Prevailing peace is Baba Chamliyal’s miracle for villagers in J&K’s Ramgarh sector

By Sheikh Qayoom

Ramgarh sector (Jammu), Jan 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Serpentine course of Devika River forms the International Border (IB) between India and Pakistan in this sector.

Strategically, the border security force (BSF) guarding the frontier calls it 'natural border', to the common man it appears 'unnatural'.

Peace has been a great dividend for scores of villagers living close to the IB in this sector since the DGMOs of the two countries decided to respect the bilateral ceasefire.

Farmers are tending their wheat and oilseed crops as normally as elsewhere in the hinterland. Pump sets are pouring water to irrigate the fields and children are playing like they never did during the last many years.

Pakistani cows graze close to our border fence in the 'No Man's land'. BSF jawans keep vigil to ensure that the animals of the 'enemy' do not come close to the fence and get hurt.

Quite obviously, man and animal are equal partners who share the blessings of peace in this sector.

"We are often called by the soldiers of Pakistan rangers to nudge the cattle back into the Pakistan side as their owners get worried about the safety of their herd", said a BSF jawan standing atop a border post.

The way our jawans are polishing their shoes in the sunshine and speaking casually to their families on the cell phones, one does not need to be told that things are completely under control here.

Locals say the jawans guarding the border are members of their extended families.
"Whenever we face an emergency, help is just a call away. In times of peace and war, we depend on BSF jawans and officers who come to help us", said Kishan, 56, a local farmer.

Cormorants, bar-headed geese, mallards and common teals float on the gentle waters of Devika River as partridges from the two sides cross the border fence to pick grain and gravel without a care in the World.

"Being so close to the border, the birds and animals do not fear being poached. "We have swamp deer, wild goats, boars and antelopes like the Nilgai moving freely around over posts", said another trooper as he peeped out of the concrete bunker to interact with us.

Locals narrate stories of the horrors war has wrought into their lives in the past. "Whether it was 1965, 1971 or any other time the two sides belligerently pounded each other's positions, we have stood to lose the most.

"Our homes got destroyed, cattle got killed, agricultural fields got damaged and we often had to run away to save our lives.

"We pray each day for the present peace to continue. People in cities and towns cannot imagine the misery we face during war and during uneasy peace", said Muluk Ram, 78, a villager.

"We have to constantly remind ourselves of the age old maxim, if you want peace, prepare for war", said a middle rung BSF officer as he welcomed us with his soldierly 'Jai Hind' salutation.

Some miles away from here, is the shrine of Baba Chamliyal, revered equally by Indians and Pakistanis.

The annual 'Urs' at the Dargah is an example of the Sufi's divine power.

Each year during the 'Urs' in peace times, Pakistan rangers offer a 'Chadar' at the saint's Dargah and take home some soil from the Shrine's compound. The soil is believed to have curative properties.

Indian troops offer 'Sherbat' to Pakistani visitors. The villagers of the two countries wave to greet each other.

During the 'Urs' days, the saint's miracle dissolves the mistrust of each other harboured by the two armies.

Peace at no price is costly when viewed in the backdrop of death and destruction wars have brought into the lives of the villagers living on the two sides of the so-called 'natural border'.

The only hope for the villagers of India and Pakistan living on the two sides of the IB is that the miracle of Baba Chamliyal holds longer and hopefully forever.

Source: IANS