” How it is celebrated.”
“Phool Waalon Ki Sair” is a week long festival.
This Festival is a unique phenomena when Hindus and Muslims together offer the floral chaadar and pankhaa at the Dargaah 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.
The Festival begins with the playing of shehnai to herald the beginning of the Festival and to announce the dates of the Festival.
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 pankhaa 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.
Thereafter shehnai is played at the Delhi Secretariat to herald the festival and take the blessings of the Chief Minister of Delhi and a pankhaa is presented to the Chief Minister of Delhi and the Chief Secretary of Delhi.
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.
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-Waalon-Ki-Sair is here”.
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.
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.
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 Dargaah 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 qawwaali programme.
On the next day which is Friday, patangbazi competition and wrestling bouts with kabbaddi & kho kho, all traditional sports, take place in the afternoon.
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.
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 Dargaah & the Temple.
The last item is qawwalli by famous qawwaals which starts at about 9 p.m. and goes on till early hours of next morning.
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 Commissioners of the Districts are also invited. Pankhaa is presented to the Divisional Commissioner.