Navdal Chouram celebrated with religious fervour, gaiety

Devotees performing Puja at Navdal Tirath Tral before immersion of relics in the spring.
Devotees performing Puja at Navdal Tirath Tral before immersion of relics in the spring.

Devotees take holy dip in springs

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 24: Navdal Chouram was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety at Navdal Tral in South Kashmir district of Pulwama in which a large number of devotees drawn from different parts of Kashmir Valley and Jammu participated.
Navdal is an ancient Hindu shrine in Kashmir from times immemorial and its description is found in various religious scriptures.
Nine springs existed at this sacred religious shrine and devotees used to take a holy dip in these springs on the occasion of Navdal Yatra prior to mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Valley. A shivllingam also existed in one of the springs and on the day of Navdal Yatra devotees were performing Rudra Abhishek of the Lingam.
However during turmoil the Yatra could not take place to this holy shrine for two decades. But about a decade back the Hindu community of the area and Navdal Tirath Committee a subsidiary of Temples and Shrines Prabandhak Committee, Tral Awantipora took an initiative to re-start the Yatra on Navdal Chouram and large number of devotees used to visit there.
Giving details Dr Ramesh Bhat, president Temples and Shrines Prabandhak Committee, Tral said that the Navdal shrine is linked to Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage and after the culmination of Yatra devotees used to immerse relics in the springs here besides taking a holy dip and performing Rudra Abhishek.
He said for last three years the Yatra is organised on a large scale by Committee and Puja -archna besides annual hawan is performed as per tradition.
He said this year also large number of devotees attended the religious function and a Maha Yagya was also solemnised after which the devotees were served Prashad. The relics were immersed in the spring and Rudra Abhisheak of Lord Shiva was performed.
Dr Bhat made an appeal to Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha who is the Chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) to reconnect this shrine with Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage by organising the immersion ceremony here on Navdal Chouram from next year. He also made an appeal to Mahant of Chhari Mubarak, Mahant Deependra Giri Ji seeking his blessings in re-establishing connect of the shrine with Shri Amarnath Ji.
He said a grand Dharam Shalla is also under construction at the Shrine and appealed Government to provide financial assistance for the same.
The Navdal Committee incharge Vinod Pandita and other members of the Prabandhak Committee including P L Bhat, Geeru, P L Bhat, Devar, K L Koul, Sunil Bhat and Vino Ji Raina complimented the district administration Pulwama for their cooperation and support in making function a grand success.