Shantipriya Roychowdhury/Midnapore:

For 50 years, Hindu devotees have been taking care of the shrine of Sufi Chandsa Pir in Bera Ballabhpur, Midnapore. Apart from keeping the place spick and span, the devotees also undertake the renovation of the shrine.

According to local people, Sufi Chandsa Pir used to live like a Sufi bard in the Muslim-dominated area of the Bera Ballabhpur under the Kotwali police station of Midnapore city  before the 1970s.

He was popular among Hindus. Everyone called him Chandsa Baba. He died in 1980 at the age of 82.

He was buried by the Hindu community and his burial ceremony was attended by a large number of people, mostly Hindus. The burial place of Chandsa Pir became a shrine in his memory.

People believed that Baba Chandsa had the divine power to solve their problems. The word spread and people from far and wide came to pray at his shrine. Chandsha Baba gradually became very popular among the Hindu community.

It is worth noting that after the death of Pir Baba, a Hindu devotee named Chamath Setua and his family took the initiative to transform the tomb of Chandshah Pir into a shrine.

The family maintained the shrine and people of all religions visited it. Gradually, the word of Chandsa Baba's greatness spread throughout the city of Midnapore. Currently, 80 percent of the pilgrims to the shrine in this Muslim-dominated area are Hindus.

Local people believe that the shrine grants the wish of childless couples and they become parents after praying at the shrine. The jobseekers, businessmen and others visit and pray at the shrine and invariably their wishes are granted.

The annual Urs at the shrine is held on the last day of the month of Chaitra. Around one lakh  people gather here for this ceremony.

Apart from the annual ceremony, special ceremonies are also held here every Thursday of the week when followers of all communities visit to seek the blessings of the baba.

On this day, special prayers are organized at the shrine. Moreover, food arrangements are also done jointly by all communities.

Pulao with fried brinjal (Baingun Bhajja), white rice, dal, three types of curry, and payas (desert) is served to 200-400 people as consecrated food (prasad).

Zulfikar Ali, a local journalist working for the Kalam newspaper, said that the Setua family has been taking care of the shrine for many years.

ALSO READ: Sri M: A mystic whose spirituality transcends religions

However, of late, the locals say it is difficult for them to manage the shrine and they want the administration should take it over. During the elections, most candidates promised to renovate the shrine, but nothing happened.