Maghi Mela has been celebrated in the city of Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab for centuries in memory of 40 Sikh warriors who were killed fighting the Mughals in the Battle of Khidrana in 1705. It was after this battle that Khidrana was named Muktsar, or the pool of liberation. Over the years, political conferences became the main attraction in this mela, and often set the political tone for the state. Since 2018, however, there have been attempts to reduce the number of conferences and de-politicise the festival. This year, the festival is being celebrated on January 14. The Indian Express takes a closer look. A history of Maghi Mela Maghi Mela is held in the holy city of Sri Muktsar Sahib every year in January, or on the month of Magh according to the Nanakshahi calendar. It is one of the most important festivals for Sikhs. The festival marks the martyrdom of 40 Sikh soldiers in a battle against the Mughals. In the 1700s, the Mughals and Sikhs were at constant war with each other. The story of the Battle of Khidrana goes like this: in 1704, during the siege of Anandpur Sahib by the Mughals, 40 Sikh soldiers deserted their posts and fled. Upon arriving at their village near Amritsar, a woman named Mai Bhago scolded them and rallied the fighters to return to Anandpur Sahib in the service of their Guru. The freshly motivated soldiers along with Mai Bhago set off towards Anandpur Sahib to help Guru Gobind Singh hold fort against the Mughals. They met the Guru at Khidrana where they took on a large Mughal army, sacrificing their lives in the process. Interestingly, according to Rozy Barkandi, former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Muktsar, the actual martyrdom day of 40 Sikh soldiers (Muktas) falls in the month of Vaisakh, approximately in the first week of May – Gurdwaras continue to pay tributes to the martyrs in that month. About a century ago, however, due to the scarcity of water in the region, the mela started being organised on the Sankrant of Magh month. This tradition has continued, giving the festival its present name. Today, the Mela starts on Maghi day and continues for another day or two. People from different parts of the state and even outside come to Muktsar to take a holy dip in the sarovar (lake) of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib and enjoy the festivities. What are the political conferences held during Maghi Mela? Back in the day, people would arrive in the city days before the actual Maghi day. In the evenings, there would be kavi darbars (poetry sessions) where politicians would speak. This is likely how the political conferences, which can be traced back to the mid-1950s, started. Over time, the conferences were increasingly organised in the daytime, during the actual mela. Lengthy, overnight stays became less common due to changing lifestyles and priorities. A Congress leader from Muktsar recalled, “Back in the day, people used to display their agricultural equipment for about 10 days, and roadside ferries used to continue for about a month. Relatives used to live in each other's houses for a month during those days.” In 2017, the Akal Takht Jathedar asked political parties not to organise political conferences during the mela. The same year, all parties stopped organising conferences at Shaheedi Jor Mela in Sirhind. In 2018, the Congress and AAP also stopped organising conferences at Maghi Mela. However, the SAD continues to organise its political conferences during the Maghi Mela, saying that the Akal Takht Jathedar's appeal is not valid for Maghi Mela since the actual day of sacrifice falls in May. According to the SAD (Badal), the Maghi Mela has always seen political activity, even before 1920 when the SAD had not even come into existence. This year, SAD (Badal) and SAD (Amritsar) will organise political conferences for which they have taken official permission from the state, while Amritpal Singh of Waris Punjab De has also planned a conference in the outskirts of Muktsar, without seeking any permission from the district administration. Tarksheel society will also be holding a meeting, according to sources. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal stated that this year's conference will be the party's first in Magh Mela in over three years. In January 2020 and 2021, conferences were not held due to Covid protocols, and in 2022, the Model Code of Conduct prior to the state's Assembly elections prevented political conferences in the mela. For SAD (Badal), this year's conference is expected to set the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, after the party's embarrassing performance in the recent state elections. Security arrangements at Maghi Mela Opinderjit Singh Ghumman, SSP Muktsar, said, “This year we have deployed 4,000 police personnel. We have divided the city into seven sectors and each sector has a sub-police station to cater to the public. There are nine parking sites for private vehicles so that the road near the Gurdwara can be free from congestion. In addition to this, there will be seven temporary bus stands for buses coming from different roads to park. No bus will be allowed to enter the city.” He added that “a total of 57 nakas (checkpoints) and 45 traffic points have been set up. A total of 11 police teams will remain on foot and 14 motorcycles will patrol the city, where 12 watch towers will be made from which police personnel will keep a watch over the mela with binoculars. Seven police help centres have been formed for 24 hours to help masses.” Maghi Mela attractions Nihang Sikhs have already arrived in Muktsar with their horses. Various varieties of cattle will also be displayed for sale. A site has also been allotted for amusement rides and swings. Beyond the livestock and the rides, Maghi Mela is expected to have stalls selling various items – from crockery to toys and trinkets. “Over the years, political conferences had started overpowering the mela. a large number of people used to come only for the conferences in buses hired by political parties. Now, however, since political conferences are limited, devotees are actually coming to see the mela,” said an official from the district administration.
