Hola Mohalla begins at Mairi in Una district

UNA, MARCH 18

The annual Hola Mohalla fair got underway at the Dera Baba Vadbhag Singh shrine in Mairi village of Amb subdivision in Una district today. The ‘Jhanda Sahib’ will be hoisted on March 25, while ‘prasad’ with ‘Panja Sahib’ will be distributed to the public during the intervening night of March 26 and 27, marking the end of the fair.

Vadbhag Singh was the son of Baba Ram Singh, a descendant of Dhir Mai, the first cousin of the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. He succeeded the hereditary ‘Gaddi’ (throne) of the Sodhis of Kartarpur.

Legend has it that Vadbhag Singh had retreated to the dense forests in Amb area of Una district during one of the invasions by Afghan ruler Ahmed Shah Abdali. With the latter’s forces in pursuit, Vadbhag Singh, riding a horse crossed the Darshani Khad, a tributary of Swan river and by his sheer spiritual power. Soon after he crossed, the rivulet got flooded, preventing enemy soldiers from crossing over for many days.

Baba Vadbhag Singh took refuge in dense forests of Mairi village where he meditated and gained spiritual powers. He is believed to have tamed evil spirits which threatened and harassed the locals, thereby rendering them mentally sick. He is also believed to have nailed the local Nahar Singh deity to a ‘Ber’ tree.

A ‘Ber’ tree still stands in front of the shrine today and people, particularly from Punjab, pay obeisance at the shrine and take a dip in the Charan Ganga where they discard old clothing. This is believed to ward off evil spirits and bring in good mental health to the devotee.

Baba Vadbhag Singh is believed to have spent his life in the service of humanity, teaching people about the virtues of love, compassion, and selflessness.

Meanwhile, Una DC Jatin Lal today took reached Mairi village to take stock of the arrangements made by the district administration. He said the Mela area has been divided into 10 sectors, each under the in-charge of a sector magistrate and sector police officer, while ADC Una Mahender Pal Gurjar has been designated as the Mela Officer and DSP Amb is the Mela Police Officer.

He directed the concerned departmental officers to ensure supply of drinking water and electricity besides ensuring sanitation, adding that mobile toilets have been pressed into service.

The Deputy Commissioner said 1,700 police and Home Guard personnel are on duty to maintain law and order during the fair. He said Section 144 has been promulgated in the district in view of the heavy rush of devotees expected to visit the shrine. Putting up ‘langars’ without the permission of authorities, use of PA systems and use of musical instruments has also been banned and violators will be prosecuted as per the Law, said the DC.