Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, Aug 30: Four funeral pyres were burning at the Prem Nagar-based Jogi Gate cremation shed late on August 25 evening when heavy downpour brought life to a standstill and triggered panic as the swollen Tawi River threatened to wash away everything in its path.
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With most people in the locality either sleeping or preparing to take rest, the Jogi Gate Temple management had kept a close watch on the gushing river while the cremations of Pritam (65) of Hari Nagar, Old Janipur, Anil Kumar Puri (67) of Shivalik Puram, Janipur, Veeran Wali (in her 90s) of Rehari Colony, and Kiran Bamba (55) of Resham Ghar Colony were underway as they wanted to ensure that the ravaging river didn’t wash away the ashes of the departed.
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As the floodwaters tore through the Tawi-facing wall of the cremation shed, damaging several other concrete structures, fans, records, and other power utilities, the committee immediately alerted the bereaved families telephonically.
Within no time, relatives reached the site only to witness silt and mud overtaking the shed, leaving little hope of collecting the ashes for immersion in the Ganges.
The heartbreaking scene saw inconsolable cries, while Vinod Sharma, a caretaker at the temple, consoled families by reminding them of the religious sanctity of the Tawi, revered as “Surya Putri” in scriptures.
Recalling past calamities, Sharma said the shed was inundated during the devastating 2014 floods as well, but the river swelled 12 feet higher this year.
“I have never seen the river reaching these heights before,” he said, unable to confirm whether ashes had been lost in the 2014 deluge that caused widespread destruction in Jammu and Kashmir.
With heavy silt and mud choking the shed, no cremations could take place on August 26 and 27.
Fans, power utilities, and temple records also suffered damage in the inundation, forcing people to conduct cremations at other sheds across the city.
On August 28, partial relief came as teams of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and Jammu Development Authority (JDA) cleared two to three designated spaces of debris, enabling cremations to resume at the site. Restoration work is continuing on war footing to ensure uninterrupted rituals.
“The weather has now allowed clearance efforts and both JMC and JDA are working tirelessly to restore all designated spaces,” Sharma said, adding that full restoration is expected soon to facilitate cremations at Jogi Gate as per Hindu rituals.
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