New curbs for Urs pilgrims from Pakistan

AJMER/JAIPUR: Soon after the arrival of a

delegation

of 211 Pakistani pilgrims in Ajmer for Urs celebrations, the district

administration

on Saturday imposed several

restrictions

on them, including dargah visit timing, citing visa rules. The festival of Urs, which started on February 17, will continue till March 6 and the Pakistani pilgrims will be here till March 7.

“It is clear in the visa rules that the delegation will move in a group. They will be taken to the dargah in a group during the hours decided in consultation with the

members

of the delegation. It will help us in providing security to them,” said Ajmer SP

Kunwar Rastradeep

.

For the first time, the pilgrims have been asked to visit the shrine for a specific duration instead of going to the dargah any time of the day. They are also not allowed to visit any Hujra (

priest

seat) or the house of their Khadim (priest), which they otherwise used to do. The restrictions have clearly made the pilgrims unhappy. The restrictions were conveyed to the leader of the Pakistani delegation during a meeting with dargah committee officials and members of the Khadim community.

The administration has provided the Pakistani pilgrims a duration of 6-10 hours daily, depending upon the auspiciousness of the day. Some Pakistani delegates said the time restriction would not allow them to offer five prayers a day on any day.

The Pakistani pilgrims have been categorically told not to eat inside the shrine or at the residences of their Khadims. The Pakistani delegates have also been advised to not speak to the media and to not engage conversation on any controversial topic.