Jhanda Ji goes up at Darbar Sahib

The famous Jhanda fair started with the hoisting of the holy jhanda (flag) in the presence of a sea of devotees at historic Darbar Sahib premises here on Wednesday. The 15-day long fair is celebrated to commemorate the auspicious occasion of the birthday and arrival of Guru Ram Rai in Doon valley in the year 1676.

The tenth Mahant of Udaseen sect Devendra Das blessed the devotees on the occasion. The huge mast of the flag was hoisted amid chanting of bhajans by the followers. The flag mast was lowered in the morning and old cloth coverings were removed, the mast was then washed with water from river Ganga, honey, milk and curd. 

The devotees then covered the mast by 40 Sada Gilafs (white cloth coverings) and 20 Sanil Gilafs. The devotees carried these pious cloths on their heads which were wrapped on the mast. The Darshani Gilaf (the outer most cloth covering) was then wrapped on the mast and the flag was hoisted amid cheers and beating of drums by the devotees. 

Standing on a podium Mahant Devendra Das gesticulated to guide the teams of volunteers who were divided into eight groups of 50 each to lift the 90-foot long mast. Huge cheers rose from the crowd when an eagle circled the sky over Darbar Sahib. The devotees consider sighting of eagle as an auspicious sign on the occasion of Jhanda fair as they believe it as a blessing by the Guru Maharaj (Guru Ram Rai).  The old wrappings of the mast are shredded and distributed among the devotees as prasad.

The district administration had made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the fair.  The volunteers of the Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahab Committee were seen coordinating with the local policemen in managing the huge surge of devotees. The district administration had declared a holiday of half day on the occasion of Jhanda fair.  

The devotees were seen immersed totally in religious fervour on the occasion. Harpreet Singh of ludhiana district in Punjab said that his Sangat (religious group) walked for nine days to reach Darbar Sahib. A mechanic by profession, Singh said he and his family made it a point to attend the fair every year. Maninder Kaur of Bhatinda (Punjab) who attended the fair for the first time said that to see the hoisting of jhanda was something she would cherish for the rest of her life.