LG Sinha to pay obeisance at Jhrii Shrine today

Jammu, Nov 10: Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha would visit Jhiri Shrine in Marh sub-division of Jammu District on Friday to pay obeisance to Baba Jitto and Bua Kauri.
A 7-day-long mela is organised in Jhiri village on Kartik Purnima every year, which is visited by lakhs of devotees from across the country. This year, the north India’s biggest mela was organised a day ahead of Kartik Purnima, on November 7 due to a lunar eclipse on November 8.
The mela could not be conducted in the year 2021 and 2020 due to the spread of COVID pandemic in the country.
The traditional fair is organised by the devotees to pay their respect to Baba Jittmal or Jitto, a farmer, and his daughter Bua Kauri, who sacrificed their lives on the heaps of grains against the oppression of a Zamindar, Mehta Bir Singh, some 500 years ago.
After paying the obeisance, the Lieutenant Governor is scheduled to interact with devotees visiting the shrine and seek their feedback in the conduct of the mela.
According to SDM Marh, Rajeev Khajruia, who is also designated as the Jhiri Mela Officer, the Lieutenant Governor would also inspect around 20-25 stalls of different departments put up for show at the Mela site and later interact with the progressive farmers of the region.
“The LG is also scheduled to award the best stall of the region at Jhiri Shrine,” SDM Marh told Rising Kashmir.
“A religious hymns chanting and a Dogra turban tying competition shall also be organised at Jhiri. The winners of the competitions shall be awarded by LG Sinha,” the SDM Marh said.
Around 5 lakh devotees have visited the Shrine in the first two days of the 7-day-long Mela and paid obeisance before Baba Jitto and Bua Kauri.