The Annual Fair at Baba Chamliyal Shrine located on International Border in Samba on Thursday witnessed unprecedented rush as devotees from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring states came all the way to pay obeisance at the revered Shrine.
Deputy Commissioner Samba, Abhishek Sharma, Senior Superintendent of Police, Benam Tosh and several other officers offered Chadar at the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas.
According to officials, nearly one lakh devotees from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring States visited the shrine. About 45,000 devotees visited the shrine by this afternoon but the rush of devotees increased after that and touched the record breaking figure.
The Management Committee of the Mela, District Administration Samba and Border Security Force (BSF) had made elaborate arrangements for the devotees visiting the shrine to pay their obeisance.
As the shrine is located very close to IB, the BSF and local police had also made elaborate security arrangements in the area to ensure safety and security of devotees.
“Elaborate security and other arrangements have been put in place for the devotees who have been thronging the shrine since early this morning, said Abhishek Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Samba.
Hundreds of stalls were set up by the devotees in the area serving eatables, cold water and juice to the people visiting the shrine to pay their obeisance.
The children also enjoyed fun and frolic during the Annual Fair. Baba Chamliyal is revered by the people of both India and Pakistan alike and lakhs of people thronged the shrine from the Indian side .
A Community langar was set up by the Mandir Committee where the villagers from all walks of life rendered their sewa.The holy pond containing shakkar has been developed by the Tourism Department with tiles, railing & artificial lights and thronged open before the mela.
Additional S.P Surinder Choudhary, Sub Divisional Magistrate Vijaypur Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Tehsildar Ramgarh Farooq Ahmed, Block Development officer Mukesh Sharma & other district officers accompanied Deputy Commissioner Samba & SSP Samba in paying obeisance & sought blessings for the district.