No. 24. — 1881.] MI'RA KANT1RI FESTIVAL. 



125 



NOTE ON THE " MI'RA' KANTIBI" FESTIVAL OF 

 THE MUHAMMADANS. 



By A. T. Shams-ud-di'n. 



(Read October 6th, 1881.) 



This feast is annually held in Colombo at the Maradana 

 Mosque during Jamdd-ul-dkhir, the sixth month of the Muham- 

 madan year, in memory of the saint Mira Sahib, whose miracles 

 are well known to the Muhammadans, and whom they esteem 

 as a great Wall* His sepulchre is at Nagur, near Nagapatam. 



The festivalf commences on the evening the new moon 

 becomes visible in the month of Jamad-ul-akhir, and lasts till 

 the tenth of the lunar month. Five or six days previous to 

 the new moon they erect a flag-staff;, and in the evening of the 

 new moon day the sacred banners are conveyed in solemn 

 procession, attended by a ceremonious display of music, artificial 

 trees, &c. After having perambulated the town in great pomp 

 and state, the procession returns to the place where the flag- 

 staff is erected. There the Fdthihah or opening chapter of the 

 Kuran is recited in the name of the saint, and the sacred flag 

 is hoisted. 



In other parts of the Muhammadan world also, as at Nagur, 

 those Musalmans who venerate this saint set up a flagstaff and 

 annually repeat the Fdthihah in his name. On the night of the 

 10th a great feast is held on account of its being the day that 

 the saint departed this life. The Mosque is illuminated and 

 all kinds of sports take place, which attract crowds of people 



* " The favourite of heaven." 



f Regarding these annual festivals (Molids) held in commemoration of 

 the birth of Muslim Saints, see Lane's Arabian Nights, Vol., I., Chap, iii., 

 Note 63, p. 216,— Hon. Sec. 



