Ajmer, July 9
There is a mixed feeling of hope and anger in this ancient holy city, which will be on the world map for reasons other than the famous Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti’s yearly Urs when President Pervez Musharraf arrives here with his wife on July 16 to seek the blessings of the Garib Nawaz.

Khawaja Sahib is known to be large hearted and fulfil wishes of those who bow their head in front of him with complete dedication and humbleness. For believers, whether Muslims, Hindus or any other caste, as the reverred saint is not known to differentiate between people on the basis of their caste, this is the final destination for seeking what is missing in their life.

It would be no different for Begum and President Musharraf when they arrive in the city on July 16. Although he would be accorded a special treatment for not only being the Head of a State but also for being in India for a very special reason, he would bow in front of the great Sufi saint as among the many commoners who have done so over the centuries.

The event itself has touched different cords in this ancient city. Residents, while on one hand are hopeful, on the other hand they are even angry. Some are also anxious with the thoughts of what would be in store for them on the day when President Musharraf and his wife are scheduled to be in town.

Ajmer is no stranger to the visits from dignitaries. While recently Home Minister L.K. Advani had taken everybody by surprise when he visited the shrine, politicians in the past have also sought the blessings of Khawajaji.

However, residents this time are specially worried. With the security arrangements being what they are for a dignitary of the level of President Musharraf and keeping in mind the past trouble between the two countries, the local administration would not be ready to take any chances.

The residents are disturbed that the administration would bring the traffic to a complete standstill on the route from the helipad to the Dargah. There would also be diversions and traffic jams in the other parts of the city. The residents are not sure how long it would take before things would normalise after the Pakistani President has left for home.

“We still don’t know whether there would be any traffic diversions in advance. There is likely to be chaos in the city”, say the residents.

The residents are also worried that the visit would also mean the closing down of the schools, offices and business establishments. The ones in the close vicinity of the Dargah would be the one attracting the maximum administration attention.

Although the shopkeepers would be wanting to have a look at the man who has already created enough ripples in his short career in the top position, whether or not they are even allowed to venture anywhere near their establishments is what is keeping them anxious.

“When Advaniji came, there was security, but we were still allowed near our establishments. However, the word this time is that we might not be allowed to open our shops,” said Qamrul Islam, who runs a shop en route the Dargah.

There is also hope that the visit of President Musharraf to the Dargah might bring about that change of heart in him which is needed to normalise the relations between the two neighbours. Despite sharing the same background the two countries have been having a confrontation at the smallest of things for the past over half a century.

Hopefully, Garib Nawaz would shower his blessings for the betterment of both the countries, feel some of the residents. If the two neighbours unite, they would emerge as the strongest nation around the world, feels Ehsan Ali who runs an auto in the city. He is also of the opinion that both the nations must strive to achieve this objective as this would put to shame all those nations wanting to keep India and Pakistan at loggerheads.

Anil Sharma, a local businessman is also hopeful that something concrete would come out of the two-day summit at Agra and then President Musharraf’s visit to Ajmer. One hopes that he (Musharraf) is just not coming here for sightseeing. Hopefully, he has some serious business on mind and the will to improve relations with India. He must engage in some meaningful talks, otherwise there is no purpose of his coming here, he said.

However, some of the residents are not very happy with the welcome being accorded to President Musharraf. They feel that he should be treated the same way when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Pakistan.

Infact the Shopkeepers Association of Ajmer’s Dargah Bazar and Dhan Mandi have decided to wash and clean the market place after the visit of President Musharraf is over.

The association president Doulat Lohgani said the move was in retaliation to the washing of the Minar-e-Dargah in Lahore after the visit of Prime Minister Vajpayee in February 1999. “We are also anguished over the fact that Gen Musharraf, as Pakistan army chief at that time had declined to salute Mr Vajpayee and also failed to attend the state banquet in his honour,” Mr Longani said.

President Musharraf incidentally would be passing through two markets on his way to the Dargah of Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti.