Platinum jubilee celebration of Baram Baba Mela begins

 Special Correspondent

Silchar, Nov 14: The platinum jubilee celebration of Baram Baba Mela at Silcoorie near this town began on Sunday with all sanctity and solemnity in the midst of a large number of devotees and visitors. From all accounts, the Mela which is observed around the temple dedicated to the sage and saint Baram Baba draws large number of crowd every year. But this year being the 75th celebration, a new dimension has been added. A great number of important persolities who included I B Ubadhiya, chairman, ITA, Surma Valley Branch, Mahabir Jain, a leading businessman, MLAs Aminul Haque Laskar and Rajdeep Goala heralded the celebration with promises to give a new shape to the temple.

 All of them admitted how they have been blessed by the Baram Baba in their own fields of achievements. Quite remarkable, people of all faith and beliefs throng the temple to seek the blessings of Baba. As Aminul Haque Laskar said, “I started my campaign for the last election after obtaining the blessings of Baba and won the battle, defeating the most formidable Congress candidate Amul Haque”. He expressed his willingness to arrange Rs.10 lakh from the untied fund for the upkeep of the temple and also explore the possibility of developing this holy place as a tourist spot and for this he would talk to Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister of Fince, Health and Education.

 Rajdeep Goala became emotiol to recall his father, Dinesh Prasad Goala’s connection with the holy temple and it was with the blessings of Baba that he won elections for 7 consecutive terms to become MLA and then minister. He always seeks the blessings of Baram Baba. It was a fair of all hues as a number of pious persons could be seen in the crowds who have come from different parts of north east and even beyond. Apart from the politicians, religious figures like Swami Baikunthathji of Ram Krish Mission graced the celebration as chief-guest at a function organized in the presence of Mridul Bhuiya, president of the Mela and mager of Silcoorie tea estate in close proximity to the place of the temple.

 On this occasion a souvenir—‘Sri Sri Baram Baba O Melar Itihas’ written by Sat Kumar Kairi was released.

It is interesting to know that Baram Baba Mela is one of the oldest fairs in the history of Barak Valley. With this Mela are linked a number of folklores and legends. Baram Baba was a Brahmin who came here all the way from Gazipur in Uttar Pradesh at the age of 7 years. He had made this place a sacred one by offering prayers and worships to gods and goddesses. It was his selfless dedication and religiosity which made him a saint and who began to be worshiped by the people around who were mostly tea garden workers. It was at this place under the shadows of a banyan tree that he attained total emancipation and since then in his memory the Mela is held every year.