Sir,
Almost daily in the print media we see the news regarding arrangements made for celebration of Navratras at places like Jammu, Katra, Vaishno Devi, Sukrala Devi and Shiv Khori etc. It is very sad to point out that the said arrangements never speak about the holy shrines of Parmandal and Utterbehni.
It may sound untrue but a fact that the history of these shrines dates back to the period when Jammu was not a City of Temples. The old traditional route of Mata Vaishno Devi also passed through Chichi Mata – Utterbehni – Parmandal and then Kandoli Nagrota etc. But present day Administrative apathy has put the sanctity of these shrines to threat of depletion. The development of these shrines is with the Surinsar Mansar Development Authority but the officers at the helm of affairs appear to be least bothered about these shrines perhaps because of their over busy schedule of development of tourist spots of Mansar and Surinsar or shortage of funds.
A day earlier to Navratras is the day of Snan, Daan, Shradh and Amavas (Sept. 28). People from all over the State and even outside gather at these shrines to perform death related rituals of their kins. A grand mela is held on the day which culminates with a wrestling match (Shinjh) in the evening. The said mela is followed by Navratras and Ramleela which too becomes a source of attraction for the devotees. Precisely speaking these 9 to 10 days are a period of festivity at these shrines. In view of above, it is requested that suitable arrangements need to be made in respect of the shrines of Parmandal and Utterbehni like other religious tourist destinations in the State besides imposition of complete ban on cremations beneath holy Shiva temple complex at Parmandal a source of grave public nuisance particularly in these days of festivity.
Jawahar Lal Baru
Parmandal
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