Wagah type developments demanded at Chamliyal IB
Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 3: Though the Tourism Department has claimed that about 25 lakh devotees have visited the shrines of Baba Chamliyal and Baba Sidh Goria during last two years in district Samba, the concerned public representative has said that the figures are much more than what the Department claims.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
In a written reply in J&K Legislative Assembly, session of which concluded recently, the Tourism Department also claimed massive developments at the popular shrines of Baba Chamliyal and Baba Sidh Goria and many at many other such places in Samba district for the convenience of the pilgrims and devotees.
“The number of pilgrims which visited Baba Sidh Goria Nath temple in the last two years remained 23,74,129 while those visiting Baba Chamliyal temple were 71,227,” the reply stated adding that all this was possible due to the sustained promotional campaign along with certain other efforts by the Tourism Department to revitalize and strengthen pilgrimage tourism in the Union Territory of J&K.
However, the Department claimed that no developmental work has been done on the shrines of Ganga Mata temple and Bamu temples in block Ramgarh because no formal demand or proposal for the same has been received by the Department.
When contacted, Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal, MLA Ramgarh informed that the demand for the development of Ganga Mata temple and Bamu temple in block Ramgarh, he met the authorities concerned a lot of times.
“We also raised the demand for the development of many more temples and shrines in the area,” he maintained.
The MLA further said that the figures shown by the Tourism Department in their reply regarding the number of visiting devotees at the shrines of Baba Chamliyal and Baba Sidh Goria were not proper as more than 30 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine of Baba Chamliyal alone during the annual fair in the month of June every year at International Border and there also remains a mammoth gathering of devotees at the shrine of Baba Sidh Goria in Swankha during the annual fair also in the same month.
“Apart from this, there remains an annual Dangal (traditional wrestling competition) at Swankha which is visited by many people from different places,” he maintained.
Dr. Manyal further said that developments at these shrines are not up to the mark as much more is required to be done at these places.
“We are working to develop Baba Chamliyal shrine on the pattern of Wagah and Suchetgarh borders and I have talked to the concerned Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma in this regard,” he maintained.
The MLA further said that the residential barracks for the devotees staying at Baba Chamliyal shrine are also not up to the mark.
It is pertinent to mention here that the shrine of Baba Chamliyal at Indo-Pak International Border (IB) is serving the people from all the sections of the society for years by curing skin ailments as soil and water at this place possess unique medicinal properties.
The shrine of Baba Sidh Goria is having great cultural and spiritual importance.
As per the locals of the area, the shrine of Baba Chamliyal was originally the abode of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, a saint who fought courageously to release the cows of his Ashram which were captured by some butchers.
Legends say that during fight, the Baba was beheaded but his torso continued fighting and killed many butchers before the Baba fell.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
