Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 19: Former R&B Minister and senior Congress leader Abdul Majid Wani has demanded that all the Hindu shrines in district Doda should be brought under the Control of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board for better management and development.
In a press statement here today Wani said that Doda district has emerged as a big Hindu pilgrimage centre, during last one decade. He said a number of pilgrimages/ yatras to historical shrines viz., Ram Rachho Chota Mani Mahesh Marmat, Dera Top Bhurdwar Marmat, Dedni Top Chandi Mata Khellani, Choundi Mata Kulhand Top, Kunder Devta Dramn Hanch, Sharda Mandir Alal Bani Shiva, Muthmal Mandir Lal Draman, Kund Kablas Bhaderwah, Maa Chandi Mata Mandir Chinote Bhaderwah, Subhar Dhar Yatra Chinta, Sumbai Yatra Bhaderwah, Malwar Yatra Chilli, Reushira Yatra Chirala are undertaken by devotees with big fan fair every year.
These religious places are thronged by Hindu brethren from all over India. But, this is really unfortunate that despite of huge alms and donations by visiting pilgrims, these holy places have not seen any development. The pilgrims have to face lot of problems, there, and go back with not so good experience. The most of the alms and donations go into pockets of few self styled Pujaris or Mahants as was being done by few families at Mata Vaishno Devi before constitution of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Other famous Hindu religious places like Shri Amarnath and Shiv Khouri could see a spree of development and facilities for visiting devotees only when the boards were constituted for making all arrangements of the pilgrimages.
Majid Wani, further, said that annual yatras to all above holy places in Doda district are being undertaken by Hindu devotees since last more than five decades. But, no sign of development is witnessed in these areas. These areas could have been developed as pilgrimage centres and religious tourism could have been promoted to raise economy of the local population in these areas, had the part of devotees’ money spent for creating infrastructural facilities.
PCC leader made an appeal to Governor Satya Pal Malik to intervene into this important issue and hand over management of all Hindu pilgrimage centres in Doda/ Kishtwar to the SMVDSB or some other similar authorities.
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