by Faiqa Masoodi
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government joined more than half of the country in enjoying the half-day holiday on the occasion of the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Many interesting developments were directly linked to the development in Uttar Pradesh.
Following the holiday order, another administration directive declared that liquor shops would remain closed for 36 hours given the consecration ceremony.
“Dry Day is hereby declared on the 22nd day of January in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” Excise Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma in an order issued on Sunday. “No sale of liquor shall be allowed from the retail vends on this day in the Union territory.”
This order kept the wine and liquor shops under lock and key till January 23, 9 am.
Special Puja
There was a special Puja at the Shakarachrya Temple in Srinagar coinciding with the main event at Ayodhya. It was a few thousand strong gathering in the historical temple and the puja continued for a few hours.
The devotees who attended the special prayers at the Zabarwan Hills temple were mostly visitors. The prayers were followed by a langar for the devotees, they said.
Earlier, there was a puja event in Lal Chowk as well. Special prayers were also held at the Hanuman temple on the banks of the Jhelum River. A havan was also organised at the Sun temple at Mattan in Anantnag district as part of the celebrations, reports appearing in the media said
A Bustling Jammu
Jammu, the city of the temple, remained active very visibly for many days in anticipation of the event. For many days, the followers remained busy installing saffron flags with pictures of the sprawling Ram temple at the entrances of their homes, offices, shops and some of the public institutions.
“Emotions are running high from rich to poor and among all others while some even lacked words to express their heart,” Jammu newspaper Daily Excelsior reported. “RA Yadav, 49, a scrap buyer from Bihar had fixed the flag of Lord Rama on his bicycle while he moved from street to street to buy old newspapers, iron and plastic scrap etc from households to sell the same to some dealer for earning a meagre amount to eke out a livelihood.”
Apsara Road Market Association distributed about 108 kg Halwa Prasad among all to celebrate the consecration ceremony. “Firecrackers shall also be busted, earthen lamps will be lit at our shops in the evening and a music system will also be put in place to play the devotional songs in the praise of Bhagwan Ram,” Anil Kohli, president, its president told the newspaper.
In anticipation of the ceremony, Ram temple flags, badges, and shoulder cloth with religious pictures were sold in the markets.
The activity came within a day after the trustee of Jammu and Kashmir’s Dharmarth Trust (DT) and former Minister Ajatshatru Singh invited people to participate in the three-day grand celebrations at the Raghunath Ji Temple in Jammu. The celebrations started on January 20 and concluded with the main function in Utter Pradesh.
Water from Sharda
In anticipation of the main event, Save Sharda Committee Kashmir activist, Ravinder Pandita contributed the “holy water” from Sharda Peeth, an ancient Hindu temple and teaching centre that is located in Neelam Valley on the other side of Teetwal.
Pandita told reporters that the “holy water” was sent by civil society members across LoC in September 2023 via Britain. Earlier he had managed “pious soil and shilas” from the same site at the Shilanayas of the Ram temple, three years ago.
Committee members told the reporters that the “holy water” of the Sharda Kund at the Sharda Peeth was collected by Tanveer Ahmed and his team. It was sent to Islamabad, from where it was sent to his daughter Maghribi in the United Kingdom, who gave it to Sonal Sher, a Kashmiri Pandit activist, who brought it to Ahmedabad in August 2023. From there, it reached Delhi.
Kashmir Saffron
On January 18, a representative of Positive Kashmir presented two kilograms of Kashmiri saffron to Alok Kumar, VHP President, on behalf of the local Muslim community, for the upcoming Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
“This noble gesture, facilitated by Positive Kashmir, an organisation dedicated to promoting patriotism and youth development led by Bharat Rawat, exemplifies the spirit of communal harmony and cooperation,” a news report said.
“Muslim brothers and sisters from Kashmir came to meet me and expressed their happiness at the construction of Ram temple, and said even though we follow different religions, our ancestors are the same,” Alok Kumar was quoted as having said. “They said Lord Ram is one of their favourite ancestors. They handed over 2kg of organically produced pure saffron from Kashmir. I am handing it over to the Yajman of Shri Ram Temple Anil Mishra.”
