The transfer, the Pakistan High Commission mentioned in an announcement, was “reflective of Pakistan’s respect for religious places of all faiths and efforts for promoting interfaith harmony,” The Tribune reported.

Under the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, pilgrims from each nations are allowed to journey to some shrines throughout the border yearly.

What is the Shadani Darbar, and why does it maintain significance for Indian pilgrims?

Sant Shadaram Sahib and Shadani Darbar

Located in Hayat Pitafi, Ghotki district, Shadani Darbar is believed to be the most important Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Sindh province. It was based in 1786 by Sant Shadaram Sahib, whose anniversary the pilgrims are travelling to have fun.

According to the temple’s web site, Sant Shadaram was born in a Lohana khatri household in Lahore in October 1708. He is believed to be the descendent of Lord Ram’s son, Lav, and in addition an avatar of Lord Shiva.

Since the age of 20, he travelled to varied holy locations, akin to Haridwar, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Amarnath, Ayodhya, and the Pashupathinath Temple in Nepal. In 1768, he reached Mathelo, the capital of Sindh throughout the reign of Raja Nand, the place he constructed a Shiv temple and “enlightened the sacred holy fire (Dhuni Sahib)”, the web site says.

“After sometime he left his temple of village Mathelo along with his devotees and settled nearest another holy village in Hayat Pitafi and laid the foundation of Shadani Darbar. Thou got dug one sacred well and enlightened one “Holi Fire” often known as “Dhuni Sahib”,” the web site provides.

It is believed that anybody who takes the blessings of the Dhuni Sahib and drinks the water of the properly is delivered from his sufferings and misfortunes. Even in the present day, the annual celebrations at Shadai Darbar embody ‘agni pooja’, or hearth worship. Apart from this, the Geeta and the Guru Granth Sahib are recited, and mass weddings are organised, the place well-off devotees present dowry and items for financially weak {couples}.

Other ‘gaddisars’

After Sant Shadaram, the darbar has seen eight different ‘gaddisars’, or heads. The present, ninth gaddisar is Dr Yudhister Lal, who has spent a big a part of his life in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur. His spouse, Mata Deepika, is from Jalna in Maharashtra.

The fifth gaddisar was a lady, Mata Sahib Hassi Devi, who took over the put up in 1852.

While all of the gaddisars are believed to own nice non secular powers, there may be an attention-grabbing story in regards to the sixth, Satguru Sant Manglaram Sahib.

According to the temple’s web site, “In 1930 due to the divide and rule policy of the British government, local Muslims were instigated by the rulers to harass, loot and kill Hindus Muslims.” But “Sant Manglaram sahib mixed holy dust (Dhuni Sahib) and water” and threw it across the boundaries of Hayat Pitafi. As a results of this, when the aggressors crossed into the village, they grew to become blind. They gained again their eyesight as quickly as they exited the village. “In this way people of Hayat Pitafi [were] saved by the Miracle of Sant Manglaram Sahib,” the web site says.

The 1974 India-Pakistan Protocol

Under the protocol, pilgrims from each nations get visas to go to sure spiritual shrines with out having to undergo the standard immigration course of. The pilgrims can travel only in groups and the variety of such teams is mounted annually.

Fifteen shrines in Pakistan and 5 in India are coated underneath this protocol. The shrines in Pakistan are: Gurudwara Shri Nankana Sahib (Rawalpindi); Gurudwara Shri Panja Sahib (Rawalpindi); Samadhi of Maharaj Ranjit Singh (Lahore); Gurudwara Shri Dera Sahib (Lahore); Gurudwara Janam Asthan (Lahore); Gurudwara Deewan Khana (Lahore); Gurudwara Shaheed Ganj, Singhanian (Lahore); Gurudwara Bhai Tara Singh (Lahore); Gurudwara of Sixth Guru, Mozang, (Lahore); Birthplace of Shri Guru Ram Das (Lahore); Gurudwara Cheveen Padshahi, Mozang (Lahore); Shrine at Sree Katasraj; Shadani Darbar, Hyat Pitafi (Sindh); Sadhu Bela, Khanpur and Mirpur Mathelo (Sindh); Shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (Lahore).

In India, the protocol covers Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer), Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi), Hazrat Amir Khusro (Delhi), Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani (Sirhind Sharif, Punjab) and Hazrat Khwaja Alauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir (Kalyar Sharif).