SAMBA: For the first time in its history, the annual fair of Baba Sidh Goria was not held at Baba Sidh Goria’s Sanka temple in district Samba on Sunday due to spread of COVID-19 and advisories issued by the Government of maintaining social distance.
As a precedence lakhs of devotees drawn from Jammu region and neighboring states of Punjab, HP, Haryana and even Delhi and UP used to visit the holy shrine to participate in the celebrations which were held with full religious fervor and gaiety every year.
However the management committee of the shrine and some local devotees performed pooja and held Aarti at holy shrine but the usual rush was missing and the shrine wore a deserted look.
According to the report, the fair was scheduled to be held today which lasts for seven days but could not be organized due to Corona epidemic. On Sunday, Mahant Pir Bhola Nath Ji of Devasthan was given a bath in the traditional way and it will continue for five nights from today. Later Mahant Ji is placed on the throne. The fair as usual was being organized in collaboration with the district administration and elaborate arrangements were made for the devotees visiting the holy place to pay their obeisance to Baba. The mela is held for seven days as per tradition.
During this time special arrangements were made by the Management to maintain social and physical distance at Devasthan. The people have a lot of faith on Devasthan. It is said that by taking a bath in the temple lake and bowing the forehead at Baba ‘s shrine people get rid of diseases and many diseases are cured by taking a bath and rubbing Vibhuti and wearing thread at the holy shrine.
