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| | BSF-Rangers keep their date, break chill at IB | | | DUG CHHANNI VILLAGE (SAMBA), Jun 28: Renewed chill in the ties of two estranged neighbours atleast did not impact much-awaited annual photo op at the International Border here today.
Belying all speculations, Pakistan Rangers did come crossing the border, armed with faith, which is the first line of defence for the people living along borders on both sides and had their symbolic annual `rendezvous’ with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on the occasion of Baba Chamliyal fair.
In a delegation of around thirty people including the officers of civil administration and police, they came, saw and went after remaining closeted for around 70 minutes with their Indian counterparts in a decorated tent erected on the Indian side near ‘No Man’s Land.’
Photo op was executed in perfect ambience- entering this side, handing over “Chaddar” to Indian counterparts and leaving back to Pakistan side after exchanging sweets.
As usual the ceremony was followed by sending trolleys of `shakkar-sharbat’ for the devotees of Baba Chamliyal on the other side.
Both sides remained gleefully obliging to photojournalists’ calls of “Khul Jaiye…..Bhaijan Zara Idhar…Zara Hatiye….Ma’am Please… Sir Kay Saath…” to freeze those moments. But the media interaction remained a strict “no, no” leaving behind an element of animated suspense as what transpired between two sides during those 70 minutes.
Only after the guests left at around 12.10 PM, the official version came from DC Samba Mubarak Singh and SSP Samba Israr Khan. “We had very cordial interaction and talked about Baba Chamliyal fair. This was not an occasion to discuss any controversial issues. So no questions were raised only pleasantries were exchanged because the occasion symbolizes peace, harmony and brotherhood and it reflected in meeting also. The attitude of Pak delegation was also very positive,” said DC Samba.
However, SSP Israr Khan told that he raised the issue of an intruder, who recently got killed and got buried also by Indian side as per Islamic rites. “I asked them to tell us if someone from their side was missing. I took advantage of the presence of their SHOs of at least four police stations of their border areas and DySP concerned, SP to discuss a couple of intrusions. I raised the issue of a mentally unstable person, who recently strayed into our territory from Pakistan side. Given his mental status, we cannot prosecute him even. So I pleaded that they should enquire about him, own him up so that we can push him back otherwise he would be kept languishing in Indian jails. We’ve given them his photograph and other details. They told us – they’ll check up and will come back to us,” Khan said.
He told even Jammu Sector Commander of BSF DIG Virender Singh too discussed the issue of mentally unstable intruder with his counterparts and asked them to check up so that they could push him back.
“The recent five-six incidents, which had occurred between Chilayari to Regal and other posts and which witnessed even loss of life on both the sides, had increased hostility between two sides. But I think today’s meeting, which held in a very congenial atmosphere, would definitely would leave appositive impact. This will help in peaceful Yatra obviously disturbed borders cause fear, trepidation among the pilgrims. The meeting in the congenial atmosphere in the presence of senior officers from both sides had made me hopeful of positive results and I’m very relaxed,” SSP said.
He denied that chill in the bilateral ties and tension along borders had affected the annual meeting.
“We talked to each other in a very cordial atmosphere. BSF has been very open. But in these kinds of interactions you don’t discuss intrusions. Even if you say it also, they’ll deny it, so you don’t discuss anything which may cause bad blood. You don’t talk anything which can create tension but in a very subtle manner you do convey these things and your reservations. As far as media interaction is concerned, basically sometimes questioning is embarrassing for both sides. You can question something and they can reply something and that causes bad blood,” Khan said.
Earlier much awaited annual ceremony started at 10.31 AM with two Pak Rangers on a bike coming to this side with flag miniatures to be placed at the meeting venue. At 10.39 AM came Pakistan delegation headed by officiating Sector Commander Lt Col Qaiser and Lt Col Faisal in the absence of Col Bilal Sector Commander Chenab Rangers. Assistant Commissioner Sialkote Sameeha Salim, who too accompanied the delegation, was the centre of attraction being the only woman from the other side.
