Guga Mari undergoes Rs50-lakh facelift ahead of Chappar Mela

Mahesh Sharma

Advertisement

Mandi Ahmedgarh, Sept 3

Built in 1890, Guga Mari at Chhapar village in Ludhiana district is being revamped by its followers, led by the Sidh Sulakhan Sewa Society patron Jatinder Sharma Happy.

The shrine is the venue for a regional carnival — Chhapar Mela, which is a mega event organised every year in the memory of Guga Pir, a Chauhan Rajput.

The four-day event is scheduled to start on September 22, with its first day known as Chowkian.

To retain the originality and renovating every nook and corner, Rs 50 lakh are approximately being spent on the facelift. Masonry workers and artistes from Rajasthan, MP and UP have been engaged to strengthen and brighten the interior of the dome of the main shrine.

Maintaining that the renovation work was started over six months ago, Jatinder Sharma Happy said painting of walls on the inner side of the dome would be resumed after the conclusion of the event.

He said the project was being accomplished with donations from followers and no grant was received from any government or non-government organisation.

The Chhapar Mela originated as a small gathering of locals to worship snake, the embodiment of Guga, about 160 years ago. The event has emerged as a mega festival for the past three decades. Devotees scoop out the earth seven times, invoking ‘Guga Peer’ to protect them from snakes. Paying obeisance is also believed to cure skin diseases and snakebite.