Sunny Dua
Surrounded by several mysteries about its existence, damages done to it or people abandoning a lively place to let it turn into ruins, a magnificently built temple located in remote village of BamuChak area of Ramgarh in District Samba close to the proximity of International Border (IB) dividing India with Pakistan is today craving for restoration.
While some say that this temple never came to life and no idol was ever installed in sanctum sanctorum, others claim that before partition this was a lively place where devotees worshipped Lord Rama but after an attack in 1947 and cross border firing by Pakistani rangers, the temple was ruined and thus abandoned.
Claimed to be about 200 years old, this walled-temple popularly known as Bamuchak Temple is built on an area of about six Kanals land and its Shikhar (Spire) is about 50-60 feet high from ground level which is visible from even the nearest village Abtal located on this side of the fence. Having no river or water resource nearby, it would have been tough building this temple in which bricks of Nanak Shahi era have also been used. A nullah called Degh flows quite far away from this place in Pakistan which could have possibly served as the main source of water for building this temple as there is no well or any other water resource found near this site.
Located close to the Shrine of Baba Daleep Singh Manhas popularly known as Baba Chamliyal on the zero line of Indo-Pak border, this temple is also in the proximity of some major towns and villages on other side of border like Sialkote, Pasrur, Sambrial, Zafarwal and Daska. Wall murals insid
e the sanctum sanctorum, which are considerably damaged, narrate entire Ramayan – an epic from ancient India besides murals of Lord Vishnu and Luxmi, Lord Shiva and Parvati, Brahma, scenes from Maharaja’s Darbar, nature and music too have been painted on the inner walls of this temple.
On approaching the temple after covering a distance of about 35 Kilometres from Jammu, a black coloured structure becomes visible from quite a distance. The geographical features of the area are such that this temple is visible from its pedestal to top of Shikhar from quite a distance. At first, the place looks to be haunted but on entering and exploring it, the damaged and crumbling walls or arches narrate stories of glorious architecture, masonry work, brick manufacturing techniques and Vastu science which is predominant in the compound of this temple facing East.
Five Kalashas donning the spire of temple are visible from quite a distance and their shine is still intact. Some say that they are gold plated other say they are made up of pure brass – an alloy of copper and zinc but the light they reflect is visible from a distance. Pakistani Rangers had been targeting these Kalashas and one bullet has even pierced through it. However, the dents thus created by the bullets could be seen on these Kalashas that are wresting on a Lotus and another inverted Lotus made up of bricks and terracotta. Since all bullet marks are on one side facing Indo-Pak border,they justify Pakistanis resorting to firing on it consistently.
Strangely temple entrance is from the back side of the compound and the main temple too is not in alignment of this entrance but built on left side of the path. On passing through two huge yet artistically designed brick walls that form part of Sarai (Rest Rooms) from West side, one has to go right to the East to enter into the main sanctum sanctorum that was covered with arched Parikrama, major portion of which has given way. Just three arches in front of the sanctum sanctorum that once were part of Parikrama are intact but murals painted on them too have faded.
Some unsuccessful attempts seem to have been made to repair the temple by blending modern day cement plaster with lime mortar to plug the cervices developed in the main structure, pedestal, arches or compound walls but that has spoilt the aesthetics of the temple and its structure. Today the temple surrounded by huge trees consists of an intact Shikhar, its main structure having some figures on the entrance façade, a pedestal, three arches, a small damaged portion in the Parikrama, two Sarais- one completely damaged and couple of rooms on one corner of the temple compound that are craving for restoration.
According to Ashok Kumar Gupta, this temple was built by his great grandfather Bamu Shah on the land given to him as Jagir by the erstwhile king of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Gulab Singh. He informed that the temple was very beautiful and people used to throng it in large numbers but after partition when it was attacked and destroyed, no one ever cared to restore it. “Since our elders left the place and settled in Samba, Jammu and even Kangra in Himachal Pradesh (HP) and no one was left here to take care of temple, it was virtually abandoned” he added.
Another popular story about the temple reveals that Bamu Shah being an honest and dedicated devotee was asked to build a temple in village Abtal for which money was given by the Maharaja Gulab Singh. Bamu Shah acted wise, spent the money carefully and out of savings built this temple at Bamu Chak. Knowingly that the erstwhile King has been informed about another temple coming up at a nearby village which was far more beautiful than the one that he had ordered, Bamu Shah thought Maharaja will punish him. Fearing wrath of Gulab Singh, Bamu Shah committed suicide.
Ever since then, no statue was installed in the sanctum sanctorum and the place was abandoned. The temple then started crumbling and tuned into ruins. Ashok Kumar Gupta didn’t contest the story but said that some Deewans in Maharaja’s Darbar spoke against Bamu Shah after which his great grandfather committed suicide. He confirmed that Bamu Shah had committed suicide and also admitted that Maharaja had given his family acres of land which they still are in possession and tilling.
It is also said that on knowing about the unfortunate incident at Bamuchak, Maharaja Gulab Singh compensated the family of Bamu Shah by giving them huge chunk of land and convinced villagers that he was not annoyed but happy to know about second temple coming up at a distance from the existing one. Idols were installed or not remains a mystery but for the moment temple is lying uninhibited except some pictures of deities and Gods have been pasted on the walls. Someone has even tried to illuminate the interiors of temple by fixing a board with switches on the walls decorated with murals.
Waiting for idol installation this Nagra style temple has turned into ruins. One Sarai (Rest Room) on the right has caved in. Main entrance designed and decorated with bricks too is damaged and one of it inclined at an angle. Main Parikrama around the temple which was built with Nanak Shahi Bricks, also known as Lakhuri bricks or decorative bricks is completely damaged and it’s remains too are not there. These bricks were broadly used for structural walls during the Mughal era and Golden Temple complex too has these bricks.
Both inner walls of sanctum sanctorum or Garbhagriha (chief deity’s room) on the left as well as right have been divided into nine sections and separate paintings depicting scenes from Ramayana done on each block. The wall above the place where statues are to be installed too has been divided into three sections and painted accordingly. The ceiling which is curved and blocks the view of spire from inside has also been painted in blue and red depicting some figures. The entrance has two huge walls done in brickwork. Each wall is divided into seven blocks making a design pattern. Paintings of women listening to music, sitting in the gallery of Darbar, peacocks and trees, Lord Rama and his marriage with Sita, Dhanush (Bow) breaking scene, a hut with Luxman Rekha, Lord Rama hinting the deer down and Luxman looking for him while Sita crossing Luxman Rekha and Haran by Ravana, Garuda flying with Ravana’s chariot and Lord Rama attacking Lanka with Vanar Sena all depict entire Ramayana drawn in the form of murals on inner walls of Bamuchak Temple are worth preserving.
To protect the structure locals have installed a temporary steel gate at the entrance from where visitors enter the compound. A few arches richly decorated with floral and geometry patterns are still standing tall narrating the glory of this place. Presently, department of culture, J&K UT under the scheme for revival, restoration, preservation and maintenance of architecture and heritage in Jammu and Kashmir intends to spend a huge amount of money on the restoration of this temple and bring it alive to its lost glory. Work on the project has already started and likely to be completed in a couple of years.
(The writer is a senior journalist)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