Devotees Visited
Several people from Jammu and Kashmir travelled to Ayodhya to witness the historic moment. These included a group of 214 devotees from Doda whose send-off was a major event in the Chenab Valley.
Shouting Jai Shri Ram and chanting bhajans, they were part of a barefoot rally in town before they left for the trip to Utter Pradesh.
A Kupwara Visitor
In Srinagar, the news was created by Sidiqua Khan, a Kupwara resident, who drove to UP in her car. In Srinagar, she talked to the reporters.
“I have a lot of reverence for Lord Ram. I had decided to go to Ayodhya after January 22 thinking that there would be a lot of rush there on this day,” she told reporters in Srinagar. “But, yesterday I was jolted out of wits. Lord Ram came in my dream and told me since you serve me always and have reverence for me, you should come to Ayodhya because I am coming there.”
The young lady said she mostly lives in Chandigarh and has Hindu and Sikh friends. “I have come in my car from Kupwara. I always drive myself and I should be in Ayodhya tomorrow,” she said in a hurriedly arranged interaction. “I will offer my prayers and chant Bhajans to please Lord Ram in Ayodhya. I took Allah’s name and then Lord Ram’s name and started my journey.”
Invitation
Sidiqua got an invitation in her dream and decided to go. However, the participation in the ceremony was by invitation only. This irked Dr Farooq Abdullah, the towering Kashmir leader, who publicly sings in praise of Ram.
“Does Lord Ram belong only to the BJP? Who are they to send invitations to people? Do I need an invitation to visit Umrah if I want to? Does anybody need an invite to visit the Ram temple?” Farooq Abdullah told reporters in Jammu. “Ram is omnipresent. He is also there where there is no Ram temple. He is the Ram of the entire universe.”
It was not immediately known if the Pahari girl whose song in praise of Ram Lalla became an instant hit on social media, was invited to the function or not.
Syed Zehra Batool, a resident of Uri, broke the internet by singing a bhajan on Ram temple consecration in Pahari language.
“I have sung a bhajan on Lord Ram which is becoming so popular as recently I heard Jubin Nautiyal singing a bhajan and I thought why shouldn’t I sing it in Pahari and post it on social media,” Batool was quoted as having told a reporter. “By God’s grace, it has become very famous and even PM Modi has shared my post. Our Imam Hussain has told us to love the country where one lives and I have respect for India, where I live.”
Unable to Visit
For the devotees who for some reason could not attend the ceremony in UP, the government made a lot of efforts to help them. The Jammu & Kashmir Cable Car Corporation offered free tickets to devotees visiting Peerkho, Mahamaya and Bahu temples in Jammu on January 22.
“In order to give impetus to Religious and Spiritual Tourism in #Jammu and to celebrate Sri Ram Mandir consecration at #Ayodhya, J&K Cable Car Corporation offers free tickets to pilgrims intending to visit the revered Peerkho, Mahamaya and Bahu temples on Monday 22/01/24,” the corporation posted on X, the announcement.
Meanwhile, the Additional General Secretary and former NC Minister Ajay Kumar Sadhotra led a Shobha Yatra at Thub village. “The life of Shri Ram reflects virtues such as righteousness, compassion, and devotion in immense measure and sets high standards of moral values for humanity to imbibe,” Sadhotra told the devotees. “It is a matter of happiness that Pran Pratishtha is being done on January 22 and to strengthen the Aastha towards Bhagwan Ram, we must read, learn Ramayan and implement its teachings in our day-to-day life in letter and spirit.”
Anup Hindu Representative
Controversial Kashmir Files actor, Actor Anupam Kher said he will be representing Hindus from Kashmir at the ceremony.
“Today, I am representing lakhs of Kashmiri Hindus who had to leave their homes…Today Lord Ram is returning to his home and I hope we will also return soon,” Kher was quoted saying. “I went to Hanuman Garhi as well…People across the world are celebrating this day. Today is Diwali and this is not just a religious festival, this is much more…”
