In Pak Patan Sharif

August 5th, 2008
Topic: Spirituality Tags: Pakistan, Sacred Sites

Last night I arrived in Pak Pattan Sharif, which is about 2 and a half hours outside of Lahore, but if you’re like me and took the Niazi Bus, then expect it to take 7 hours. Yes 7 hours later at midnight I arrive in this town of less than 150,000 people. Instead of cars, I could hear crickets; instead of noise from the streets below I heard only silence. I struggled to find my way to the Mazaar, but once I reached I was greeted by the kindest hospitality, and the warmest food. A real treat indeed.

That night we slept under the stars, in real hand woven charpai’s, sleep came to me as a faint sound of crickets in the moon light.

This truly is an amazing place to start my journey, as I am surrounded by silence, and opportunity. The banes of busy life stress have all vanished, and I have been able to practice the power of Now.

Today we awoke with the light, enjoyed home cooked breakfast, real lassi, chai and khava. We then paid a visit to Baba Farid’s Mazaar, where I quickly became a sort of celebrity with my white skin. My entourage of 50 children-in-toe made it difficult to enjoy the silence, but the qawwali singers brought music to life, with such passion and expression exhuming from their devotion. An experience that can only be characterized as fez, or fayd, which means the overwhelming joy one has with their divine source.

The kids ended up being a blessing, as after wandering the street gulleys, the kids brought us up onto a hill overlooking the Mazaar and the whole of Pak Pattan Sharif, where we flew kites and took many pictures.