No Chamliyal Mela for first time since ’47

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 22

For the first time since Independence, the famous Chamliyal Mela has been cancelled by the administration.

The 198-km-long International Border has always been tense, but the recent sniping incident by Pakistan Rangers at Chamliyal post has led to cancellation of the 320-year-old congregation at the dargah of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, known as Baba Chamliyal.

A day after an almost hour-and-a-half-long flag meeting between BSF and Rangers at octroi post in Suchetgarh sector, the Samba district administration on Friday cancelled the annual mela scheduled to be held on June 28.

Deputy Commissioner Rajinder Singh said, “We cannot trust Pakistan this time and put the lives of lakhs of people at risk. So, it was decided that no fair will be organised this year.” 

Four BSF men were killed in cross-border firing by the Rangers at Chamliyal post  on June 12. The BSF and Pakistan’s Chenab Rangers handle the fair and help people receive the ‘sharbat’ (holy water) and ‘shakkar’ (holy soil), considered to have healing properties.