The centuries-old Chamliyal Mela is celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm along the International Border (IB) in the Ramgarh , with traditional exchange of sacred ‘shakkar’ (holy soil), ‘sharbat’ (holy water) and ‘chaddar’ with Pakistan.
The Chamliyal Mela is being organized every year with much pomp and show at No Man’s Land where people gather on either side of the border and exchange “Shakkar” the earth and “Sharbat” (Water) between Indian and Pakistani people under the supervision of BSF and Pakistani Rangers.
The epicentre of Indo-Pak bonhomie in the past, the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, a saint popularly known as Baba Chamliyal is located in Samba district of the State and is thronged by lakhs of devotees during the three-day fair.
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The earth (Shakkar) is believed to have miraculous curing effect on every kind of skin diseases while the “Sharbat” is used to mix the Shakar and apply it on the skin besides for drinking purpose.
The Baba Chamliyal Mela has been celebrated for the last 320 years on the either side of the IB. The BSF and Pakistan Rangers mainly handle the yearly fair and help people on both sides to receive the sacred ‘sharbat’ and ‘shakkar’, which are considered to be having healing properties against different skin ailments.