Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 6: Ahead of annual Chambliyal fair, the Border Security Force (BSF) officials and Pakistani Rangers held a flag meeting on the Indo-Pak international border in Samba district.
This year the annual fair is being organised on June 26.
“Indo-Pak officials last evening held a flag meeting ahead of annual fair and had a detailed discussion on the arrangements for the event,” official sources said here today .
They said the BSF delegation was led by Commandant of 200th Battalion Hemant Kumar assisted by Deputy Commandant K Kousar, while from Pakistan side, Wing Commander 12 Chenab Rangers Mohammad Ali led the delegation.
The meeting was held at Chambliyal Border Outpost, which lasted for about 45 minutes, sources said. Baba Chambliyal fair is organised every year on the fourth Thursday of June by both India and Pakistan on either sides with thousands of devotees from various parts visiting respective shrines to pay obeisance.
People on this side of the border participate in the fair at the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, popularly known as ‘Baba Chambliyal’ while the devotees in Pakistan visit village Saidanwali on the Zero Line, and organise a three-day fair and wait for ‘Shakkar’ and ‘Sharbat’ of Baba Chambliyal’s ‘dargah’ on the Indian side.
BSF personnel and Pakistan Rangers exchange sweets and fruits as a part of pious occasion at no man’s land to mark the annual celebration of Baba Chambliyal.
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 Chambliyal.
The BSF, in turn, gives `shaker and sharbat’ (sweet water and clay), known as prasad of Baba Chambliyal Ji to the Rangers for distribution among the devotees on Pakistan side.
The 320-year-old ‘Chambliyal Mela’, 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.
Till 1971, people of Pakistan 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.
Authorities have made all arrangement for the fair, which would be attended by a large number of devotees.
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