KD Maini
Guntrian Sharief is the last stop located on Doda ridge of tehsil Haveli District Poonch. This village is 10 kilometers away on the north-east side of Poonch city. The Ziarat Sharief is connected with a motorable road. Power and water supply is available at site. It is such a commanding site that from this very place a number of snowcapped mountainous ranges and a forest belt is visible. The attractive natural beauty of this place had impelled Hazarat Sain Baba Miran Bakash to migrate from across the LOC in 1954. His native village Nanga Nari is located on the southern slope of Neza Pir Pass across the Line of Actual Control.
As per Mohd Amin, administrator Dargha Sharief Hazrat Sain Baba Mira Baksh, the attractive marble building of Roza Shrief has recently been completed with marble and Kashmiri Khatam Band wood work. Double storey mosque was also completed for the convenience of the pilgrims to offer prayer. The complex which is spread over 60 kanal land comprises of the Asthan of Hazrat Sain Mira Baksh, mosque, langer khana and two dining halls, one for male and the other for the ladies. During Urs days, another big langer khana is also used . Urs of Hazrat Sain Mera Baksh is celebrated on 27th Zia-Ul-Qad. One Mehman Khana has been constructed by management committee while there is three storey building also for the pilgrims. Tourism Department has also constructed a guest house with three halls with bedding arrangements. On Sundays and Thursdays the pilgrims come ranging from 2000 to 4000. Urs Sharief is celebrated for three days in which the pilgrims from within and outside the district participate. Hindus and Sikh families also visit the shrine to get the blessings of great saint. 50 Mukhtabs are by the management committee of the Shrine where the children of the poor families undergo education. Presently, the revenue of the Shrine is about 16 lacs per month. The guests who cross the LOC via Poonch-Rawlakote road also visit the Shrine with devotion. This year the Urs of Sai Baba Mira Baksh shall be celebrated on 30th of August 2016.
Sain Mera Baksh was a famous spiritual personality of his time, hundreds of devotees thronged his Asthan every day in the village Guntrian. In first instance, Baba Sahib would beat his devotees with a stick and abuse them just to prevent them from coming near to him for blessing. Then slowly and politely the devotees would come close to Baba Sahib for his blessing.
Sain Mera Baksh would wear a green long shirt (Kurta) and grass shoes. He was fond of taking tea. He was a sufi saint by nature and traveled from place to place in search of a location which could suit him for meditation. Ultimately, he selected the village Guntrian and settled there once for all.
The real name of Baba Sahib is Sain Mera Baksh Awan. His father Mohd Aziz was popularly known as Mattu. Sain Sahib were three brothers namely, Sain Sahib, Billa and Kala. Baba Sahib was eldest among them. When he was seven years old, he got employed by Raja Ghulam Mohd Jagirdar of Sadhrun. He served for about twelve years. During those days he used to go to Pir Noor Din Shah of Rankari and became his disciple. He came under the influence of Baba Wasta and Begam Shabia, who were also disciples of Pir Noor Din Shah. Thus he left the service of Raja Gulam Mohd and shifted to Rankari in the house of Pir Sahib and remained in the company of saintly souls for many years. It is said that in 1943 AD Pir Noor Din, Pir Mohd Shah, Baba Wasta, Begam Shaiba and Sain Mera Bakash assembled at Guntrian at a Niaz. Then Pir Noor Din asked Sain Mera Bakesh to settle at this very place. After the happenings of 1947, when ceasefire line was established between Neza Pir and Guntrian, Sain Baba was at Nanga Nari across the ceasefire line. However, he wanted to come to Guntrian. Therefore, he crossed ceasefire line and came to Poonch city. He was arrested and pushed back. After a week, he again appeared in the city. He was then presented before Brigadier Pritam Singh who again passed orders to push him back to Pakistan. Therefore, he was again pushed back. It is said that immediately after this incident Brigadier Pritam Singh was re-called and was dismissed.
Sain Baba Mera Bakash again crossed the border and entered the Indian territory in 1954 AD, reached Poonch city and then to Guntrian Shahpur area. Numberdar Mir Mohd reported the matter of his presence to nearest police station. Hazrat Sain Baba Mera Baksh was taken to Poonch, presented before the local administration and S.P Poonch. This time master Ghulam Mohd MLA, Jia Lal and Sham Lal came forward and pleaded his case before Superintendent of Police Poonch who asked Baba Sahib whether he wanted to stay in India. Sain Baba Mera Bakash replied that it was up to the administration. Then a deputation led by Fateh Mohd Khan of Khanater met civil authorities and got him released with permission to settle in Indian side of Kashmir. Hazrat Sain Baba Mera Baksh sent a message to a God fearing man Ghulam Rasool Gareshta of Mandi about his presence in Poonch. Gareshta came to Poonch and requested Hazrat Sain Baba Mera Baksh to shift to his house. Sain Baba Mera Baksh lived in his house for about four years in Mandi and remained blessing the people who would visit him. In 1960 AD Sain Baba Mera Bakesh came back to Poonch city and lived with Altaf Hussain Shah. He passed two years in Poonch town. In 1962, he left Poonch city, reached Kankote and then Bandichechian, and took shelter in the house of Zai-ud-Din and Abdul Baqi Malik. He stayed there for about six years. In this very period, Baba Sahib constructed a Takkia for meditation at Bandichechian. During 1965 conflict with Pakistan, he left Takkia Sharief Bandichechian and shifted to the village Guntrian. He lived in the house of Najja Jat. Then he selected a site in the village Guntrian whose owner was Sain Akbar Din. After sometime as Akbar Din came to know about the desire of Sain Baba to settle in this village, he donated 13 kanal lands along with a Kacha House to Sain Baba. In this way Sain Baba Mera Bakesh settled here once for all. From 1975 to August 26, 1986 he remained at this very place where he took last breath. Hundreds of people from all corners of State used to visit his Asthan to get his blessings. He was having very cordial relations with Indian forces posted in Guntrian area. During 1971 Indo-Pak war, Pakistani forces crossed the border during the intervening night of 3rd and 4th December and reached up to Tahan Pir top. The natives of the village Guntrian, Kerni and Shahpur came to him for his guidance. He told them that the Pakistani forces will leave back after three days. Exactly after third days Pakistani forces retreated from this area.
After 1971 conflict, Sain Baba Mera Baksh directed his devotees for construction of a long wall towards Pakistan side. Actually, it symbolised defence line for the country.
Hazrat Sain Baba Mera Bakesh was a Darvesh in real sense having secular outlook. Apart from Muslims, a large number of Hindus and Sikhs also visited the Asthan for the blessings of Sain Sahib. When patient came to his Asthan they were directed by Baba Sahib to drink water of a nearby spring. After taking the water people would get relief.
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