How
it is celebrated.
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"Phool Wallon Ki Sair" is a week long
festival.
This Festival is a unique phenomena when
Hindus and Muslims together offer the floral chaadar and pankha at the Dargah and floral pankhaas
at the Temple. Now-a-days alongwith pankha,
chhatra (canopy) made of flowers
is also offered at the Temple. The pankha has become a symbol of communal harmony and also national
integration. |
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The
Festival begins with the playing of shehnai to herald
the beginning of the Festival and to announce
the dates of the Festival. |
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A
suitable day is fixed when the members of both the communities
i.e. Hindus and Muslims along with citizens of Delhi go
to the residence of the Lt. Governor, of Delhi, who is the
head of the State, where shehnai is played
and a pankha made of flowers is presented
to the Lt. Governor, who gives his blessings for the Festival
and the members invite the Lt. Governor to participate in
the Festival. |
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Thereafter shehnai is played at the Delhi Secretariat
to herald the festival and take the blessings of the Chief
Minister of Delhi and a pankha is presented
to the Chief Minister of Delhi and the Chief Secretary of
Delhi. |
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Traditionally
since the Deputy Commissioner was the highest functionary
in Delhi during the period after 1857, shehnai used
to be played at the office of the Deputy Commissioner. When
the office of the Deputy Commissioner was in Tis Hazari
Courts, shehnai was played there and the whole
court complex at Tis Hazari resounded with the notes of shehnai saying “Phool Waalon Ki Sair is here”.
The entire floor of the central Hall of Tis Hazari Court
was strewn with rose petals and fragrance of love and affection
pervaded. |
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The office of Divisional Commissioner has been shifted from
Tis Hazari Courts to 5, Shamnath Marg. Shehnai is
now played at the office of the Divisional Commissioner
where all the Deputy Commissioner of the Districts are also
invited. pankha is presented to the Divisional
Commissioner. |
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Thereafter
since last year the Anjuman has added visit to the First
Citizen of Delhi i.e. the Mayor. A pankha is presented to the Mayor at Town Hall, Chandni Chowk and shehnai is played in front of the Town Hall
in Chandni Chowk from where it goes to the lanes and bye-lanes
of Shahjanabad (Old Delhi), announcing, “Phool-Wallon-Ki-Sair
is here”.
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According
to the convenience of the President of India a day is fixed
for a visit to the Rashtrapati Bhawan where again shehnai is played and the President gives his /
her blessings for the Festival. The President of India then
mingles with the members over tea hosted by him / her.
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The
Vice President of India invites the members of the
Anjuman
on a day convenient, here also Shehnai is played and a pankha
is presented to the Vice President who showers his blessings
on the festival.
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A
mela is organized in Mehrauli with
amusement corner for children and other stalls from the
onset of the Festival for almost 7 – 10 days. On a Thursday
before the main event, the function is held at the
Dargah
of Khwaja Bakhtiar "Kaaki" in Mehrauli where a floral chaadar is offered at the shrine of Khwaja Bakhtiar
"Kaaki". It has become a tradition that the Lt. Governor of
Delhi leads the citizens of Delhi with the chaadar.
All Hindus are in the forefront wearing Muslim caps and
it is difficult to make out that they are Hindus. Chaadar is offered at the shrine after which there
is a congregation in the courtyard where the Lt. Governer
addresses the gathering and then there is a quawaalli programme. |
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On the next day which is Friday,
patangbazi competition
and wrestling bouts with kabbaddi & kho kho, all traditional
sports, take place in the afternoon.
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In
the evening the focus shifts to the Temple of Yogamaya ji
at Mehrauli where a floral pankha and chhatra (canopy) made of flowers is offered by the citizens of Delhi
led by a Muslim dignitary and on this occasion the Muslims
are in the forefront. In the year 2006 the mayor of Delhi
Shri Farhad Suri led the citizens with the chhatra in his hand and offered the same at the Temple, tilak is applied by the priest on the forehead of all the
Muslims present and chunri of Devi Yogmaya is presented
to them along with the prasad of halwa and
boiled black gram. |
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The next day which is normally a Saturday, the main function
is held at Jahaj Mehal near Shamsi Talab in Mehrauli which
is flower bedecked for the occasion, starts with distribution
of prizes to the participants of last year. There after
the participating States with their pankhaas and cultural
troupes present thier show and then pankhaas are taken in
a procession through the Mehrauli bazar to the Dargah &
the Temple. |
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The last item is qawwalli by famous qawwaals which starts at about 9 p.m. and goes on
till early hours of next morning. |
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