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Chamliyal mela tomorrow, BSF kept out

JAMMU: The state administration is all set to hold the Chamliyal mela on the International Border in the Ramgarh sector of Samba district on Thursday, but the traditional flag meeting between the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers will continue to remain suspended for the second consecutive year.

Chamliyal mela tomorrow, BSF kept out

The shrine of Sufi saint Dalip Singh Baba Chamliyal, situated in Ramgarh sector. File Photo



Amit Khajuria
Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 25

The state administration is all set to hold the Chamliyal mela on the International Border in the Ramgarh sector of Samba district on Thursday, but the traditional flag meeting between the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers will continue to remain suspended for the second consecutive year.

The centuries-old annual congregation at the shrine was cancelled by the government last year following sniping by the Pakistan Rangers on the BSF post at the Chamliyal shrine, a week before the mela on June 12. Four BSF men, including an Assistant Commandant, were killed in the attack.

Sources said the district administration would independently organise the mela this year and the BSF will be “kept out of the event”, as the main role of the BSF was to handover holy ‘shakkar’ and ‘sharbat’ to the Pakistani Rangers for people of Pakistan followed by a flag meeting between them.

“No shakkar and sharbat will be offered to Pakistan and there will be no flag meeting at Chamliyal this year. The exercise was started as a peace initiative but Pakistan breached the trust by attacking the shrine last year,” the sources said.

The BSF will only take care of the security as the mela is being organised on the International Border, the source said.

Unlike last year, the administration is preparing to for the mela with full zeal and enthusiasm. All arrangements have been made for the devotees and stalls are being set up near the shrine.

“The Chamliyal shrine is expected to witness a huge gathering of devotees again this year. It was a low-key affair last year due to the tension on the border. Despite that, about one lakh devotees paid obeisance at the shrine. This year, we are expecting around 4 lakh people like previous years,” said Chetan Sharma, priest at the Chamliyal shrine.

The Chamliyal mela is organised to commemorate Baba Dalip Singh Manhas in the third week of June every year at Chamliyal village on the Indo-Pak border, which is nearly 42 km from Jammu.

The mela is being celebrated for the last 320 years on either side of the International Border. The BSF and Pakistan’s Chenab Rangers mainly handle the yearly fair and help people on both sides of the border to receive the sacred ‘sharbat’ (holy water) and ‘shakkar’ (holy soil), which are considered to have healing properties against various skin ailments.

Each year, people of Pakistan arrange a three-day mela in Saidanwali village along the Zero Line and wait for sacred ‘sharbat’ and ‘shakkar’ from the Baba Chamliyal shrine.


Geared up 

  • The district administration will independently organise the Chamliyal mela on Thursday
  • All arrangements have been made for the devotees and stalls are being set up near the shrine
  • The BSF will only take care of the security as the mela is being organised on the International Border

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