Baba Chamliyal’s fair trumps Indo-Pak hostility
DUGH (SAMBA) A fair whose lore dates back three centuries bucked the hostility between India and Pakistan in J&K, as celebrations of Baba Chamliyal’s saintly life began with exchange of sweets between Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers at his shrine at Dugh village in Ramgarh sector, 45 km from Jammu, on Thursday.
This, even as the two armies traded heavy fire on the Line of Control earlier in the day in Chakan da Bagh sector in Poonch district in which two Indian soldiers and at least one from Pakistan were reported killed.
At the shrine, a 31-member team of Rangers, officials and media from the other side offered a ‘chaddar’ (ceremonial cloth). During the two-hour visit, the BSF served them tea and snacks, besides handing them packets of sweets. ‘Sharbat’ and ‘shakkar’ — sweetened water and soil believed to have the power to cure skin diseases — was also given for distribution across the border where Pakistani devotees were waiting.
A week-long fair is also observed at Seydan Wali on the Pakistani side too.
Folklore has it that Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, known as Baba Syed Manhas in Pakistan, was ambushed and killed by criminals; his body fell in what is now Pakistan and his head 600 yards away in India.
Till the 1971 war, Pakistani nationals were allowed to come to the Indian side of the border to pay obeisance at the shrine, locals said. Since then, only a Rangers-led delegation comes.
Yet, while J&K’s 744-km Line of Control and 198-km border mostly get media attention for intrusion bids and firing, this tomb remains safe and a threeday fair held every June. “Pakistanis do not target it,” said Om Prakash, a resident of Dugh village.
“Elders used to tell us how Pakistani pilgrims hold this shrine in the highest regard, and how deeply they revere Baba Dalip Singh,” he added. Things have changed somewhat, though, as the visit is now a mere ritual between BSF and Rangers, he rued. At last year’s fair, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had felicitated people from both sides and called for cultural bonding.
This year, border hostility has remained heightened since May 1, when Pak forces beheaded two Indian soldiers in Poonch. Yet, the celebrations come also in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to counterpart Nawaz Sharif on June 8 at a dinner for heads of states at a meet of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.
Briefing Indian journalists — who were barricaded and not allowed to carry phones, even as Pak officials and mediapersons drawn from nine news outlets freely clicked pictures — BSF deputy inspector general PS Dhiman informed, “The Sialkot sector commander of Chenab Rangers, Brigadier Amjad Hussain, headed the Pak delegation.” He refused to comment on restrictions imposed on the Indian media.
Asked if India took up ceasefire violations, he said, “This was not the occasion to discuss official matters.”
AT THE SHRINE, A 31MEMBER TEAM OF RANGERS OFFERED A ‘CHADDAR’ (CEREMONIAL CLOTH). DURING THE TWOHOUR VISIT, THE BSF SERVED THEM TEA AND SNACKS, BESIDES HANDING THEM PACKETS OF SWEETS. ‘SHARBAT’ AND ‘SHAKKAR