food stalls at the venue serve conventional local specialties, including gol gappas, kat lamas, sweetmeats, and halwas. The stalls showcase manually made creations that represent the region’s artistic heritage. All these components create an overall festive environment that allows visitors to experience complete cultural content.
Members of the devout community execute multiple spiritual observances across the holy week by praying, meditating, and presenting chaddars as ceremonial gifts to the saint’s place of worship. People anticipate that their spiritual blessings and wish fulfillment will occur when they provide candles to a shared bonfire ritual. The religious importance of Mela Chiraghan becomes clear through these rituals because they demonstrate why the festival attracts numerous followers who seek spiritual growth.
Mela Chiraghan is among the leading cultural and spiritual events people look forward to in Lahore in 2025. The city’s people hold this festival dearly, as rapid city growth and advancement do not consume the traditional celebration. Mela Chiraghan annually attracts enormous attendance from people from Punjab Province and Pakistan residents abroad. Lahore maintains its identity as the cultural center of Pakistan by celebrating Sufi heritage, which remains strong despite urban changes.
The main unique aspect of the 2025 festival involves new participation from youth and local artists who use digital platforms and social media to promote the event. The fusion of traditional Pakistani heritage with modern digital platforms keeps the festival exciting for younger audiences through poetry presentations and the streaming of energetic dhamals.
Mela Chiraghan produces a substantial economic effect. Tourism boards and private tour operators launched cultural heritage packages in 2025 that served local and international tourists. During this festival, electrical services within the metropolitan complex, hotels, restaurants, food vendors, and local transport organisations show a business increase. Handmade and traditional artisan products and regional cuisines experienced increased demand due to the growing popularity of these products during Mela Chiraghan.
The event facilitates Lahore’s establishment as an equally important Sufi pilgrimage destination, similar to Turkey’s Konya, which has connections to Rumi. In 2025, the Punjab government will elevate Mela Chiraghan events through cultural diplomacy initiatives to attract additional visitors while displaying Pakistan’s valuable spiritual heritage.
Traditional television broadcasting, newspapers, and digital media platforms extensively reached Mela Chiraghan in 2025. Many users post dhamal dancing reels on Instagram, combined with TikTok videos and YouTube documentaries that focus on Shah Hussain. Influencers and vloggers help raise awareness about the festival’s religious significance and historical background through their online platforms.
The festival embraces digital promotion through government and tourism websites by distributing schedules with directions, safety guidelines, and educational materials for more inclusive visitor experiences. People from around the globe can explore and appreciate the festival’s cultural abundance through digital platforms.
The survival of the Shah Hussain shrine as it approaches 2025 depends heavily on its reducing geographical surroundings. Lahore’s urban expansion and commercial growth put pressure on historical festival sites near Baghbanpura and Shalimar Gardens. The accumulation of large numbers of people has generated environmental issues because of improper waste disposal systems.
Through a joint effort of public institutions with non-government organisations, portable sanitation facilities and vendor licensing programs have been implemented to deploy environmental volunteers in waste management roles. Organisations have initiated plans to expand the festival grounds between various parks and open spaces to control crowd density during events.
Numerous modern advancements threaten Mela Chiraghan’s spiritual aspects, even though these new developments have brought positive changes to the event. The genuine Sufi teachings related to love, contemplation, and unity fade during Mela Chiraghan because of stalls, loud music, and entertainment distractions.
The Shah Hussain essence receives organisational protection through events featuring traditional performers and scholars of his teachings. For the 2025 Mela Chiraghan event, participants will have access to Sufi poetry competitions alongside educational sessions that revive essential festival values for young attendees.
The significant number of people joining alongside the various visitor types has prompted security to rise as a primary concern. The implementation of stricter security measures by local police forces with community leadership came into effect in 2025 through joint efforts and includes various enhanced protocols.
Despite its difficulties, peaceful celebration, spiritual happiness, and religious joy characterise Mela Chiraghan.
Light serves as both a visual display and a spiritual representation at Mela Chiraghan, where it stands for divine knowledge, personal transformation, and inspirational energy. According to Sufi teachings, the source of divine illumination, called nur, guides seekers’ hearts to discover the Beloved (God).
Through physical actions such as lamp-lighting, barefoot walking, and ecstatic dancing, believers express their spiritual yearning and divine affection. The symbolic meaning of divine illumination touches those participating in Festivities regarding Spiritual experiences and personal healing.
The relationship between Shah Hussain and Madho Lal at Mela Chiraghan represents the deepest spiritual aspect of love because their bond crossed all barriers of religious identity, caste, age distinctions, and societal norms. This couple’s relationship exists today with a revolutionary purpose: to demonstrate love that accepts differences between people. The discussions and talks at the festival use Shah Hussain’s life as an example to teach tolerance, pluralism, and social harmony, which are urgent needs for polarised societies today.
Eastern Housing Lahore is a housing society. It’s situated on Lahore’s prime location near the Ring Road Quaid-e-Azam interchange. It is offering residential and commercial plots on easy installments. Shalimar Garden is just a 5-8 min drive from the society. On this Mela Chiraghan, make sure to visit Eastern Housing Lahore Society for investment or residence purposes.
Towards the 21st century, Mela Chiraghan demonstrates how the eternal human requirement for friendship, essential understanding, and public jubilation continues to endure. The ongoing popularity of Mela Chiraghan in 2025 represents cultural traditions adapting to change while retaining their core values.
As a spiritual event, Mela Chiraghan summons people to reflect on themselves and enlighten the shadows within their existence and society. The city of Lahore reveres Shah Hussain through its celebration because it respects its inner spiritual greatness.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | A PROJECT OF MAS Group
