Bahraich authorities deny permission for annual Syed Salar Masood Ghazi Fair for the first time in 500 years

Syed Salar Masood Ghazi FairThe Bahraich district administration has denied permission to hold this year’s annual fair at the dargah of Syed Salar Masood Ghazi, which was scheduled to begin on May 15.

In a joint statement, the City Magistrate and the Circle Officer (CO) Sadar confirmed the decision, marking the first time in nearly 500 years that the event, popularly known as the ‘Jeth Mela’, will not be held.

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City Magistrate Shalini Prabhakar stated on Saturday that the Dargah Management Committee had submitted a request to organize the fair.

In response, the district administration sought reports from intelligence and other concerned departments, but none provided a favorable recommendation.

The Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) submitted a 12-page report to Commissioner Shashi Bhushan Lal Sushil and DIG Amit Pathak, advising against granting permission for the event.

The report cited potential protests in light of the recent Pahalgam attack and emphasized that, considering the current national situation, such gatherings should be avoided.

The CO City noted that public resentment following the Pahalgam attack has led to demonstrations across the country, and the decision to cancel the fair was made in view of these tensions.

The month-long fair, traditionally held from May 15 to June 15, typically draws around 1.5 million devotees from both Muslim and Hindu communities.

Earlier this year, authorities also denied permission for the Neja Mela, an annual event held in Sambhal in the name of Syed Salar Masood Ghazi.