After two long years the famous fair known as ‘Baba Chamliyal Mela ‘ was organised at the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, a saint popularly known as Baba Chamliyal, in Samba district of J&K .
Former minister Chander Prakash Ganga and Davinder Manyal along with DDC chairman Keshav Dutt offered a chadar at the dargah of Baba Chamliyal.
” We are extremely grateful that this fair is being organised after a haitus of two years and we extend our gratitude to PM Modi and his efforts to vaccinate the maximum population of India against the coronavirus as a result of which we are able to organise this fair again ” , Chander Prakash Manyal said .
Baba Chamliyal after whom the village on
the zero line in Samba district’s Ramgarh sector is named, lived over 300 years ago and is revered by the people of all faiths.
The preparations for this fair start one month earlier. Lakhs of people thronged the shrine this time and there was lot of enthusiasm among the pilgrims.
The fair has become popular since November, 2003 after a ceasefire and parallel peace initiatives by both the countries. While it is held for three days at the shrine complex on the Indian side, it is also held for a week on the opposite side of the border in Saidanwali village of Sialkote district in Pakistan.
Till 1971, Pakistani nationals were allowed to come to the Indian side of the border to pay obeisance at the shrine. However, after the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the practice was stopped. Since then, only a delegation of Pakistan rangers comes to offer chadar at the shrine and, in return, carries shakkar and sharbat from the shrine for the devotees in Pakistan.
