Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, june 26:
For the eighth consecutive year, there was no involvement or role of Pakistani Rangers and people in celebrating the annual Baba Chamliyal Mela (fair) near the zero line on Ramgarh sector of International Border (IB) in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Thousands of devotees from Jammu plains and other north Indian states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan reached the shrine and offered their prayers on Thursday.
The fair is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month of June every year at the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, a spiritual figure of the 17th-18th century, equally revered by the people of north India and Sialkot region of Pakistan.
The tradition to host Pakistani Rangers and officials of district administration of Sialkot at the zero line by the Border Security Force (BSF) was abandoned this year also like previous times when in 2018 Pakistani Rangers had killed a BSF man deployed at Chamliyal post without any provocation.
In 2017 when BSF had last hosted the Pak Rangers and officials of administration in a ceremonial border meeting in which Pakistani delegation had offered Chadder (holy cloth) and sweets and had got Shakkar and Sharbat (holy soil and water) in return for the people waiting in Saidanwali village of Sialkot district.
Amid the strained relations and recent increase in the tension between the two countries after the Pahalgam terror attack followed by launch of operation Sindoor by Indian forces, the event remained an affair confined to the Indian side only with heightened security.
Despite heavy monsoon rains in the morning, the day began with BSF officials offering Chadar at the shrine followed by BJP leaders including its UT president Sat Sharma, a few MLAs representing Ramgarh constituency and other neighbouring constituencies of Samba and Jammu districts. Once the weather improved, thousands of people gathered at the shrine and throughout the day they offered their prayers inside the shrine.
Local people acted as volunteers and worked in the community kitchen to prepare food and serve it to the devotees coming from different areas of north India.
Speaking on the occasion, MLA Ramgarh, Devender Kumar Manyal said the shrine had a history of over three hundred years and people irrespective of their religion have their affection towards this shrine which is revered not only by people of India but people of Pakistan as well.
“This year, nine thousand devotees from all over north India reached here to celebrate this annual fair and we are hopeful that in the future this will attract more and more devotees,” he added.
The fair was organized in collaboration with the district administration Samba, BSF, J&K tourism department and with the support of local population who delay their paddy farming till the event is held.
