Demonetisation drive might hit world famous Urs at Piran Kaliyar shrine

ROORKEE: Demonetisation has started taking its toll on the world famous Urs at the Piran Kaliyar shrine, which draws almost 10 lakh pilgrims from across the country as well as Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Sources said this year, lower number of zaireens (devotees) are expected because of the prevailing cash crunch and inadequate arrangements for the facility of cash withdrawal during the Urs.
Rashid Ahmad, a resident of Saharanpur said, “I have dropped the idea of coming in the Urs this year as I don’t have enough cash with me.”
Echoing the same sentiment, Urdu poet Afzal Manglori who usually takes care of arrangements for the Pakistani pilgrims during the Urs here said, “Earlier, we used to invite noted poets from across the country to participate in ‘mushaira’ (a poetic symposium) during the Urs as a routine.But, this time when I asked them to come here few of them expressed their inability in view of the current currency crunch.” Manglori said there should be adequate counters for money exchange at various points at Kaliyar.
According to mela administration, there are three ATMs - one each of PNB, SBI and HDFC - installed at Kaliyar. “Process of opening of any ATM is not taken up at our end. Ours senior offices only consider such demands after long processing formalities,” said Tarun Kumar Singh, manager of local branch of Punjab National Bank.
Piran Kaliyar Sufi shrine, dedicated to Sabir Baba, is considered the fifth 'dham' (religious seat) in Uttarakhand, after the four dhams of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri.
Sabir Baba shrine (known to pilgrims as the Dargah Sabir Pak Piran Kaliyar Sharif) at Piran Kaliyar, is seven km from Roorkee. It is the dargah (grave) of Sufi saint Alauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir of 13th century, who belonged to the Chisti order.
Every year, a fortnight-long event occurs here, to coincide with the death anniversary (Urs) of Sabir Baba.