A Darbaar Without Walls
The boundaries of Dera Baba Murad Shah Ji extend far beyond the walls of the darbaar complex in Nakodar. Wherever Punjabis have settled — in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, the UAE, Australia, and across Europe — the name of Laadi Sai Ji travels with them. The faith that was born in a small city in Jalandhar District has become, in a quiet and unannounced way, a global spiritual community.
The Mela as Homecoming
For many members of the Punjabi diaspora, the Annual Mela in August is more than a religious event — it is a homecoming. The journey from Heathrow to Jalandhar, from Pearson Airport to Amritsar, undertaken specifically for the night of 29 August, is a pilgrimage in the fullest sense of the word. Families save for months to make this trip. Children are brought so that the connection with the darbaar is planted early in their hearts.
"We left Punjab 30 years ago. But every August, Punjab calls us back — and the call comes through Laadi Sai Ji." — A devotee from Southall, London
The UK Connection
The United Kingdom has one of the largest Punjabi diaspora communities in the world, centred in cities like Southall, Birmingham, Coventry, and Leicester. Among this community, devotion to Dera Baba Murad Shah Ji is widespread, particularly among families from the Doaba region who settled in Britain from the 1960s onwards. The darbaar was part of their lives in Punjab; they carried it with them when they left.
Canada and North America
Brampton, Surrey, and Toronto have significant Punjabi-Doabi populations, and among them, Nakodar Darbaar devotees are numerous. Many Canadian devotees fly to India specifically for the mela, often organising group flights and travel arrangements months in advance.
The UAE and the Gulf
Punjabi workers across the Gulf states — in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and beyond — maintain their connection with the darbaar through regular return visits and through online access to mela recordings, qawwali videos, and devotional content.
Connecting from Abroad
For those who cannot travel to Nakodar, the darbaar exists in the heart. Qawwali recordings, live streaming of mela events, and this very website exist to keep that connection alive across distance. Jai Sai Ji — the greeting of devotees — is heard in as many time zones as there are devotees in the world.
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