By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 22 Mar: In order to participate in the ‘Jhanda Mela’, ‘sangats’ in huge numbers have started to reach the Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib, here. The devotees from so many parts of the country, especially Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan kept on arriving till late in the evening on Friday. The managing committee of the fair has estimated that a total of around a million devotees will reach the Darbar Sahib to obtain spiritual ‘darshan’ of the holy flag-pole, Jhandeji.
The history of the Darbar Sahib is 400 years old. Every
year, on the birth anniversary of Guru Ram Rai on ‘chaitra vadi panchmi’, the holy flagpole is raised. This year, the height of the holy flag-pole will be 95 feet.
On Friday, after completing the routine daily worship, Mahant Devendra Dass blessed the devotees. He also issued instructions to fair managing committee. By evening, the Darbar Sahib premises became packed with devotees. Manager of the fair committee KC Juyal disclosed that special arrangements had been made for meals, accommodation, water, security and health of the ‘sangat’. Special arrangements had been made for NRI devotees at various hotels and ‘dharamshalas’. Lodging and other requirements are being provided at SGRR Public Schools in Bindal, Bombay Bagh, Talab, Matawala Bagh, Raja Road, and various ‘dharamshalas’ of the city.
This time, the Darbar Sahib management has arranged for 4 large LED screens which will be placed at Darshani Gate, Bhandari Chowk, Saharanpur Chowk and the Darbar Sahib premises.
Fair manager KC Juyal added that the booking for providing ‘Darshani Gilaaf’ for the flagpole was full till the year 2117. Booking for ‘Chenille Gilaaf’ had been done till 2042.
On Sunday, work on stitching ‘gilaafs’, the flagpole covers, by women devotees picked up momentum. The flagpole is covered with three kinds of cloth. Inside are ordinary covers, 41 in number. Covering them are ‘gilaafs’ of Chenille, which are 21 in number. On the outermost side is the single ‘Darshani Gilaaf’.
There will be tight security at the Jhandeji fair. The police have arranged a special Mela Police Station. Five tenders of fire brigade will also be positioned there. Forty CCTV cameras have also been installed. Five metal detectors and 5 hand metal detectors have also been arranged. In order to take care of medical emergencies, a team of doctors and support staff of Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital will also be present from Saturday onwards.
According to Manager KC Juyal, as many as 30 big and small ‘langars’ will be in operation. These will be at Shri Darbar Sahib, SGRR Public Schools at Talab, Raja Road, Bombay Bagh, Bindal and other places.
Just like every year, ‘Sangats’ from foreign countries are arriving to attend from Canada, USA, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates and Germany, etc.
