Second biggest Urs begins at Piran Kaliyar

Hardwar, March 22 (UNI) The biggest Urs of the country, only next to that of Ajmer, began today at Piran Kaliyar, near Roorkee.

The two-week Urs, which is held in the memory of the noted Sufi saint Sabir Saheb, will last till April 5. The culminating point of the Urs will reach on April 1 with the ceremony of 'Badi Roshani' (mega illumination).

The sources in the district administration said this time nearly 10 lakh zayreens (pilgrims), from all over the world, are likely to visit the holy dargah of the Sufi saint during the Urs.

A batch of 200 pilgrims from Pakistan would reach Piran Kaliyar on March 30 and would stay there up to April 4, Chairman of the State Waqf Board, Rais Ahmed told UNI. District Magistrate R K Sudhanshu said the infrastructure facilities, such as the supply of drinking water and electricity, medical aids and transport, had been streamlined to meet the requirements of the pilgrims.

Special buses are plying between Roorkee and Piran Kaliyar and special bogies have been added to half a dozen trains passing through Roorkee, the sources said.

Haj house at Piran Kaliyar has also been readied for the stay of the pilgrims coming from other states and abroad.

Senior Suprintendent of Police Abhinav Kumar said foolproof security arrangements have been made in the mela.

''The mela area has been divided into four zones for security purpose and adequate force, including police personnel, the PAC, home guards, bomb disposal squads, fire extinguishers, units of sniffer dogs and divers have been deployed at the mela area'', the SSP said.

UNI