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| After 90s, Kashmir admin makes special arrangements for Shivratri celebrations | | Mega Puja scheduled at Shankaracharya temple | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 20: The abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir seems to have finally brought some good news for the “neglected” Pandit community as the administration in the valley has come up with special arrangements for the Shivratri festival this time, while a mega Puja is scheduled to be held at the historic Shankaracharya temple here. While New Delhi is understood to have asked the J&K government to provide adequate facilities to the Pandith community for the festival celebrations, in Kashmir the Divisional Commissioner Baseer Ahmed Khan held a series of meetings asking officials to come up with special arrangements.
It was reliably learnt the both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Home Minister Amit Shah had conveyed it to the Raj Bhawan to ensure that special arrangements are in place for the celebrations of Shivratri after the abrogation of the special status. While usually trout fish would be made available for the festival at some select spots, this time the Deputy Commissioners of various districts were asked to get established special stalls selling the fish, lotus stems or Nadru, Walnuts and even flowers for Puja at the vending points to be administered by the official machinery. The DCs were directed to deploy Magistrates at all the spots like temples where the celebrations are to be held in congregations.
A senior official in the Fisheries department said whereas usually the department would sell trout fish for the festival at designated spots alone, this year mobile fish vans had been moving around in major cities and towns. Whereas majority of the people from the Pandit community were forced to migrate from Kashmir in early ‘90s by the Pakistan-backed terror groups, a few of them, who stayed back, celebrate Shivratri in their homeland.
But this time the arrangements look special. “Even local fishermen have kept their stock available at vending points in traditionally Pandit dominated areas like Habba Kadal in Srinagar,” said a Kashmir pandith while appreciating the arrangements.
The administration has also made arrangements for special Puja scheduled to held at the historic Shankar Acharya Temple on the hillock in the city, while arrangements have also been made for ferrying the devotees to this and other temples.
Recently, a delegation of Kashmir pandit community had called on the Home Minister Amit Shah with demands including rehabilitation of the displaced community in their homeland.
The Pandit community is hopeful of getting rehabilitation package for their safe return to their homeland -Kashmir. |
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