| BSF, Pak Rangers set to meet on IB before annual Baba Chamliyal fair | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 4 : Despite tension along the International border and the Line of Control, Border Security Force officials and Pakistan Rangers are all set to meet for bonhomie during an annual Baba Chamliyal fair being organised along the Indo-Pak International Border in Ramgarh Sector of Samba district. This year the fair is being organised on June 26.
Baba Chamliyal fair is being organised every year on the fourth Thursday of June by both India and Pakistan on either sides, while thousands of devotees visit the respective shrines and pay obeisance. "All arrangements have been finalised for smooth conduct of the fair," an official here today said. He said arrangements including drinking water, transportation eating stalls and above all security have been put in place.
People on this side of the border participate in the fair at the Hindu shrine of Dalip Singh Manhas, popularly known as 'Baba Chamliyal' while the devotees in Pakistan visit village Saidanwali on the Zero Line, and organize a three-day fair and wait for 'Shakkar' and 'Sharbat' of Baba Chamliyal's 'dargah'. BSF personnel and Pak Rangers exchange sweets and fruits as a part of pious occasion at no man's land to mark the annual celebration of Baba Chamliyal. Thousands of devotees stand on both sides of the border to have a glimpse of the ritual of handing over of a 'chaddar' of flowers to the BSF officers by the Pakistani Rangers for being laid at the tomb (dargah) of Baba Chamliyal. The 320-year-old 'Chamliyal Mela', is being celebrated on both sides of the IB, has become highly popular since November 26, 2003, after the guns became silent on the border following ceasefire and parallel peace initiatives by both India and Pakistan. Devotees coming to this place take bath in the belief that by applying 'soil' (shakkar) and 'water' (sharbat) all skin diseases will be cured. Till 1971, Pakistanis were allowed to come to this side of the border to pay obeisance at the shrine and offer 'chaddar' but after 1971 Indo-Pak war, the practice was stopped. The shrine draws a large number of devotees from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. |
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