Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: The Border Security Force (BSF) and Rangers today held a flag meeting at forward village of Chamliyal in Ramgarh sector of Samba district to finalise arrangements for Baba Chamliyal fair, falling on June 27, the last Thursday of this month.
The Pakistani Rangers conveyed to the BSF officials during the flag meeting that this time at least 35 to 40 officials, religious persons and civilians would be visiting the holy shrine of Baba Chamliyal during the annual fair on June 27.
Normally, four to five persons, including the Rangers and a Moulvi used to visit the shrine and offer `chadar’ to Baba Chamliyal on behalf of the Pakistani devotees. This time, however, the Rangers have expressed desire that about 35 to 40 officials, religious persons and some civilians wanted to pay obeisance to Baba Chamliyal’s shrine.
This would be for the first time since nineties that 35 to 40 Pakistani officials and civilians would be visiting the shrine, official sources said.
The flag meeting between BSF and Rangers started at 10.40 am and lasted 40 minutes. It was held at Chamliyal Border Out Post (BOP) on the International Border (IB). Five officers each from BSF and Rangers attended the meeting and discussed modalities for the annual fair.
The BSF would provide ‘shakkar’ (soil) and `sharbat’ (sweet water) to the Pakistani visitors for distribution among the Pakistani visitors, who gather on their side of the IB to take ‘prasad’. The devotees offer ‘chadar’ to the shrine through the Rangers.
Prior to 1971 Indo-Pak, the Pakistani people were allowed to visit the shrine of Baba Chamliyal ji. However, after 1971 war, the Pakistani devotees were allowed only to offer ‘chadar’ from across the border through the Rangers, who in turn, took ‘shakkar’ and `sharbat’ for the devotees on their side.
Thousands of devotees each year on either sides of the IB participate in the separate fairs at the shrine of ‘Baba Chamliyal’, who is also known as Baba Dalip Singh Manhas.
A ‘sea of humanity’ throng the Indo-Pak border for the annual fair every year and collect the holy ‘sharbat’ and ‘shakkar’ from the dargah of the famous saint.
The people on both sides of the border participate with great enthusiasm in the annual fair, which begins on fourth Thursday of June every year. Administration on both the sides have made adequate arrangements for the people participating in the fair.
A tradition is being followed by devotees to offer Chaddar at Baba Chamliyal’s dargah.
Over 320-year-old ‘Chamliyal Mela’, celebrated on both sides of the IB has become more popular since November, 2003 after the guns fell silent on the border following ceasefire and parallel peace initiatives by both India and Pakistan.
The ‘shakkar’ and `sharbat’, which are believed to have medicinal properties against various skin ailments. Every year in Saidanwali village on the Pakistan side of the Zero Line, people organise a three-day fair and wait for ‘shakkar’ and `sharbat’ of Baba Chamliyal’s Dargah. As devotees from Pakistan are not allowed to cross the Indo-Pak border, each year they gather at Saidanwali village, located on the international border, from where they are provided Shakkar and Sharbat by BSF officers. Before the Indo-Pak war in 1971, Pakistanis were allowed to visit this side of the border, but now only Pakistani Rangers (border police) are allowed to participate in the festival, who offer Chaddar on behalf of the people of Pakistan.
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