Hola Mohalla fair begins in Una

Our Correspondent

Una, March 3

The 10-day Hola Mohalla fair began at the Dera Baba Vadbhag Singh shrine at Mairi village of the district. The annual fair attracts lakhs of devotees, especially from Punjab. After paying obeisance at the dera, they take a dip at the Charan Ganga, a tributary of the Swan river, flowing nearby. It is believed that this cures mental illness and physical ailments.

On the first day, Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar visited the shrine area and led a campaign against the use of polythene. He also inspected shops.

The DC directed the shrine authorities, shopkeepers and langar organisers to ensure proper sanitation and clean all waste material simultaneously.

To check fatal accidents involving devotees coming to the shrine in double-deck vehicles, the district administration has set up four police posts jointly with Punjab and Himachal personnel near the inter- state barriers. Eight buses have been deployed at these points to transport devotees to the shrine.