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| Injuring religious sensitivities of Kashmiri Hindus | | Terming Hari Parbat as Koh-i-Maran | | Rustam
JAMMU, June 30: In March this year, a number of Kashmiri Hindu organizations held a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, to register their protest against the alleged move to rename Shankaracharya Hill and Hari Parbat as Takht-e-Suleiman (Suleiman Taing) and Koh-i-Maran (mountain of tyranny). Those who participated in the dharna included representatives of organizations like All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS); Chinar Art & Culture Trust, Srinagar; Ishwar Ashram Trust, Srinagar; Jammu Kashmir Vichar Manch; Kashmiri Hindu Association; Rohini Kashmiri Migrant Welfare Association (KMWA), Noida; Kashmiri Pandits United Forum (KPUF); Kashmiri Pandit Welfare Association, Faridabad; Kashmiri Samiti, Delhi; Youth for Panun Kashmir; Kashmiri Sewak Samaj (KSS); Kashmir Visthapit Sangharsh Samiti; Kashmiri Welfare Association, Pratap Vihar; Koshur Milchar; Vasundhara, Koshur Samut, Ghaziabad; Koshur Sumchar; Kung Posh; Panun Kashmir; Roots in Kashmir; Shri Chand Chinar, Srinagar; and Shri Sanatan Dharam Pratap Sabha. They claimed that the J&K Government intended change the names of famed hills Shankaracharya and Hari Parbat to 'Takht-e-Suleiman' and Koh-i-Maran' respectively.
The charge level by the Kashmiri Hindu organizations was not totally unfounded. There had been reports after 2004 that attempts were being made to rename these two hills. In fact, the concerned Kashmiri Hindus had then also raised a hue and cry and charged the Kashmiri-dominated state Government with changing the names of hundreds of towns and villages in the Valley. To make their point, they had referred to
Anantnag, which was, and continues to be, called Islamabad. The charge leveled by the protestors in March 2014 evoked a sharp reaction from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and many others in Kashmir. Omar Abdullah dismissed out-of-hand the charge, asserting that there was no proposal to rename these hills, which the Kashmiri Hindus consider sacred. Shankaracharya Hill has an ancient Shiva temple nestled at its top. Thousands of devotees of Lord Shiva throng the temple everyday to pay obeisance. As for Hari Parbat, a legend says:
"The Hari Parbat hill was once a huge lake inhabited by the demon Jalobhava. The inhabitants called on the goddess for help. She took the form of a bird and dropped a pebble on the demon's head, which grew larger and larger until it crushed the demon. Hari Parbat is revered as that pebble, and is said to have become the home for all the gods of the Hindu pantheon". Another version says that "two demons, Tsand and Mond, occupied the fair valley. Tsand hid in the water near the present location of Hari Parbat and Mond somewhere above the present Dal Gate, and both terrorized the people of the valley. The gods invoked Shakti who assumed the form of a Haer (myna) and flew to Sumer, picked up a pebble in her beak, and threw it on the demon stand to crush him. The pebble grew into a mountain. Hence was named Hari (myna) Parbhat. Parvati is worshipped as Sharika in Shri Tsakra (an emblem of cosmic energy pervading the universe) occupying the middle part of the western slope of the hill. The hill is also called Predemna Peet."
On the birthday of Sharika Bhagwati, the devotees make a sacrificial offering of "Taher-charvan" (Taher - rice boiled with turmeric powder and mixed with oil and salt; Tcharvan - cooked liver of goat) to the goddess. This day is celebrated as Har Navum".
That the fears expressed by the representatives of Kashmiri Hindu organization in March 2014 were not based on heresy became somewhat clear on Saturday, when Hari Parbat Fort was thrown open for general public after 24 long years. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Shailendra Kumar, who was the chief guest on the occasion. A report in this respect from Srinagar said: "Twenty four years after being closed for public, the Hari Parbat Fort over Koh-e-Maran hillock overlooking Srinagar city was thrown open Saturday. At the opening of the fort. J&K Tourism department and Markus Kraft presented the event 'Taseer 2014' as part of the 'Kashmir Summer Festival 2014' inside the fort in which young amateur artists and school children participated in a painting, clay modeling and a photography competition. This fort is one of the symbols of the tyranny of what we people went through during the past 500 years of subjugation under different invaders". Other who attended the function, included former mayor Salman Ali Sagar; Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Farooq Shah; Vice Chairman, Srinagar Development Authority, Shafaat Noor; J&K Bank Executive President Parvez Ahmad; Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Ghulam Nabi Qasba; KCCI Treasurer, Gazala Amin; and Kashmiri artist Masood Hussain. This is not to suggest that the Divisional Commission and the Deputy Commissioner endorse the mischief-mongers. But what has caused concern is the failure of the concerned authorities to contest the relevant portion of the report and declare that action would be taken against those who intend to disturb peace through their calculated mischief. |
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