“Col Bilal could not come because of some personal engagements that’s why wing commander officiated,” later a senior BSF officer told the media.
At 11.41 AM, a colourful Chaddar was brought Sajda Nasheen and others from Pakistan side. It was handed over by Pak delegation led by Rangers to their Indian counterparts so as to offer it at Baba Chamliyal’s shrine on this side.
While the visual bonhomie broke the renewed chill in the wake of recent bloody border skirmishes at Poonch and wordy duel at the highest political level in post-Jindal arrest scenario, one could sense it definitely affected the usual grandeur of the occasion.
Magnificent BSF band, which used to be the major attraction, was missing. Meeting was a quiet, low key affair with code of strictness all pervasive.
It was obvious when young Usman and Amanat Ali from Sialkote, who were part of Pakistani delegation, were allowed to move out of the closeted ambience till media enclosure for a while to capture those treasured moments through their mobile camera. Yet they were swiftly whisked away by BSF personnel joined by Pak Rangers when the media persons tried to engage the duo.
That was one frame of the occasion which remained focused on official ceremony.
Other frame captured the shared faith of commoners on both sides in its all possible manifestations, although the man carved border and persisting hostility at the political level prevented them to mingle. A large number of devotees had converged at the shrine to find cure for their chronic skin ailments as well as per the popular legend.
Annual rendezvous is arranged along the shrine (which exists on both the sides) of venerated saint Baba Dalip Singh Manhas popularly known as Baba Chamliyal.
The original shrine of Baba Chamliyal is located inside the Indian territory in village Dug Chhanni village, popular as Chamliyal village and its replica is built by devotees of Baba Chamiyal in village Saidawali in Pakistan after they were disallowed to enter Indian territory following 1971 war. In Pakistan the devotees hail Baba Dalip Singh Manhas as ‘Pir Sahib’ and in India he is popularly known as Baba Chamliyal.
The ambience of fair was perfect with colourful stalls of eatables mainly Jalebis and Pakoras, traditional drinks, swings and toys. The devotees climbing tractor trolleys, horse carts, auto rickshaws and every other mode of transport could be seen making a beeline outside the shrine to pay obeisance amid drum beats.
As per the legend the original shrine is over 300 years old and was built by devotees of Baba chamliyal after his supreme sacrifice. The shrine remained nondescript till BSF men occupied the area and renovated the place.
For past several years the Pakistani rangers have not been visiting the shrine located inside the Indian territory in village Chamliyal but they hand over holy cloth,’ chaddar’ to the BSF authorities at the zero line to be placed inside the sanctum sanctorum.
In return the BSF men hand over Shakkar-Sharbat(mud and holy water of the well) in tractor trolleys for distribution among devotees in Pakistan.
The legend says, Baba who lived about 300 years ago was lured away from his abode by miscreants and killed by deceit. While fighting alone with criminals Baba was beheaded at Saidanwali in Pakistani side. He kept fighting even after it and finally he fell down about 400 metres away from Saidanwali. This place is in Indian side and at present it is called as Chamliyal.
As the legend goes, Baba appeared in the dream of one of his disciples and apparently told him about the curative value of the soil and water where his body had fallen. The Baba told the disciple that his skin ailment would be cured if he mixed the soil and water of that land and applied it to his affected parts.
The legend says, “The next morning, the disciple applied the mud of the land near the Baba's shrine on his body and got cured.”
The word spread like wild fire and since then people belonging to different faiths and religions started visiting the shrine and holding a mela there.
After the partition, Saidawali went to Pakistan and the Baba's shrine came on the Indian side. But devotees from both the countries continued celebrating the annual mela on both sides of the border. Baba’s disciples come from several other North Indian neighbouring states in search of cure for their skin ailments. A large number of caretakers inside the shrine constantly pack packets of clay and distribute it among devotees. The practice of offering 'chaddar' and 'shakkar sharbat' was discontinued for some time during Kargil war but the practice was resumed soon after the introduction of Confidence Building Measures between the two neighbouring countries. |
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